EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

the course is given in English.

This is an integrated course, which consists of two parts (Evolutionary Biology and Population Genetics) held by different teachers.

Evolutionary Biology
This part of the course is an introduction to the evolutionary biology. The teacher will present the main selective and ecological processes which are responsible for adaptive (and non-adaptive) evolutionary changes. Students will be guided to integrate their knowledge of the genetic mechanisms responsible for the expression of phenotypic traits (including their plasticity) into an evolutionary framework.
1. An introduction to evolution
2. The history of life
How does evolution lead to the tree of life?
Understanding phylogenies
Homologies and analogies
Important events in the history of life
3. Mechanisms of adaptive evolution
Descent with modification
Mechanisms of change
Genetic variation
Sex and genetic shuffling
Natural selection
Sexual selection
Artificial selection
Adaptation
Misconceptions about natural selection
Coevolution
4. Microevolution
Detecting contemporary microevolutionary change
Mechanisms of microevolution (directional, stabilizing and disruptive selection)
5. Speciation
Defining a species
Defining speciation
Causes of speciation
Reproductive isolation
Evidence for speciation
6. Macroevolution
Patterns in macroevolution
7. The big questions in evolutionary biology
The pace of evolution
The maintenance of genetic variation

Population Genetics
The general theme of this part of the course is the origin, maintenance and meaning of genetic variability. The study of population genetics provides the necessary tools for the comprehension of the genetic mechanisms which are the driving force of biological evolution.
1. Genetic variability in populations;
2. How is genetic variability organized?
3. The Hardy-Weinberg principle;
4. Recombination, linkage and linkage disequilibrium;
5. The structure of natural populations;
6. The origins of genetic variability;
7. Random genetic drift;
8. An introduction to coalescence theory;
9. Inbreeding and non-random breeding;
10. Population subdivision and genetic flow;
11. Darwinian selection;
12. The molecular basis of population genetics;
13. The Neutral Theory and molecular evolution.