Biology 475/G - Phylogeny & Systematics
Fall
Semester 2008
Meetings: W 16:00 - 18:00,
TCNW 201
Instructor: Lawrence A. Alice,
Ph.D., TCNW 218A (inner office); 745-7029
Office Hours: MWRF 11:30 - 12:30
Email: lawrence.alice@wku.edu; Homepage:
http://bioweb.wku.edu/faculty/alice
Course Objective: To become familiar with
terminology, data sources, and analytical methods associated with phylogenetic
studies and selected topics in systematics.
Grading Policies: Grades will be determined from the
elements below:
|
Grading Element |
% of Grade |
|
Exam 1 |
30 |
|
Exam 2 |
35 |
|
Participation |
10 |
|
Assignments and Quizzes |
10 |
|
Term Paper |
15 |
Letter grades will be issued
based on total points earned:
A = >90%; B = 80-89.9%; C = 70-79.9%; D = 60-69.9%; <60% = F.
Important Date: 14 October, 2008 is
the last day to drop this course with a "W".
Academic Dishonesty: No form of academic dishonesty will
be tolerated. A grade of 0 (F) for the entire course will be given if a
student is caught cheating or plagiarizing.
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who
require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services)
for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services,
located in the Student Success Center in DUC; their telephone number is (270)
745-5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the
instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student
Disability Services.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
|
Date |
Topic |
|
27 Aug. |
Course Introduction;
Systematics Overview |
|
|
Phylogeny |
|
Phylogenetic Inference;
Assessing Relationships |
|
|
10 Sept. |
Phylogenetic Inference:
Search Strategies & Assessing Confidence |
|
17 Sept. |
Molecular Data: Sources,
Gap Coding, Character Weighting |
|
24 Sept. |
Morphological
Systematics: Character Selection, State Delimitation & Weighting;
Molecules versus Morphology |
|
NO CLASS-FALL BREAK |
|
|
08 Oct. |
Phylogenetic
Incongruence: Tests & Sources |
|
15 Oct. |
Phylogeny
Paper Study |
|
|
Exam 1 (take-home; due
12 Nov. 2008) |
|
|
Systematics |
|
22 Oct. |
Hybridization &
Introgression; Lineage Sorting |
|
29 Oct. |
Multigene Families:
Orthology vs. Paralogy; Concerted Evolution |
|
Hybridization &
Introgression |
|
|
12 Nov. |
Species Concepts |
|
19 Nov. |
Phylogenetic Taxonomy |
|
26 Nov. |
NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING |
|
03 Dec. |
Biogeography: Vicariance,
Dispersal/ Apomixis & Parthenogenesis |
|
|
Exam 2 (take-home; due
12 Dec. 2008) |