E&ES250 - Macroevolution

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Macroevolution
E&ES250 SP

Is long-term, large scale evolution, including the evolutionary developement of novel features (e.g., eyes, flight, adaptation to life on land) dominantly determined by 'biological processes' or by 'geological processes'? Biological processes include competition between species, individuals, or even genes. 'Geological processes' include global environmental changes, such as cooling or warming, and concentrations of oxygen and CO2 in the atmosphere. Both processes play a role in long-term evolution, but there is serious debate regarding their relative importance. In this course we will study the development of biological diversity over geological time, with emphasis on the origin of the various Phyla (groups of organisms with fundamentally different body-plans) and their familial relations. We will pay particular attention to the integration of research by paleontologists and molecular biologists, and the influence of these ideas and cladistic analysis on the understanding of evolution on long time scales.

MAJOR READINGS

Textbook: D.R. Prothero: BRINGING FOSSILS TO LIFE (WCB McGraw Hill; 1998)
Additional readings will be selected from D.E.G. Briggs and P.R. Crowther, eds., PALAEOBIOLOGY
N. Eldredge: UNFINISHED SYNTHESIS-BIOLOGICAL HIERARCHIES AND MODERN EVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT
J. Maynard Smith and E. Szathmany: THE MAJOR TRANSITIONS IN EVOLUTION
E. Mayr and W.B. Provine: THE EVOLUTIONARY SYNTHESIS-PERSPECTIVES ON THE UNIFICATION OF BIOLOGY
D. Quamman: THE SONG OF THE DODO-ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN AN AGE OF EXTINCTIONS
S.M. Stanley: MACROEVOLUTION-PATTERNS AND PROCESS
E.O. Wiley et al., THE COMPLEAT CLADIST
C. Zimmer, AT THE WATER'S EDGE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

There will be an in-class mid-term exam, a term paper and a comprehensive final exam.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Problem sets.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NSM E&ES Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: E&ES101 OR E&ES199

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Thomas,Ellen

Instructor's Course Page

Times: ..T.T.. 08:30AM-09:50AM; Location: SCIE325

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 20)

SR. major: 5 Jr. major: 5

SR. non-major: Jr. non-major: 8 SO: 2 FR:

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Quantitative Reasoning

Last Updated on MAR-24-2000