Instructor: Dr. Leslie J. Rissler
Office: 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building (MVZ)
Office hours: Tuesday 9:30-10:30 (and by appointment when necessary)
Email: rissler@socrates.berkeley.edu
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GSI: Jacqueline Moustakas Office: 5091 Valley Life Sciences Building Office Hours: Monday 11:00-12:00 |
GSI: Matthew Wedel Office: 5078 Valley Life Sciences Building Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00-3:00, in 2011 VLSB |
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Required Textbook: Evolutionary Analysis, Second Edition. 2001. Scott Freeman and Jon C. Herron
Exams and Assignments/Grading: Midterm and Final Exam (70%); Term Paper (20%); Participation in Discussion Section (10%). Exams are intended to be more than a regurgitation of factual material. Exams will challenge you to synthesize and use your knowledge of evolutionary biology to address new questions in a critical way. Detailed point scheme will be available on the WWW site.
Term Paper: Intended to give students experience in 1) researching a relevant, current topic in evolutionary biology, 2) synthesizing the current literature, and 3) writing. Length: minimum of 8 and maximum 12 pages (not including literature cited), double-spaced, typed with 12 point Times New Roman font with 1" margins. Topics will be chosen in consultation with the instructor.
Discussion Section: Papers will be handed out before and after lecture or may be found on the Discussion WWW site. It is your responsibility to make sure you have a copy of these papers. Discussion sections will be a combination of 1) discussion of key papers in evolutionary biology and 2) structured debates on an assigned topic. These take place on Friday.
Final Exam: Wednesday 11 December 8-11 a.m.
SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS
Section I: Evolutionary Mechanisms
| 26 Aug | M | Introduction - HIV (Nature of Science) | Chapter 1 |
| 28 Aug | W | Evidence for Evolution | Chapter 2 |
| 30 Aug | F | History and Foundations | |
| 2 Sept | M | No Class - Labor Day | |
| 4 Sept | W | Darwinian Evolution | Chapter 3 |
| 6 Sept | F | Population Genetics and H-W | Chapter 5 |
| 9 Sept | M | Mendelian Genetics | Chapter 6 |
| 11 Sept | W | Population Structure and Genetics (continued) | |
| 13 Sept | F | Natural Selection (continued) | |
| 16 Sept | M | Quantitative Genetics (Heritability) | Chapter 7 |
| 18 Sept | W | Molecular Evolution | Chapter 18 |
Section II: Adaptive Evolution
| 20 Sept | F | Investigating Adaptation | Chapter 8 |
| 23 Sept | M | Adaptive Explanations and Constraints | |
| 25 Sept | W | Selection (levels and types) | Chapter 10 |
| 27 Sept | F | Fitness Components (Survival and Fecundity), Life Histories | Chapter 11 |
| 30 Sept | M | Evolution of Sex | Chapter 7 |
| 2 Oct | W | Importance of Ecology (e.g. Sex Determination, Co-Evolution, etc.) | |
| 4 Oct | F | Sexual Selection | Chapter 9 Debate #1 in Lab (Cloning Humans) |
| 7 Oct | M | Practice Exam #1 |
Section III: History of Life
| 9 Oct | W | Cambrian Explosion: Jackie guest lecturer | Chapter 15 |
| 11 Oct | F | No lecture or lab: Work on Term Paper | |
| 14 Oct | M | Origins of Life: Matt guest lecturer | Chapter 14 |
| 16 Oct | W | Human Evolution: Tim White guest lecturer | Chapter 16 |
| 18 Oct | F | Exam #1 (Covers Sections I and II) | |
| 21 Oct | M | Mechanisms of Speciation | Chapter 12 |
| 23 Oct | W | Adaptive Radiations | |
| 25 Oct | F | Species Concepts | |
| 28 Oct | M | Species Concepts and Implications | |
| 30 Oct | W | Phylogenetics | Chapter 13 |
| 1 Nov | F | Reconstructing Phylogenies | |
| 4 Nov | M | Molecular Clock and Models of Evolution | |
| 6 Nov | W | Macroevolutionary Change and Extinction | Matt Wedel |
| 8 Nov | F | Uses for Phylogenies (Health, Biogeography, Law, ...) | |
| 11 Nov | M | No Class - Veterans Day |
Section IV: Using Evolutionary Theory
| 13 Nov | W | Term Papers Due by 5 p.m. No Lecture | |
| 15 Nov | F | Biodiversity and the Pattern of Life | Debate #2 in Lab (Church and State) |
| 18 Nov | M | Conservation and Evolution | Craig Moritz |
| 20 Nov | W | Environmental Context of Evolutionary Change | Catherine Graham |
| 22 Nov | F | Novelty in Evolution: Rachel Mueller guest lecturer | Chapter 17 |
| 25 Nov | M | Evolvability (Development) | John Gerhart |
| 27 Nov | W | Cultural Evolution and Behavior | Vicki Wedel |
| 29 Nov | F | Thanksgiving Break | |
| 2 Dec | M | Environmental and Historical Influences on Speciation: Comparative phylogeography | Leslie Rissler |
| 4 Dec | W | Current Research in
Evolution: Evolution and Development of Skeletal Structures | Jackie and Matt |
| 6 Dec | F | Last Day of Class:
Course Review (No Lab) |
Final Exam: Wednesday 11 December 8-11 a.m.