Details

Faculty	Faculty of Science and Medicine
Domain	Biology
Code	UE-SBL.00021
Languages	English
Type of lesson	Lecture
Level	Bachelor
Semester	SA-2019

Title

French	Biologie de l'évolution
German	Evolutionsbiologie
English	Evolutionary Biology

Schedules and rooms

Summary schedule	Monday 10:15 - 12:00, Hebdomadaire (Autumn semester)
Struct. of the schedule	2h par semaines durant 14 semaines
Contact's hours	28

Teaching

Responsibles	Flatt Thomas
Teachers	Flatt Thomas
Description	This course introduces the fundamental principles and concepts of evolutionary biology. Since the publication of Charles Darwin’s 1859 book On The Origin of Species evolutionary biology has illuminated why and how organisms evolve, how they adapt to their environments through the process of natural selection, and how new species come into existence. Evolutionary biology is thus critical for our understanding of all of biology: “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”, as the famous geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky wrote. Evolution answers such exciting questions as: How did life originate? How do new species form? How can natural selection lead to – seemingly impossible or highly improbable – adaptations, including very complex organismal structures? How do history and randomness affect the evolution of life on earth? How do genetics and development constrain or facilitate evolution? Why are bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics? How can cooperation evolve despite selfishness? Why are sex ratios typically 50:50? Why do some organisms produce only one offspring, whereas others produce millions? Why do we age and die?
Training objectives	The students will learn to: define and apply the basic concepts of evolutionary biology; understand the principle of natural selection; explain why and how organisms evolve, adapt, speciate or go extinct; understand the interplay between chance (history, contingency, random events) and determinism (e.g., selection) in shaping evolution; summarize the empirical evidence for evolution, including human evolution; understand and discuss open, still unresolved scientific problems in evolutionary biology; refute creationist or intelligent design claims; and explain the theory and factual basis of evolution to non-biologists; understand the importance of evolutionary biology for human evolution, health and disease.
Comments	Primary reference/textbook: This course will be based very closely on the following book: Title: Evolution - An Introduction (2nd edition from 2005) Authors: Stearns & Hoekstra Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2005 ISBN: 9780199255634 The students are strongly encouraged to obtain the book and to read it.
Softskills	No
Off field	No
BeNeFri	Yes
Mobility	Yes
UniPop	No

Written exam - SA-2019, Session de printemps 2020

Assessments methods	By rating
Descriptions of Exams	Epreuve écrite de 90 minutes (H, A)

Written exam - SP-2020, Autumn Session 2020

Date	24.08.2020 10:00 - 11:30
Assessments methods	By rating
Descriptions of Exams	Epreuve écrite de 90 minutes (H, A)
Comment	Examen écrit en présence de 90 minutes.