Biology 391: Organic Evolution
Spring 1999 On-Line Course Lectures and Assignments
Index of Lectures and Outside Reading Assignments: Click on a
lecture title to go to that lecture
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS: CLICK HERE
Week 1 (11&13 January)
-
Lecture
1: Introduction to Evolution and Natural Selection
- Lecture 2: Avoiding Misconceptions about
Evolution
- Other Assignments: Read Chapter 1 in your textbook
- Bulletin board labs will not meet this week, but I will be available
for e-mail questions during scheduled lab times. Instead of lab, you will
e-mail TWO questions to me this week (instead of the usual one question;
each question is worth one point.)
- Assigned Lab Questions to be e-mailed to me by Friday this week:
- Group 1: Chapter I: Qu. 1, Chapter II: Qu. 2a
- Group 2: Chapter I: Qu. 2, Chapter II: Qu. 2b
- Group 3: Chapter I: Qu. 3, Chapter II: Qu. 2c
- Group 4: Chapter I: Qu. 4, Chapter II: Qu. 2d
- Group 5: Chapter I: Qu. 7, Chapter II: Qu. 2e
Week 2 (20 January)
- Lecture 1: Evolution and the Scientific
Method
- Other Assignments: Read "Nonoverlapping Magesteria" by S.J. Gould.
This article is on reserve for this course in the library
- Assigned Lab Question to be e-mailed to me by Wednesday, 5:00, this
week:
- Group 1: Lab Manual Chapter III, Qu. 5b
- Group 2: Lab Manual Chapter III, Qu. 5c
- Group 3: Lab Manual Chapter III, Qu. 5d
- Group 4: Lab Manual Chapter III, Qu. 5e
- Group 5: Lab Manual Chapter III, Qu. 5c
- Questions we will discuss during the bulletin board
discussion this week will be from Lab Manual Chapters IV and V
Week 3: (25, 27 January)
Week 4: (1, 3 February)
Week 5: (8,10 February)
- Lecture 1: Measuring variation in
polygenic traits
- Lecture 2: Evolution of polygenic
traits
- Assigned Questions to be e-mailed to me by Weds, 5:00 p.m. this
week. NOTE: complete the written answers to the two parts of these
questions,
(i) and (ii). You don't have to e-mail me the graph that's required as
part of (ii) since it's hard to e-mail a graph, but I would like you to
state what the two axes of this graph represent and what the
line plotted on the graph would look like.
- Group 1: Lab Manual
Chapter X, Question 1a
- Group 2: Lab Manual Chapter X, Question 1b
- Group 3: Lab Manual Chapter X, Question 1c
- Group 4: Lab Manual Chapter X, Question 1d
- Group 5: Lab Manual Chapter X, Question 1e
- Other material to be discussed in the lab bulletin board sessions:
the computer assignment results and, if time permits, other questions from
lab manual chapter X. To prepare to discuss the computer assignment,
groups should prepare to discuss the following:
- Group 1: Be prepared to explain the "What you should learn" section
for Graph 1.
- Group 2: Be prepared to explain the "What you should learn" section
for Graph 2.
- Group 3: Be prepared to explain the "What you should learn" section
for Graph 3.
- Group 4: Be prepared to explain the "What you should learn" section
for Graph 4.
- Group 5: Be prepared to explain the "What you should learn" section
for Table 1.
- Other Assignments: Optional Rough Draft of Computer Assignment 1 due
MON 8 Feb. by 12:00 noon.
- Other Assignments: Computer Assignment 1 due WEDS 10 Feb. by 5:00
p.m.
Week 6: (15, 17 February)
Week 7: (22, 24 February)
Week 8: (1, 3 March)
- Lecture 1: Molecular and Morphological
Data in Systematic Studies
- Lecture 2: Molecular Evolution and
Phylogeny
- Assigned Question to be e-mailed to me by 5:00, Wednesday, this
week
from Lab Manual Chapter XII:
- Group 1: 9a
- Group 2: 9b
- Group 3: 9c
- Group 4: 9d
- Group 5: 9e
NOTE: in your answer to your part of question 9, when
you explain why different molecules are appropriate for different groups,
be sure to include explanations of why different molecules (i.e. different
areas of the DNA) evolve at
different rates AND why it is important to use an area of DNA that
evolves at a certain rate to study a particular group (what problems
do you avoid by picking the area of DNA that evolves at the
appropriate rate.)
- TO PREPARE FOR LAB: In lab, we will discuss the questions you
answered and questions about the molecular clock hypothesis. Be sure to
study the molecular clock hypothesis; be able to define it and be able to
answer questions such as questions 11 -- 15 in chapter XII in your lab
manual.
- Other Assignments: Phylogenetic Trees and Traits Due to be checked by
me by 5:00 p.m. Weds, 3 March. Turn these in to the Biology
Department Office. NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGABLE TO
COMPLETE, RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THE PHYLOGENY EXERCISE IF I DO NOT RECEIVE
THIS ON TIME!
Week 9: (8, 10 March)
- Lecture 1: Species Concepts; Variation
within Species
- Lecture 2: Speciation: General models
- Assigned question to be e-mailed to me by Wednesday, 5:00, this week
from lab manual chapter XIII:
- Group 1: 4a
- Group 2: 4b
- Group 3: 4c
- Group 4: 4d
- Group 5: 4e
- TO PREPARE FOR LAB: During lab, we will discuss other information
relevant to lab manual chapter XIII: to prepare, go over questions 1-7 and
10. Be sure you can describe the different forms of variation within
species and the three different models of speciation.
- Other Assignments: Optional Rough Drafts of Phylogeny Assignment Due
by 5:00 p.m. Monday, 8 March.
- Other Assignments: Phylogeny Assignment Due by 5:00 p.m. Friday, 12
March.
15-19 March: SPRING BREAK -- HAVE FUN!
Week 10: (22, 24 March)
Week 11: (29, 31 March)
Week 12: (5, 7 April)
- Lecture 1: Evolution and Development
- Lecture 2: Regulatory Genes and
Evolution
- Homework: by 5:00 Wednesday e-mail me the answer to the following
question from
Chapter XIX of your lab manual:
- Group 1: 9
- Group 2: 10
- Group 3: 11
- Group 4: 11
- Group 5: 9
- LABS THIS WEEK WILL MEET IN PERSON IN
THE LAB ROOM, not on the
internet. The topic of the labs is drawing phylogenies to test hypotheses
of evolution; we will discuss/draw material based on lab manual chapters
XI, XVII, and XIX.
Week 13. (12, 14 April)
Week 14. (19,
21 April)
- Lecture 1: The Evolution of Sexual
Reproduction
- Lecture 2: Sexual Selection
- Homework for this week: by Wednesday at 5:00, e-mail me the answer to
the following question from chapter XXII of your lab manual:
- Group 1: 1
- Group 2: 2
- Group 3: 3
- Group 4: 4
- Group 5: 5
- TO PREPARE FOR LAB: try to work the questions on the evolution of
sexual reproduction in Chpater XXI of your lab manual. Also, try to come
up with other questions you'd like answered before the test on Monday.
- Other Assignments: Optional Rough Drafts of Critiques due Wednesday,
21 April, by 5:00 p.m.
Week 15. (26, 28 April)
Week 16: (3 May)
- Lecture: Human Macroevolution
- Homework -- your LAST homework assignment is due by 5:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, 4 May. For your homework, answer the following from Lab Manual
Chapter XXIII: (this is based on the lecture on human macroevolution but
since the lecture reviews principles and examples from previous sections
you may have to check the previous lectures to fully complete your
answers; also note that if the question says to "explain" something that
I want a clear explanation, not just a statement of what something
shows)
- Group 1: 1
- Group 2: 2
- Group 3: 3
- Group 4: 4
- Group 5: 5
- Other Assignments: Critique Due by 5:00 p.m. Monday. You may either
e-mail it to me or turn it in to the Biology Dept. Office.
- FINAL EXAM Friday, 7 May, 12:45-2:45 IMPORTANT INFORMATION about the final
exam!
Return to Evolution Course Home Page
Return to Evolution Internet Course Index