UNIVERSITY OF GUAM
COURSE OUTLINE

Course Number: BI 525 College: Marine Lab
Course Title: Evolutionary Biology Credit Hours: 3
Date of Final Approval: ______________ Semester Offered: Fall/Even
Course counts as - general education requirement

- part of ___________ major program
1 elective

1. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

This course provides a survey of the origin and evolution of life on Earth by exploring the history and major features of evolutionary change through time and the mechanisms responsible for those changes. The course will also consider evolutionary aspects of genetics, development, ecology, biogeography, systematics, and paleontology. Prerequisites: Genetics or consent of the instructor.

2. COURSE CONTENT:

The course will cover the following topics: (1) Historical evolution: the origin and history of life, including unicellular forms, plants, animals and humans; (2) Patterns of evolution: origination, diversification, and extinction; (3) Origin of evolutionary novelties; (4) Evolution of diversity: speciation, biogeography, and systematics; (5) Mechanisms of evolution: population biology and population genetics.

3. RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE:

Evolution is the fundamental unifying principle of biology, providing explanations for and yielding insights into all aspects of biology. The study of evolution should be an integral part of the education of all graduate biology majors; at present no course exists to fill this gap at UOG.

4. SKILLS AND BACKGROUND REQUIRED OR EXPECTED:

This is a course for graduate students; introductory biology and genetics are prerequisites (or consent of instructor for latter); courses in animal and plant diversity useful. Students are expected to have basic skills in mathematics, at least in algebra.

5. TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND ANTICIPATED CLASS SIZE:

Two 1.5-hour lectures per week. Anticipated class size: 5-10 students.

6. ADDITIONAL COURSE DESCRIPTORS:

None.

7. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENTS:

a) Analyze the evolutionary history of life on the Earth;

b) Outline how life originated;

c) Evaluate paleontological data to measure speciation and extinction rates;

d) Analyze how the theory of natural selection provides a causal mechanism for adaptive evolution and speciation;

e) Relate the theory of biogeography to speciation patterns;

f) Demonstrate understanding how genetic variation provides the source of all evolutionary change;

g) Evaluate the roles of mutation, selection, population structure, and non- random mating in producing evolutionary change;

h) Analyze how genetics and selection produce ecological adaptation.

8. METHODS OF EVALUATION:

Quizzes, mid-term and final exams, and one 6-8 page library-based research paper.

9. REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR STUDY GUIDES:

Required text: Futuyma, D.J. 1986 (Second Edition) Evolutionary Biology. Sinauer, Sunderland, MA. Additional readings from original literature.

10. SUBSEQUENT COURSES:

No subsequent course are being offered or planned. Nevertheless a knowledge of evolutionary biology facilitates the understanding of other branches of biology. At UOG, most relevant in this respect are the courses in genetics, ecology, and diversity (e.g. comparative vertebrate anatomy, marine invertebrates, marine botany, ichthyology). Except for genetics, which is a prerequisite, no particular order is suggested for taking these course relative to evolutionary biology.