BB512: Population and Evolution
Study Board of Science
Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher, but English if international students are enrolled
EKA: N100007102
Assessment: Second examiner: Internal
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
STADS ID (UVA): N100007101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 05-03-2020
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Archive
Entry requirements
Academic preconditions
Course introduction
The aim of this course is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of population biology and evolution, which are the foundations for understanding biological phenomena including biological diversity, population fluctuations and extinctions, and interactions among species.
This course builds on knowledge of genetics, evolution and classification acquired in courses in the biology curriculum (BB525, BB531).
The course gives an academic basis for further studies in population biology and evolution, for example in the bachelor or masters project.
In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
- Provide knowledge and understanding of scientific theories, experimental methods and current research topics in biology, and how these are employed in biological discussions.
- Structure personal learning.
- Provide skills in critically evaluating biological theories, and express, evaluate and solve biological problems.
Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- express the importance of key mechanisms and processes in population biology and micro- and macro-evolution
- identify and apply fundamental concepts in population biology and evolution
- critically interpret observations of the natural world in the light of population biology and evolutionary theory
Content
The following main topics are contained in the course:
Population biology:
- models of population growth/decline
- population extinction
- intraspecific competition
- age/stage-structured population models
- interspecific competition
- predation and parasitism
Evolution:
- adaptive and neutral evolution
- natural selection and genetic drift
- genetic impact of natural selection
- origin, and maintenance of genetic variation
- genotype-phenotype-fitness map
- phenotypic plasticity
- life-history evolution
- the evolution of sex and sexual selection
- speciation
- coevolution
Literature
- Neal, D. (2018). Introduction to Population Biology (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781139107976
- Gotelli, N.J (2008): A Primer of Ecology, 4th Edition. Sinauer ISBN: 978-0878933181 (optional).
- Stearns, S & Hoekstra R (2005): Evolution, 2nd edition. Oxford University Press ISBN: 978-0199255634.
See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
January
Tests
Written exam
EKA
N100007102
Assessment
Second examiner: Internal
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Duration
4 hours
Examination aids
All common aids are allowed e.g. books, notes, computer programmes which do not use internet etc.
Internet is not allowed during the exam. However, you may visit the course site in itslearning to fill in the MCQ test and to open system "DE-Digital Exam". If you wish to use course materials from itslearning, you must download the materials to your computer the day before the exam. During the exam you cannot be sure that all course materials is accessible in itslearning.
ECTS value
5
Additional information
The exam consists of 4 hr. written exam with multiple choice and short answers and questions.
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.
- Intro phase - 23 hours
- Training phase: 23 hours
Activities during the study phase:
- writing reports from laboratory or class exercises
- reading assigned material
The course is divided into two roughly-equal parts: first population biology and then evolution. In both parts the classes are structured as a series of 1hr lectures on population biology or evolutionary concepts, usually followed by 1hr exercises, which are designed to reinforce the message of the lectures.