Biology 332: Evolutionary Biology

George M. Diggs, Jr.
Department of Biology and Center for Environmental Studies
Austin College, Sherman, Texas
& Research Associate, Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), Fort Worth

          


Biology 332 - Evolutionary Biology Spring 2008 - Class Schedule and Readings

    Lecture Topic Partial Reading List
       
 Feb 5 Introduction; Science as a Way of Knowing; Why Study Biol. Evol.?; Hist. & Dev. of Evolution Naturalism; An Introduction to Science; Nothing makes sense....; The Nature of Science
7 Hist. & Dev. of Evol. Biol. (cont.).; Genetics & Evol. The Power of This View of Life (class handout); Neither Intelligent nor Designed; The New Creationism; Sadly, An Honest Creationist
  12 Genetics and Evol. (cont.)  
  14 Selection, Adaptation  
  19 Selection, Adaptation (cont.); Case Study: Evolution of Whales Introduction to the Cetacea, Whale and Hippo "Close Cousins", New Fossils Resolve Whale's Origin
  21 Preadaptations, Functional Shifts, Multiple Solutions
  26 Evolution and Human Health
  28 Evolution and Human Health Hygiene Hypothesis; The Hygiene Hypothesis
 Mar 4 Sexual Section; Kin Selection  
6 EXAM 1  
  11 Speciation; Biogeography
  13 Coevolution; Res. Sum. Title, Etc. Due  
14-23 Spring Break
  25 Coevolution  
  27 Coevolution  Beetle Larvae That Cooperate To Mimic Bees
  Apr 1 Coevolution  
3 Classification, Phenetics, Evolutionary Taxonomy, Cladistics Cladistics Appendix (Diggs et al. 2006)
8 Cladistics & the Reconstruction of Phylogeny; RESEARCH SUMM. DUE  
  10 Molecular Evolution  
  15 EXAM 2  
  17 Molecular Evolution  The Real Life of Pseudogenes, Tuatara, the Fastest Evolving Animal, This Week's Citation Classic
  22 Diversity  
  24 Diversity, Cont.  
  29 Extinction  
 May 1 Mass Extinction
6 Human Evolution
  8 Evolution of Human Sexuality  
  14 FINAL EXAM – 12:00 - 2:00 pm. Wednesday  

 

For further information about this course, please contact:

Dr. George Diggs, Professor
Department of Biology
Austin College
900 N. Grand Ave.
Sherman, TX 75090
903-813-2246
Fax: 903-813-3199
gdiggs@austincollege.edu


All text and images on this page copyright 2008, George M. Diggs, Jr.

Austin College