Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY Course Code: BBT 2304 Course Credit: 4 CU Brief course description This course will cover the role of heritable variation in natural selection, factors and evolutionary changes in panmictic populations, the role of polyploidy in speciation, different mechanisms of speciation. Specific learning outcomes: At the end of the course, students should be able to: 1. demonstrate the role of heritable variation, as a raw material for natural selection, 2. discuss the factors that affect evolutionary changes in panmictic populations, 3. explain the significance of different breeding systems, 4. explain the role of polyploidy in speciation, 5. distinguish between the different mechanisms of speciation 6. describe the path of evolution of some economically important crop plants. Detailed ccourse description: The different concepts of a species (1 hour); weaknesses and strength of the different species concepts (2 hours); Origins of new species (2 hour); reproductive isolating mechanisms (1 hour); Variations in populations (2 hours); Forces of natural selection (2 hours); Effects of natural selection in populations (2 hours); the different types of selection (1 hour); Polymorphisms and polymorphic traits (2 hours); Natural breeding systems (2 hour); Evolutionary significance of breeding systems (2 hour); Basic principles of population genetics: The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium conditions (2 hours); factors which affect the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (1 hour); Gene flow between wild and domesticated plant populations (2 hour); Euploidy, polyploidy and speciation (1 hour); Abrupt speciation (1 hour); Evolution of some selected tropical crop plants: Maize (Zea mays), Wheat, Sorghum, Banana (Musa spp), Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), and Cassava (Manihot esculenta) (4 hours). Practicals (30 hours) Mode of delivery: The course will consist of lectures, practicals and tutorials Assessment method: This will be done through examinations (60%) and coursework (practicals, tests and assignments) (40%) READING LIST 1. DOBZHANSKY, T, AYALA, F.J, STEBBINS, G.L and VALENTINE, J.W. (1976). Evolution. Surjeet Publications, India. 2. Higgs, P.G, and Attwood, T.K. (2005). Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution. 1st Edition. Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated. 3. LEVINE, J.S and, MILLER, K.R. (1992). Biology: Discovering Life. D.C. Heath and Company. Toronto. 4. SACHDEVA, A.S. (2008). Molecular Biology of Evolution. Vista International Publishing House