PRIMARY TEXT:

No primary text is required for this course. Sometimes students ask for textbook recommendations, even though a text is not required .  The following books are recommended.  However, both of these books contain much more material than required for this course..

 

Futuyma, Douglas J. Evolution (2nd edition). 2009, Sinauer Associates.

Bergstrom & Dugatin Evolution. 2011 Univ. Washington

 

(Online versions are available at discounted price at the publisher’s websites.

 

You will also find some of the topics discussed in this course in any good General Biology textbook, e.g. chapters on meiosis, Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics etc. Many topics in evolution are also introduced at varying levels of complexity, and often with excellent graphics, in these textbooks.

 

You are REQUIRED to read the hypertext links on the Lecture Schedule. Most of the information presented in lectures could also be supplemented by some other websites on the internet. For a general review of many topics including genes, Mendelian genetics, recombination etc, check out KIMBALL'S Biology Pages. You should be very careful with the evolution websites you read however, as not all of them are scientifically solid, or even scientifically oriented. A good place to start is the page Evolution on the Web for Biology Students.

 

From time to time, course notes or other materials relating to specific topics may be distributed or made available on the web page.

 

Additional texts (Recommended But Not Required):

 

Coyne, Jerry A., Why Evolution Is True, 2009. Viking

The best, non-technical overview of Evolution, written by as famous practitioner of the science. Extremely readable, strongly recommended.  Not at text book, but a great non-technical survey of the entire field of evolution.

 

Carroll, Sean B., The Making of the Fittest, 2006. W.W. Norton

A terrific introduction to the evolution of genes, development, macroevolution etc. Strongly recommended.

 

Darwin, C., Origin of Species. Appleman, W.W. Norton, 1975

This is an abridged version of Darwin's masterpiece. I encourage you to read the original in its entirety, which is available on line but this brief version will give you a feeling for the original.

 

Dawkins, Richard, TheGreatest Show on Earth, 2010. Free Press (Paper)

A MUST READ if you are interested in the evidence for evolution, not just from biology, but also from other sciences.  Biology students should be aware of this information, but unfortunately, we do not have time to cover most of it in class.

 

Quammen, David, The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, 2006. W.W. Norton

An excellent and very readable introduction to Charles Darwin, and his world. Strongly recommended.

 

Judson, Olivia, Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation. 2002. Owl Books

Humorous treatment of sex and sexual selection in the animal kingdom.

 

Additional readings:

 

You are responsible for the following additional readings. These include magazine or journal articles which may be assigned, or hyperlinks in the schedule.

 

New York Times Tuesday Science Section - You must read and be prepared to discuss articles relating to evolution and ecology. This material may be included in exams.

 

Introductory Essays Available on the Web:

What is Evolution - by Lawrence Moran. An excellent discussion of the meaning of the term evolution for biology.

Introduction to Evolutionary Biology - by Chris Colby. A good general introduction to evolution.

Evolution is a fact and a theory - by Lawrence Moran

Five Major Misconceptions about Evolution - by Mark Isaak

 

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

 

Study Notes & Home Work -  Lecture 1a

 

Science in General

 

1.      Based on your knowledge from other sources, links in the web page, or other sources, review and be prepared to discuss :

 

The nature of science and the scientific method

 

The scientific meaning of ‘hypothesis’ and ‘theory’ (note that ‘theory’ as commonly used has a different meaning in science, e.g. the theory of relativity, germ theory, theory of evolution)

 

For a general review check out the web page: http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_03

(see other links in the course web page)

 

There are misconception about what science is and is and isn’t.  See the Berkeley web page: http://undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/misconceptions.php

 

What constitutes a fair test in science?  Read: http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/fair_tests_01

 

 

            What is the nature of ‘proof’?  Is it possible to prove something to be

            true?

 

2.      What is the role of experimentation in science? 

 

3.      How do scientist regard the supernatural?

 

Evolution

 

      1.  Is evolution the same as Darwinism?

 

      2.  Things Darwin didn’t know about:  DNA, continental drift, radiometric 

           dating, archaea, epigenetics, ribozymes, Hox genes to name a few. 

           Can you make a list of 4 or 5 more?

 

4.      What role did Mendel play in Darwin’s understanding of evolution?

 

Natural Selection

 

1.    What is the difference between Natural Selection, Evolution and

Darwinism?

 

 

2.    Darwin’s concept of natural selection can be thought of in terms of 3

observations and 2 deductions:

 

Obs. 1 – Organisms exist as ‘populations.’ All populations have the

               potential to increase exponentially in population size

 

Obs. 2 – In general, population size varies over time but populations

                never continue to grow exponentially.

 

Ded . 1 – Natural environmental factors limit exponential growth by

               causing mortality (limited habitat, disease, starvation,

               crowding, competition etc). 

 

Obs. 3 -  In general, organisms are unique, each varying from other

                others in a range of measurable characteristics; many of

                 these  variations are heritable:  traits which can be passed

                 onto  offspring, i.e. inherited. 

 

       Ded. 2 -  Individuals who inherit a trait which confers even a slight

                      advantage over other individuals  in the struggle for

                      existence are more likely to survive and reproduce than other

                      individuals, and the trait which provided the benefit will be

                      passed on to the next generation (natural selection).  Over

                      time,  the favorable trait(s) will increase in the population as

                      less beneficial traits decline and disappear.  This is evolution.

 

5.      The only requirements for natural selection are: (1)  the trait under selection must be heritable (2) The trait must provide a benefit which ultimately results in *relatively greater lifetime reproductive success than other individuals which do not inherit the trait (3) The organisms bearing the trait must be capable of reproduction

 

      6.  Darwin viewed evolution as occurring by small steps over long time

           periods.  Complex structure could devolve from simpler structures as

           long  as each step conferred a fitness benefit.

 

Note that selection acts on the individual phenotype – a term unknown to Darwin.

 

*fitness

 

 

Lecture 1b

Study Notes -HOMEWORK –  Lecture 1b “MODERN SYNTHESIS’

What is “the Modern Synthesis  How does it differ from Darwin’s original thinking.

 

Using the internet or any other sources, read some biographical information on the following:  Alfred Russell Wallace, Charles Lyell, Lamarck, Dobzhansky, Asa Gray, Thomas Hunt Morgan, Ronald Fisher, J.B.S. Haldane.  Who were they and what role did they play in the development of the Modern Synthesis

 

For your information only; not to be turned in.

_______________________________________________________

THE HUMAN MN LOCUS AS EXAMPLE OF HARDY WEINBERG EQUILIBRIUM

 

A.     N = 320 people in the Sicilian village of Desulo

 

MM =  187         (Note that the 3 genotypes can be detected using a

MN =  114           simple blood agglutination test)

NN =     19

           320

 

B.     Observed Genotypes Frequencies

 

MM  =  187/320  =  0.584

MN  =   114/320  =  0.356

NN  =    19 /320  =  0.059

 

C.    Observed Gene (Allele) Frequencies

 

There are 320 people in the sample; Each person carries two copies.  Therefore, the total number of gene copies = 320 x 2 = 640 gene copies.

 

The 187 MM individuals carry a total of (187 x 2) copies of the M gene

 

The 114 MN individuals carry a total of  (114 x 1) copies of the M allele

 

Therefore, the total number of copies of the M allele =

 (187 x 2) + (114 x 1)  = 488

 

488/640  =  0.763  =  Freq. of M allele

 

The frequency of the N allele =

 

(114 x 1) + (19 x 2) = 152    152/640 = 0.237 = Freq. of N allele

 

D.    The expected Genotype Frequencies under Hardy-Weinberg =

 

MM  = p2  = (0.763)2                 = 0.582

 

MN  = 2pq  = 2(0.763)(0.237)   = 0.362

 

NN  = q2  =  (0.237)2                 =  0.056

 

E.     Note that these expected genotype frequencies are very close to the

observed genotype frequencies, indicating that the MN locus in the sample is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

 

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