Date

Topic

Readings in Brooker et al.

31 Aug.  (W)

Course organization & scope; rise of evolutionary thought

471-477

2 Sept. (F)

The modern synthesis; the ecological theatre and the evolutionary play

477-488

5 (M)

The rise of evolutionary thought (cont.) - kinds of data used to study evolution

7 (W)

A brief history of life on earth

449-469

9 (F)

A brief history of life on earth (cont.)

12 (M)

Allele frequencies and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

490-494

14 (W)

Processes that disrupt the H-W equilibrium (and, hence, drive microevolution): finite population size, gene flow, mutation, assortative mating, & selection

494-506

16 (F)  

Genetic population structure

19 (M)  

Drawbacks of the "Adaptationist Programme"; the biological species concept

508-511

21 (W)

Hour Exam       ** Includes Weiner chapters 1-5 **

23 (F)

Allopatric speciation

511-517

26 (M)

Sympatric speciation; gradualism vs. punctuated equilibria

517-521

28 (W)

Macroevolution: evolution above the species  level; adaptive radiation; 

521-526

30 (F)

Taxonomy and phylogenetic analysis; species concepts revisited  

528-544

3 Oct.  (M)

Evolutionary history of the chordates

693-715

5 (W)

Critical Issues Symposium - no class, but students should attend CIS sessions!

7 (F)

Evolutionary history of the chordates (cont.)

715-722

10 (M)

Fall Break - no class

12 (W)

Human evolution

722-728

14 (F)

Human evolution (cont.)

17 (M)

Intro. to ecology, and key features of the physical environment

1133-1141; 1146-1149 

19 (W)

Hour Exam 2        ** Includes Weiner chapters 6-10**

21 (F)

Interaction of physical environment and adaptations to it: survey of major biomes 

1150-1160

24 (M)

Distribution patterns and exponential population growth

1184-1187; 1193-1195

26 (W)

Population regulation  

1195-1197  

28 (F)

Demography and life history tactics

1187-1193; 1197-1198

31 (M)

Human population growth and demography 

1198-1202

2 Nov. (W)

Intro. to community ecology; species interactions and coevolution  

1204-1221

4 (F)

Community structure: niches, guilds, and food  webs 

1221-1223

7 (M)

What regulates community structure?

1225-1227

9 (W)

What regulates community structure? (cont.)  

11 (F)

Succession: temporal changes in community  structure  

1233-1236  

14 (M)

Hour Exam 3     ** Includes Weiner chapters 11-15 **

16 (W)

Biogeography: large scale spatial patterns of diversity, and what regulates them

1227-1233; 1236-1241

18 (F)

Energy flow and primary productivity

1243-1252

21 (M)

Energy flow and trophic structure  

23 (W)

Nutrient flow and biogeochemical cycles 

1252-1261

25 (F)

Thanksgiving break - no class   

28 (M)

Nutrient flow and biogeochemical cycles (cont.)

30 (W)

A quick survey of the fungi and their ecological importance

631-643; 645-649

2 Dec. (F)

Intro. to animal behavior; foraging behavior

1162-1163; 1170-1171 

5 (M)

Space-related social behavior; animal mating systems  

1173-1183

7 (W)

Animal mating systems (cont.)

9 (F)

Application of ecology and evolutionary biology to conservation problems; last day of classes!    

1263-1277

14 Dec. (Wed.)

Final Exam, 9-11 am.    ** Includes Weiner chapters 16-20 **