SL22018: Evolution and phylogeny
[Page last updated: 03 June 2024]
| Academic Year: | 2024/25 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Life Sciences |
| Credits: | 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 200 |
| Level: | Intermediate (FHEQ level 5) |
| Period: |
- Academic Year
|
| Assessment Summary: | CWSI 30%, EXIC 20%, EXOB 50% |
| Assessment Detail: |
- MCQ (EXIC 20%)
- Set exercises Individual (CWSI 30%)
- Open-book written examination (EXOB 50%)
|
| Supplementary Assessment: |
- Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
|
| Requisites: |
|
| Learning Outcomes: |
By the end of the unit, you will be able to:
- Synthesize your knowledge and understanding of concepts in evolution using information from molecular evolution, genetics, population biology and palaeobiology.
- Synthesize your knowledge of concepts in phylogenetics using information from molecular evolution, genetics, population biology and palaeobiology.
- Make phylogenetic inferences using molecular sequences and evaluate and interpret them.
- Make phylogenetic inferences using morphological data and evaluate and interpret them.
|
| Synopsis: | Through lectures and workshops you will develop an understanding of evolutionary processes operating at all levels: from genes to genomes, populations, species and clades. You will explore how to inferevolutionaryhistory using phylogenetics. Concepts from evolutionary theory, optimisation theory, behavioural ecology and ecological genetics will be covered. You will develop an understanding of the biological and physical factors that have shaped the evolution of biodiversity through deep time.
|
| Content: | Darwinian and neo-Darwinian evolution
Fitness, the various forms of natural selection and neutral evolution
Phylogenetic tree representation of evolution
Molecular and phenotypic characters for use in phylogenetic inference
Sequence alignment and models of molecular evolution
Major methods for tree inference
Assessing confidence for phylogentic inferences
Deep time and rate of macroevolution; gradualism and punctuated evolution
Population genetics
Evolution of sex
Extinction
|
| Course availability: |
SL22018 is Compulsory on the following courses:
Department of Chemistry
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with professional placement (Year 2)
Department of Life Sciences
- USSL-AFB11 : BSc(Hons) Biology (Year 2)
- USSL-AKB11 : BSc(Hons) Biology with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSL-AFM11 : MBiol(Hons) Biology (Year 2)
- USSL-AKM11 : MBiol(Hons) Biology with professional placement (Year 2)
SL22018 is Optional on the following courses:
Department of Chemistry
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 2)
- USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 2)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with professional placement (Year 2)
|
Notes: - This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
- Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
- Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
- Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.
|
