Synopsis
This course emphasizes and explores evolutionary processes and the patterns that they produce at and above the species level. We begin with a reprise of microevolution and the distinction between it and macroevolution (if indeed such distinction can be sharply drawn and is useful). This is followed by detailed considerations of theoretical underpinnings and empirical examinations of models of speciation, adaptive radiation, mechanisms and rates of extinction, evo/devo cladogenesis and origins of higher-order taxa and reconstructions of evolutionary history of focal groups of species. Class lectures (2 - 50 min. sessions weekly) are supplemented by guests presenting case studies based on their latest research. In the laboratory, lectures are complemented by student-led tutorials on recent articles from top-line scientific journals like Science, Nature, and Evolution, and by a group research project designed to expose students to recent advances in phylogenetic inference.
Time slots:
Lectures - Wednesday 12:30-13:20 & Friday 11:30-12:20 Bioscience Room 1120
Tutorial/Laboratories - Section B Monday 14:30-17:30, Location Bioscience Bioscience 2325 - Section A Tuesday 11:30-14:30, Location: Bioscience 2325.
Text
There is no comprehensive textbook on macroevolution that I consider suitable for this course (and I know of no book that adequately covers both evolution above the species level and speciation itself). This presents me with a conundrum as I know many students prefer having a text to deepen their undertsanding of concepts covered in class. Regardless, I have decided to require no text (saving you loads of $$$) and to use review articles and papers from the primary literature to underpin the lectures and labs in this course. There are many excellent tomes that you may wish to purchase and that cover some of what we will discuss in Biology 440 some of which I list here:
- Coyne, J.A. & H.A. Orr. 2004. Speciation. Sinauer. This relatively recent tome synthesizes much of the recent work on speciation from the vantage of these two long-time collaborators who emphasize the biological species concept and the evolution of reproductive isolation.
- Freeman, S. and D. Herron 2006. Evolutionary Analysis, 4th ed. This is the text that has long been used in Biology 206 and provides a broad coverage of many important issues in evolution.
- Futuyma, D. 1998. Evolutionary Biology, 3rd ed. Sinauer Associates. A bit out of date now but still and excellent review of theory and issues.
- Futuyma, D. 2005. Evolution. Sinauer Associates. A descendent of Futuyma's 98 text - targeted at undergraduates.
- Levinton, J.S. 2001. Genetics, Paleontology and Macroevolution. 2nd ed. Cambridge Univ. Press. From the publisher "... examines a wide range of topics including genetics, speciation, development, evolution, constructional and functional aspects of form, fossil lineages, and systematics ..."
- Ridley, M., ed. 2004. Evolution, 2nd edition. Oxford Readers Series. Oxford University Press. This is a compendium of article extracts (edited by noted evolutionary biologist Mark Ridley) written by some important evolutionary thinkers of the last 150 yrs. plus articles from the primary literature.
Course grading scheme:
| individual tutorial | 20% |
| 2 group exercises (15% apiece) | 30% |
| term paper | 20% |
| final exam | 30% |
This course taught by:
| Instructor: Steve Lougheed. Room 4428 Bioscience Complex Tel: x. 36128 email: steve.lougheed@queensu.ca |
| TA: Jamie Morris-Pocock. Room 4441 Bioscience Complex Tel: x. 75539 email: 0jam3@queensu.ca |
| TA: Kat Stewart. Room 4430 Bioscience Complex Tel: x. 75051 email: 7kas6@queensu.ca |
Biology DSC: Web Page: http://biology.queensu.ca/~dsc/ DSC Rep for 2008: TBA