Difference between revisions of "Evolutionary Biology Spring 2013"

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'''''Please read assigned chapters, as indicated below, prior to class'''''
 
'''''Please read assigned chapters, as indicated below, prior to class'''''
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="1"
 
{| border="1" cellpadding="1"
!width="40"|
+
!width="40"|Class
 
!width="40"|Day
 
!width="40"|Day
!width="150"|Date
+
!width="110"|Date
!width="350"|Topic
+
!width="400"|Topic
!width=''450''|Text Readings
+
!width="185"|Text Readings
 
|-  
 
|-  
| '''Part I''' || ||'''Jan 17 - Mar 1''' || <span style="font-size: large">'''Patterns of Evolution'''</span> || '''Dr. Janine Caira'''
+
| '''Part I''' || ||'''Jan 22 - Mar 7''' || <span style="font-size: large">'''Processes of Evolution'''</span> || '''Dr. Charles Henry'''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 1 || T || Jan 17 || Introduction to the Geological Time Scale; the Fossil Record || Ch. 4 (pgs 73-77)
+
| 1 || T || Jan 22 || Populations, variation, & the Hardy-Weinberg principle
 +
<!--:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec1_variation.pdf}} '''Populations, Variation, and H-W Lecture'''-->
 +
|| Ch. 1 (pgs 7-11), 9
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 2 || Th || Jan 19 || Life in the Precambrian; Evolution of the Metazoa || Ch. 5 (pgs 101-108)
+
| 2 || Th || Jan 24 || Agents of evolutionary change: Migration and genetic drift || Ch. 9 & 10
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 3 || T || Jan 24 || Cambrian explosion & Life in the Paleozoic || Ch. 5 (pgs 108-115)
+
| 3 || T || Jan 29 || Charles Darwin and natural selection || Ch. 1; 11
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 4 || Th || Jan 26 || Life in the Mesozoic || Ch. 5 (pgs 115-121)
+
| 4 || Th || Jan 31 || Natural selection and the genetics of natural selection || Ch. 11 & 12
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 5 || T || Jan 31 || Life in the Cenozoic || Ch. 5 (pgs 121-131)
+
| 5 || T || Feb 5 || Adaptation; life-history evolution || Ch. 14
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 6 || Th || Feb 2 || Evolution of primates || Ch. 4 (pgs 88-91) &<br> Ch. 6 (pgs 147-150)
+
| 6 || Th || Feb 7 || Sexual selection || Ch. 15
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Feb 6''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 1 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Feb 11''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 1 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 7 || T || Feb 7 || Evolution of biodiversity & extinction || Ch. 7
+
| 7 || T || Feb 12 || Levels of selection and conflict between levels || Ch. 16
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Feb 7''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 1 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Feb 12''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 1 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''8'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Feb 9'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #1'''<br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam%20I%20S10%20version%201.pdf}} Example of Exam 1 (from 2010)</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Study_Guide_exam_1_2012_final.pdf}} Final Study Guide for Exam 1</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 1-6'''</font></span>
+
|<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''8'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Feb 14'''</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''EXAM #1'''<br>'''You may bring a calculator (NO iphone/smartphone)'''</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam%20I%20S10%20version%201.pdf}} Example of Exam 1 (from 2012)</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Study_Guide_exam_1_2012_final.pdf}} Study Guide for Exam 1</font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 1-6'''</font></span>
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 9 || T || Feb 14 || Characters, homology & homoplasy || Ch. 3
+
| 9 || T || Feb 19 || Cooperation, altruism and sociality || Ch. 16
 
|-
 
|-
 +
 +
<!--|-
 +
| 28 || Th || Apr 26 || The mystery of sexual reproduction; coevolution
 +
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec13_sex%26coevol.pdf}} '''Sexual Reproduction and Coevolution Lecture'''
 +
|| Ch. 15 & 19
 +
|- -->
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 10 || Th || Feb 16 || Systematics & reconstructing evolutionary history || Ch. 2
+
| 10 || Th || Feb 21 || Macroevolution: Speciation and species concepts || Ch. 17 & 18
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 11 || T || Feb 21 || Systematics & reconstructing evolutionary history (cont'd) || Ch. 2
+
| 11 || T || Feb 26 || Ecotypes, clines, and allopatric speciation || Ch. 17 & 18
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 12 || Th || Feb 23 || Biogeography & major patterns of distribution || Ch. 6
+
| 12 || Th || Feb 28 || Allopatric & non-allopatric speciation || Ch. 18
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Feb 27''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 2<br> 6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Mar 4''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 2<br> 6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 13 || T || Feb 28 || Continental drift & historical biogeography || Ch. 6
+
| 13 || T || Mar 5 || Evolution above the species level; class evaluations || Ch. 22
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Feb 28''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 2<br> 6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Mar 5''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 2<br> 6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| '''Part II''' || || '''Mar 6 - Apr 26''' || <span style="font-size: large">'''Processes of Evolution'''</span> || '''Dr. Charles Henry'''
+
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''14'''</font></span> ||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th''' </font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''Mar 7''' </font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #2'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam%202%20S2010.pdf}} Example of Exam 2 (from 2012)</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Study%20Guide%20Exam%202_2012_final.pdf}} Study Guide for Exam 2</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 7-12'''</font></span>
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''14'''</font></span> ||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th''' </font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''Mar 1''' </font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #2'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam%202%20S2010.pdf}} Example of Exam 2 (from 2010)</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Study%20Guide%20Exam%202_2012_final.pdf}}FINAL Study Guide for Exam 2</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB%202245_W_S12_tree_exercises_rev.pdf}} Tree Exercises for Exam 2 (with answers)</font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 7 & 9-13'''</font></span>
+
| '''Part II''' || || '''Mar 12 - May 2''' || <span style="font-size: large">'''Patterns of Evolution'''</span> || '''Dr. Chris Simon'''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 15 || T || Mar 6 || Populations, variation, & the Hardy-Weinberg principle
+
| 15 || T || Mar 12 || Systematics: Tree-thinking, phylogeny, polymorphism, & homoplasy || Ch. 2 & 3
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec1_variation.pdf}} '''Populations, Variation, and H-W Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 1 (pp 7-11) & Ch. 9
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 16 || Th || Mar 8 || Microevolution and the origin of variation: mutation & gene flow
+
| 16 || Th || Mar 14 || Parallelism and reversals; molecular & morphological methods || Ch. 2 & 3
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec2_popgen_muta%26migra.pdf}} '''Mutation and Gene Flow (Migration) Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 8
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''T''' || '''Mar 13''' || '''SPRING BREAK - no class'''||
+
|  || '''T''' || '''Mar 19''' || '''SPRING BREAK - no class'''||
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''Th''' || '''Mar 15''' || '''SPRING BREAK - no class''' ||
+
|  || '''Th''' || '''Mar 21''' || '''SPRING BREAK - no class''' ||
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 17 || T || Mar 20 || Agents of evolutionary change: migration and genetic drift
+
| 17 || T || Mar 26 || Reconstructing trees from morphology; how molecules evolve || Ch. 2 & 3
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec3_genetic_drift.pdf}} '''Migration (concl.) & Genetic Drift Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 9 & 10
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 18 || Th || Mar 22 || Charles Darwin and natural selection
+
| 18 || Th || Mar 28 || Molecular evolution and molecular clocks || Ch. 2 & 3
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec4_selection1.pdf}} '''Darwin & Natural Selection Lecture, Part 1'''
+
|| Ch. 1 & 11
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 19 || T || Mar 27 || Natural selection and phenotypic evolution
+
| 19 || T || Apr 2 || Overview of the Tree of Life; animal evolutionary innovations || IntroBio textbook
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec5_selection2.pdf}} '''Natural Selection Lecture, Part 2'''
+
|| Ch. 12 & 13
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 20 || Th || Mar 29 || Adaptation; introduction to life-history evolution
+
| 20 || Th || Apr 4 || Evolutionary novelties: Body plans, constraints, gene regulation || Ch. 21 & 22
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec6_adaptation.pdf}} '''Adaptation & Life History Lecture, Part 1'''
+
|| Ch. 11, 14, & 22
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Apr 2''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 3 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Apr 8''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 3 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 21 || T || Apr 3 || Life history evolution
+
| 21 || T || Apr 9 || Homeobox genes, ontogeny & phylogeny, allometry, & fossils || Ch. 4; 21 & 22
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec7_lifehistory.pdf}} '''Life History Evolution, Part 2'''
+
|| Ch. 14
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Apr 3''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 3 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Apr 9''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 3 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''22'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Apr 5'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #3'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''You may bring a calculator (NO iphone/smartphone)'''</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam_Studyguide1_Henry_2245.pdf}} FINAL Study Guide for Exam 3 (first 7 lectures) </font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 15-21'''</font></span>
+
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''22'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Apr 11'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #3'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam_Studyguide1_Henry_2245.pdf}} Study Guide for Exam 3 </font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB%202245_W_S12_tree_exercises_rev.pdf}} Tree Exercises for Exam 3 (with answers)</font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 13-18'''</font></span>
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 23 || T || Apr 10 || Sexual selection
+
| 23 || T || Apr 16 || The Paleozoic: Origin of invertebrates, vertebrates, & land plants || Ch. 4 & 5; p 168-71
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec8_sex%26sexselec.pdf}} '''Sexual Selection Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 15
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 24 || Th || Apr 12 || Levels of selection; cooperation & altruism
+
| 24 || Th || Apr 18 || Mesozoic I: Pangea, Laurasia, Gondwanaland; reptiles & birds || Ch. 4, 5, & 6
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec9_levels%26cooperation.pdf}} '''Multi-level Selection Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 11 & 16
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 25 || T || Apr 17 || Macroevolution: species and species concepts
+
| 25 || T || Apr 23 || Mesozoic II: Insects & angiosperms, K-T extinction; Cenozoic I || Ch. 17
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec10_species.pdf}} '''Species and Species Concepts Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 17 & 18
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 26 || Th || Apr 19 || Ecotypes, clines, and allopatric speciation
+
| 26 || Th || Apr 25 || Cenozoic II: Continental drift & dispersal; primates and humans || Ch. 17
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec11_speciation1.pdf}} '''Lecture on Speciation, Part 1'''
+
|-
|| Ch. 17 & 18
+
|-  
+
|-
 +
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Apr 29''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 4 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
 +
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 27 || T || Apr 24 || Allopatric & non-allopatric speciation
+
| 27 || T || Apr 30 || Biogeography and Biodiversity; class evaluations || Ch. 17
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec12_speciation2.pdf}} '''Lecture on Speciation, Part 2'''
+
|| Ch. 18
+
 
|-  
 
|-  
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 28 || Th || Apr 26 || The mystery of sexual reproduction; coevolution
+
|  || '''''T''''' || '''''Apr 30''''' || '''''Review Session for Exam 4 <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/EEB2245_12_lec13_sex%26coevol.pdf}} '''Sexual Reproduction and Coevolution Lecture'''
+
|| Ch. 15 & 19
+
|-
+
 
+
|-
+
|  || '''''M''''' || '''''Apr 30''''' || '''''Review Session for Final Exam <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| || '''''T''''' || '''''May 1''''' || '''''Review Session for Final Exam <br>6-8 PM''''' || '''''BioPhysics Building Rm 131'''''
+
| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''28'''</font></span> ||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Th''' </font></span>||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''May 2''' </font></span>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''EXAM #4'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam%202%20S2010.pdf}} Example of Exam 4 (from 2012)</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Study%20Guide%20Exam%202_2012_final.pdf}} Study Guide for Exam 4</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 19-24'''</font></span>
 
|-
 
|-
  
 
|-
 
|-
| 29 ||<span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"> '''Th'''</font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''May 3, 8 AM - 10AM'''<br></font></span> || <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''FINAL EXAM'''</font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''NO calculators, NO iphone/smartphone'''</font></span><br><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/evolution/restricted/Exam_Studyguide_2245_final_exam.pdf}} FINAL Study Guide for Exam 4 (last 6 lectures) </font></span><span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300"><br>|| <span style="font-size: small"><font color="#FF3300">'''Covers Lectures 23-28'''</font></span>
+
| || '''Th''' || '''May 9''' || '''FINAL EXAM, 8-10 am (tentative time & date)''' || '''TLS 154; cumulative'''
 
|-
 
|-
  

Revision as of 00:56, 9 January 2013

EEB 2245
Evolutionary Biology
Meeting Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-10:45 in TLS154
Textbook: Futuyma, D.J. 2009. Evolution. 2nd ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc. (ISBN 978-0-87893-223-8)


Instructors

First half of the course, 22 January - 7 March
Dr. Charles Henry
Office: TLS 479/481
Phone: 486-4450
E-mail: charles.henry@uconn.edu
Office hours: By arrangement

Second half of the course, 12 March - 2 May
Dr. Chris Simon
Office: BioPharm 305D
Phone: 486-4640
Email: chris.simon@uconn.edu
Office hours: By arrangement

Teaching Assistants

Geert Goemans
Office: BioPharm 323
Phone: 486-3947
Email: geert.goemans@uconn.edu
Students A-K
Office hours: By arrangement

Brigette Zacharczenko
Office: TLS 471
Phone: 486-5503
Email: brigette.zacharczenko@uconn.edu
Students L-Z
Office hours: By arrangement

Grading

EEB 2245: Your grade will be based on your performance in 4 lecture exams and a 1-hour final exam (cumulative). Your lowest score on the 4 lecture exams will be dropped. Your 3 remaining scores and your score on the final exam will each constitute one quarter of your final grade. University regulations require that students who miss the final exam without an excuse from the Dean of Students receive an F for that exam. Thus, you are required to take the final exam.

Note: because you are allowed to drop your lowest score, we will not give make-up exams.

EEB 2245W: Your final grade in the lecture portion of the course will be calculated as above. If you are taking the W version of the course, that grade will constitute 75% of your final course grade. Your grade in the W part of the course, as determined by your “W” instructor, will constitute the remaining 25% of your final course grade, except that an F in the W part of the course will result in an F for the entire course. An F in the lecture part of the course will also result in an F for the entire course. Refer to the 2245W website for further information. Dr. Kristina Hurme (TLS 379A; tel: 486-5434; kristiina.hurme@uconn.edu) is the coordinator of the W part of the course.

Course Resources

Review Sessions

Evolution in the News

Lecture Syllabus

Please read assigned chapters, as indicated below, prior to class


Class Day Date Topic Text Readings
Part I Jan 22 - Mar 7 Processes of Evolution Dr. Charles Henry
1 T Jan 22 Populations, variation, & the Hardy-Weinberg principle Ch. 1 (pgs 7-11), 9
2 Th Jan 24 Agents of evolutionary change: Migration and genetic drift Ch. 9 & 10
3 T Jan 29 Charles Darwin and natural selection Ch. 1; 11
4 Th Jan 31 Natural selection and the genetics of natural selection Ch. 11 & 12
5 T Feb 5 Adaptation; life-history evolution Ch. 14
6 Th Feb 7 Sexual selection Ch. 15
M Feb 11 Review Session for Exam 1
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
7 T Feb 12 Levels of selection and conflict between levels Ch. 16
T Feb 12 Review Session for Exam 1
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
8 Th Feb 14 EXAM #1
You may bring a calculator (NO iphone/smartphone)

Pdficon small.gif Example of Exam 1 (from 2012)
Pdficon small.gif Study Guide for Exam 1
Covers Lectures 1-6
9 T Feb 19 Cooperation, altruism and sociality Ch. 16
10 Th Feb 21 Macroevolution: Speciation and species concepts Ch. 17 & 18
11 T Feb 26 Ecotypes, clines, and allopatric speciation Ch. 17 & 18
12 Th Feb 28 Allopatric & non-allopatric speciation Ch. 18
M Mar 4 Review Session for Exam 2
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
13 T Mar 5 Evolution above the species level; class evaluations Ch. 22
T Mar 5 Review Session for Exam 2
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
14 Th Mar 7 EXAM #2
Pdficon small.gif Example of Exam 2 (from 2012)
Pdficon small.gif Study Guide for Exam 2

Covers Lectures 7-12
Part II Mar 12 - May 2 Patterns of Evolution Dr. Chris Simon
15 T Mar 12 Systematics: Tree-thinking, phylogeny, polymorphism, & homoplasy Ch. 2 & 3
16 Th Mar 14 Parallelism and reversals; molecular & morphological methods Ch. 2 & 3
T Mar 19 SPRING BREAK - no class
Th Mar 21 SPRING BREAK - no class
17 T Mar 26 Reconstructing trees from morphology; how molecules evolve Ch. 2 & 3
18 Th Mar 28 Molecular evolution and molecular clocks Ch. 2 & 3
19 T Apr 2 Overview of the Tree of Life; animal evolutionary innovations IntroBio textbook
20 Th Apr 4 Evolutionary novelties: Body plans, constraints, gene regulation Ch. 21 & 22
M Apr 8 Review Session for Exam 3
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
21 T Apr 9 Homeobox genes, ontogeny & phylogeny, allometry, & fossils Ch. 4; 21 & 22
T Apr 9 Review Session for Exam 3
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
22 Th Apr 11 EXAM #3
Pdficon small.gif Study Guide for Exam 3

Pdficon small.gif Tree Exercises for Exam 3 (with answers)
Covers Lectures 13-18
23 T Apr 16 The Paleozoic: Origin of invertebrates, vertebrates, & land plants Ch. 4 & 5; p 168-71
24 Th Apr 18 Mesozoic I: Pangea, Laurasia, Gondwanaland; reptiles & birds Ch. 4, 5, & 6
25 T Apr 23 Mesozoic II: Insects & angiosperms, K-T extinction; Cenozoic I Ch. 17
26 Th Apr 25 Cenozoic II: Continental drift & dispersal; primates and humans Ch. 17
M Apr 29 Review Session for Exam 4
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
27 T Apr 30 Biogeography and Biodiversity; class evaluations Ch. 17
T Apr 30 Review Session for Exam 4
6-8 PM
BioPhysics Building Rm 131
28 Th May 2 EXAM #4
Pdficon small.gif Example of Exam 4 (from 2012)
Pdficon small.gif Study Guide for Exam 4

Covers Lectures 19-24
Th May 9 FINAL EXAM, 8-10 am (tentative time & date) TLS 154; cumulative