BB502: (5 ECTS)

STADS: 04000201

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.
3rd quarter

Teacher responsible
Email: dec@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
jcd@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
None.

Course introduction
The fundamental law of biology is evolution. Evolutionary mechanisms allow us to understand difficult biological questions ranging from the origin and evolution of life to the evolution of ecosystems, and ultimately to the evolution of humans and their culture. Evolutionary theory has also been terribly misused for worrisome political agendas. It is therefore as important as ever to fully understand evolutionary theory, how it works, and what it explains, in order to evaluate the quality of the evolutionary hypotheses and to understand anti-evolutionary agendas.

Expected learning outcome
By the end of the course we expect that the student can:

• describe the theories for the origin of life and the further evolution of life on Earth
• describe the important mechanisms which have influenced life's evolution
• describe how genetic variation, lateral gene transfer, convergent evolution and genetic drift have been the important drivers of evolutionary change
• explain the construction and meaning of phylogenetic
• understand the most significant challenges to evolutionary theory
• critically analyze the newest theories in evolutionary biology
• critically evaluate discussions of evolution in the popular press
• understand and explain the main aspects of human evolution
• independently research a subject within evolution using literature sources
• write a report on an evolutionary topic in acceptable scientific language.

Subject overview
The following subjects will be reviewed and discussed:

• Theories surrounding the origin of life and the history of biological evolution
• Evolutionary mechanisms like natural selection and genetic variation
• the relationship between embryogenesis and evolution
• modern methods of building evolutionary trees (Cladistics)
• evolution of communities and ecosystems and the influence of ecosystems on the chemical evolution of the biosphere
• human evolution, facts and theories
• popular use/misuse of evolutionary thought.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
a) At least one oral presentation.
b) Written report over a self-chosen subject.
c) 80 % attendenc.
d) approved laboratory reports.
a), - b), - c). and d) is assessed jointly with a pass/fail grade, internal marking.

Re-examination after 3rd quarter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Forelæsninger/eksaminatorier (34 t med vægt på diskussioner og studenterdeltagelse), laboratorieøvelser (8 t) og ekskursion (8 t).
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.