Evolutionary Biology Course

Lesson 1 • History of Evolutionary Ideas

Traces pre-Darwinian thought through the Modern Synthesis. Provides historical context that clarifies why current theory is structured as it is.

Lesson 2 • Core Principles of Natural Selection

Defines variation, heritability, and differential reproduction as selection's prerequisites. Links these principles to observable outcomes in populations.

Lesson 3 • Evidence for Evolution

Surveys fossil, comparative, biogeographic, and molecular evidence. Students evaluate the convergent lines of support for evolutionary theory.

Lesson 4 • Other Evolutionary Mechanisms

Introduces genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation as forces distinct from selection. Students distinguish when each mechanism dominates population change.

Lesson 1 • Epigenetics and Gene Regulation

Introduces chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, and regulatory networks. Shows how gene expression variation can arise without changes to DNA sequence.

Lesson 2 • DNA Structure and Replication

Covers nucleotide composition, double-helix geometry, and semiconservative replication. Establishes the molecular substrate on which mutation and selection act.

Lesson 3 • Gene Expression: From DNA to Protein

Explains transcription, translation, and the genetic code. Connects protein function to phenotype, bridging genotype and observable traits.

Lesson 4 • Mutation Types and Consequences

Classifies point mutations, insertions, deletions, and chromosomal rearrangements. Evaluates how each mutation type affects fitness and evolutionary potential.

Lesson 1 • Molecular Evolution and Neutral Theory

Contrasts neutral and adaptive molecular evolution using substitution rates. Students apply the molecular clock concept to estimate divergence times.

Lesson 2 • Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

Derives the null model of allele and genotype frequencies in an ideal population. Serves as the baseline against which real evolutionary change is measured.

Lesson 3 • Genetic Drift and Small Populations

Quantifies stochastic allele loss and fixation in finite populations. Connects effective population size to conservation and speciation outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Gene Flow and Population Structure

Measures migration rates and their homogenizing effect on genetic differentiation. Introduces FST as a tool for quantifying population subdivision.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Phylogenetic Inference

Introduces homology, parsimony, and character-state analysis. Establishes the logical basis for inferring shared ancestry from shared derived traits.

Lesson 2 • Macroevolution and the Fossil Record

Integrates phylogenies with stratigraphic data to study diversification rates. Connects micro- and macroevolutionary patterns across geological timescales.

Lesson 3 • Evaluating Phylogenetic Confidence

Applies bootstrapping and posterior probabilities to assess node support. Students distinguish well-supported clades from poorly resolved regions of a tree.

Lesson 4 • Molecular Phylogenetic Methods

Covers sequence alignment, substitution models, and tree-building algorithms. Students select appropriate models for maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses.

Lesson 1 • Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation

Distinguishes prezygotic and postzygotic barriers and their evolutionary origins. Students map isolation mechanisms onto speciation timelines.

Lesson 2 • Genomics of Speciation

Uses genome scans to identify regions under divergent selection during speciation. Students interpret genomic islands of differentiation and their functional significance.

Lesson 3 • Species Concepts and Definitions

Compares biological, phylogenetic, and ecological species concepts. Students evaluate which concept best fits different empirical contexts.

Lesson 4 • Geographic Modes of Speciation

Contrasts allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation with empirical examples. Students assess the geographic and ecological conditions favoring each mode.

Lesson 1 • Evo-Devo: Development and Adaptation

Connects developmental gene networks to morphological evolution. Students trace how changes in regulatory elements produce novel adaptive phenotypes.

Lesson 2 • Convergent and Parallel Evolution

Examines repeated evolution of similar phenotypes in independent lineages. Students assess whether convergence reflects shared genetic pathways or independent solutions.

Lesson 3 • Detecting Signatures of Selection

Applies population genomic tests to identify loci under positive selection. Students distinguish selective sweeps from background variation in genomic data.

Lesson 4 • Quantitative Genetics of Adaptation

Introduces heritability, additive genetic variance, and the breeder's equation. Students predict evolutionary response to selection on continuous traits.

Lesson 1 • Kin Selection and Hamilton's Rule

Derives Hamilton's rule and applies it to altruism in social insects and vertebrates. Students calculate relatedness coefficients and predict altruistic thresholds.

Lesson 2 • Evolutionary Ecology of Populations

Integrates density dependence, resource competition, and niche theory with evolutionary change. Students predict eco-evolutionary feedbacks in dynamic environments.

Lesson 3 • Coevolution and Species Interactions

Analyzes antagonistic and mutualistic coevolution using the Red Queen hypothesis. Students trace reciprocal evolutionary change in host-parasite and plant-pollinator systems.

Lesson 4 • Reciprocal Altruism and Cooperation

Models cooperation among unrelated individuals using iterated game theory. Students identify conditions under which reciprocity evolves and is maintained.

Lesson 1 • Human Behavioral Evolution

Applies evolutionary frameworks to human language, cooperation, and cultural transmission. Students critically assess adaptationist and non-adaptationist explanations.

Lesson 2 • Neural Substrates of Evolved Behaviors

Links specific neural circuits to evolved behavioral phenotypes such as aggression and parental care. Students interpret comparative neuroanatomy through an evolutionary lens.

Lesson 3 • Proximate and Ultimate Causation

Applies Tinbergen's four questions to separate mechanism from function in behavior. Students construct complete explanations integrating both levels of analysis.

Lesson 4 • Learning, Plasticity, and Evolution

Examines how learning capacity itself evolves and interacts with genetic predispositions. Students assess the Baldwin effect and gene-culture coevolution models.