Evolution (Biol 4802) |
Fall 2008 |
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Dr. Julie R. Etterson (Instructor) |
Ada Tse (GTA) |
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Office: |
153B SSB |
Office hours in: |
75 MWAH |
Lab: |
180 SSB |
Lab: |
180 SSB |
Phone : |
726-8110 |
Phone : |
726-6853 |
Email: |
Email: |
tsexx015@d.umn.edu |
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Office Hours: |
Dr. Etterson - immediately after class on T and Th or by appointment Ada Tse –M and W 10:00-11:00 am |
Lecture: |
2:00-3:15 T Th in 185 Life Science Building |
Text: |
Evolution by Douglas J. Futuyma (2005) |
Software: |
EvoBeaker SimBiotic software disk and workbooks from UMD bookstore. You must purchase this packet. When exercises are turned in to be graded, the original publisher’s workbook must be submitted. Photocopies will not be accepted. |
Readings: |
Articles from the primary literature are listed on syllabus and accessible for downloading on the web page |
Purpose: |
The purpose of this course is to introduce biology students to the fundamental concepts that underlie the process of evolution. Students will learn how this discipline is relevant to all aspects of biology from the level of the molecule to the level of the ecosystem.
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Attendance: |
Lecture attendance is expected. Activities conducted during lecture periods will be considered in the computation of your final grade. |
EvoBeaker Software & Workbooks: |
We will use five EvoBeaker computer simulation exercises in this course to deepen your understanding of evolutionary concepts. These exercises were developed with funding from the National Science Foundation to help introduce evolutionary thinking and provide opportunities to develop your skills in hypothesis generation and testing. A packet is available in the bookstore which includes the software disk and workbooks for each simulation exercise. If you have a laptop, please bring it with the EvoBeaker software for group work. We need one lap top for each 2-3 students to use in class for simulation exercises.
There will be three kinds of assignments based on the EvoBeaker simulations: In class:
Outside of class:
When we are finished with the exercises in the workbook:
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Submitting Assignments |
Every Tuesday there will be a written assignment due for this course. Most of these assignments will be the sythesis questions from the EvoBeaker workbooks. Assignments should be prepared in a standard word processing program, like MS Word, and uploaded onto Moodle. Click here for DIRECTIONS to upload your assignments . |
Grading: |
The percentage toward the final grade of each course component is shown in the table below. More details will be provided as the course progresses. |
Component of Course |
% of Grade |
Two midterms |
40 |
Final exam |
20 |
EvoBeaker workbooks and other assignments |
30 |
| Class participation | 10 |
Interesting Links |
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| How to build phylogenies with protein data | Chang et al. 2008 |
1st diploid human sequence of an individual |
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Inheritance of environmental effects |
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Evolution of guppy coloration |
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| Evolution of squirrels in response to climate change | Reale et al. 2000 |
| Specialism to generalism in brood parasitism | Lanyon 1992 |
| Paramorphosis in flightless birds | Cubo and Arthur 2001 |
| Early tetrapod fossil that fills a gap | Clack 2002 |
| Differences between pathogenic and benign E. coli | Perna et al. 2001 |
| Fragments of early Ordovician plants | Wellman et al. 2003 |
| Relationship between bacteria, eukarya, and archaea | Pace 2006 |
| Glacial refugia of Jack Pine in North America | Godbout et al. 2005 |
| Optimal inbreeding in humans | Helgason et al. 2008 |
| Positive frequency dependent selection | Mallet and Barton 1989 |
| Intense natural selection due to invasion of green crabs | Seeley 1986 |
| Review of QTL mapping in Drosophila | Mackay 2001 |
| Recognition of parasitic eggs | Lyon 2003 |
| Female fur seals chose heterozygous and unrelated males | Hoffman et al. 2007 |
| Hyrbid speciation in sunflowers | Rieseberg et al. 1996 |
Syllabus |
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Date |
Day |
Book |
Lecture topic & EvoBeaker |
Assignment due on this date |
9/2 |
T |
1 |
Intro to the course: Darwin’s theory of evolution. Introduction and Exercise 1 EvoBeaker: Guppies |
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9/4 |
TH |
1, 22
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Evidence for Evolution Exercise 2: Develop hypotheses in class and do experiments in small groups outside of class EvoBeaker: Guppies |
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9/9 |
T |
2 |
Inferring phylogenetic history Introduction and Exercise 2 EvoBeaker: Dogs |
Assignment 1: EvoBeaker: Guppies Question 5 (page 11) and Question 6 (page 12) Moodle |
9/11 |
TH |
2 |
Problems in phylogeny construction Group work, Exercise 3 EvoBeaker: Dogs |
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9/16 |
T |
3 |
Patterns of evolutionary change Group work, Exercise 4 EvoBeaker: Dogs |
Assignment 2: EvoBeaker: Dogs Question 24 (page 6) and Question 34 (page 8) Moodle |
9/18 |
TH |
4 |
The fossil record Group work, Exercise 6 EvoBeaker: Dogs |
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9/23 |
T |
5 |
History of life on earth: Archean to Cambrian Explosion |
Assignment 3: EvoBeaker: Dogs Question 59 (page 14 Modified questions from Exercise 6 (see Moodle) (pages 18-19) Moodle |
9/25 |
TH |
5 |
History of life on earth: Cambrian extinction to Cenozoic No group work - Open question session |
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9/30 |
T |
1-5, 22 |
Midterm Exam 1 |
Assignment 4: Turn in two completed publisher-issued EvoBeaker workbooks (Guppies & Dogs). Photocopies will not be accepted. Extra Credit: Exercise 5 EvoBeaker Dogs (3 points toward Midterm Exam 1) |
10/2 |
TH |
6 |
Ecological approaches to biogeography Lecture 9 Notes EvoBeaker: HIV |
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10/7 |
T |
7 |
Evolution of biodiversity Extinction and environmental change Lecture 10 Notes EvoBeaker: HIV |
Assignment 5: EvoBeaker: HIV The table on page 8 and supporting graphs, Question 44 (page 9), Question 57 (page 11) |
10/9 |
TH |
8 |
Origins of genetic variation: mutation, and other sources Group work, Exercise 5 EvoBeaker: HIV |
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10/14 |
T |
8 |
Impact of mutation on phenotype Introduction to EvoBeaker Sickle Cell Group work, Exercise 1 |
Assignment 6: EvoBeaker: HIV Questions 68 (page 13) Question 79 (page 17) |
10/16 |
TH |
9 |
Decting evolutionary change - Hardy-Weinberg Group work, Exercise 2 EvoBeaker Sickle Cell |
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10/21 |
T |
9 |
Discrete vs. polygenic traits Group work, Exercise 3 EvoBeaker Sickle Cell |
Assignment 7: EvoBeaker Sickle Cell Modified versions of these two questions: Question 7 (page 6) and Question 6 (page 8) |
10/23 |
TH |
9, 10 |
Random evolutionary processes: Genetic drift Group work, Exercise 4 EvoBeaker Sickle Cell |
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10/28 |
T |
9, 10 |
Gene flow and neutral theory Group work, Exercise 5 EvoBeaker Sickle Cell |
Assignment 8: EvoBeaker Sickle Cell Exercise 3, Question 4 (page 11) and Exercise 4, Question 4 (page 13) |
10/30 |
TH |
11 |
Adaptation No group work. Open question session |
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11/4 |
T |
6-11 |
Midterm Exam 2 |
Assignment 9: Turn in one completed publisher-issued workbook EvoBeaker: HIV Photocopies will not be accepted. Extra Credit: To be announced later 3 points toward Midterm Exam 2 |
11/6 |
TH |
12 |
Natural selection and population genetic theory Group work, More things to try EvoBeaker Sickle Cell |
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11/11 |
T |
12 |
Examples of the forms of selection Introduction to EvoBeaker: Snails |
Assignment 10: EvoBeaker Sickle Cell Exercise 5, Question 8 (page 15), More things to try (page 16) Moodle |
11/13 |
TH |
13 |
Predicting evolutionary change Group work, Part 1 EvoBeaker: Snails |
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11/18 |
T |
14 |
Conflict and cooperation: theories Group work, Part 2 EvoBeaker: Snails |
Assignment 11: EvoBeaker Snails Part 1, Question 19 Part 2, Questions 8, 17, and 30 Moodle |
11/20 |
TH |
14 |
Sexual selection Group work, Part 3 EvoBeaker: Snails |
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11/25 |
T |
15 |
Species concepts Group work, Part 4 EvoBeaker: Snails |
Assignment 12: EvoBeaker: Snails Part 3, Question 1, and Part 4, Question 7 Moodle |
11/27 |
TH |
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Thanksgiving break |
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12/2 |
T |
16 |
Reproductive barriers and molecular divergence Group work, Part 5 EvoBeaker: Snails |
Assignment 13: EvoBeaker: Snails Part 5 Question 1b and Part 6 Question 2 Moodle |
12/4 |
TH |
16 |
Speciation - allopatry Group work, Part 6 EvoBeaker: Snails |
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12/9 |
T |
18 |
Other mechanims of speciation
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Assignment 14: Turn two completed publisher-issued workbooks,EvoBeaker: Sickle Cell & Snails Photocopies will not be accepted |
12/11 |
TH |
18 |
Coevolution - Enemies and victims Coevolution - Mutualism and competition Open question session for the final exam |
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Final Exam Wednesday December 17th 8:00-9:55 185 Life Science Building |
No extra credit on final exam |
Academic Dishonesty: |
Academic dishonesty tarnishes UMD's reputation and discredits the accomplishments of students. UMD is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit. This pledge can only be redeemed in an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. As a result, academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community. In keeping with this ideal, this course will adhere to UMD's Student Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found at www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/integrity. This policy sanctions students engaging in academic dishonesty with penalties up to and including expulsion from the university for repeat offenders.
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Student Conduct Code: |
The instructor will enforce and students are expected to follow the University's Student Conduct Code (http://www.d.umn.edu/assl/conduct/code). Appropriate classroom conduct promotes an environment of academic achievement and integrity. Disruptive classroom behavior that substantially or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor's ability to teach, or student learning, is prohibited. Disruptive behavior includes inappropriate use of technology in the classroom. Examples include ringing cell phones, text-messaging, watching videos, playing computer games, doing email, or surfing the Internet on your computer instead of note-taking or other instructor-sanctioned activities.
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Access for Students with Disabilities: |
Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to inform the instructor at the start of the quarter. Methods, materials or testing may be modified to provide for equitable participation.
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Promotion of Bias-free Instruction: |
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all of its students shall have equal educational opportunities. The University expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran's status, ethnicity, religion, creed, national origin or marital status. If you believe that your Biology instructor has not followed this policy, you are invited to bring this to the attention of the Biology Department Head (211 Life Science; 726-7263) or the Associate Dean of the College of Science and Engineering (140 Engineering; 26-7585). Your conference will be kept confidential.
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