Students

BIOL6510 – Evolution

2020 – Session 1, Infrequent attendance, North Ryde

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Simon Griffith
Kate Barry
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MConsBiol or GradDipConsBiol or GradCertConsBiol or MSc or MScInnovationBioConsMgmt
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit deals coherently with the unifying theory of the biological sciences - evolution. Evolutionary biology helps us to understand the history of life on earth, and the inter-relationships between different groups of organisms. The unit will examine how evolutionary processes create biodiversity in the natural world with respect to organismal structure, physiology, and behaviour. The unit will also demonstrate how an evolutionary framework informs contemporary issues such as the emergence of pandemic disease, the human obesity crisis, and selection as a result of global climate change.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Define evolution and distinguish micro- and macroevolution, and natural and sexual selection
  • ULO2: Interpret cladograms to infer evolutionary relationships among organisms
  • ULO3: Apply scientific techniques, including microscopy, measurement, and observation, to [collect data and] answer questions in evolutionary biology
  • ULO4: Evaluate the different approaches to studying evolution, including [using] the fossil record, experimental biology, field biology, and genomics
  • ULO5: Argue the importance of evolution in addressing contemporary global issues, with support from the scientific literature

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Required reading

Evolution: Making sense of Life (second edition), Carl Zimmer & Douglas J. Emlen (2016), Roberts and Company Publishers Inc, Greenwood Village, Colorado, US. ISBN 978-1-936221-55-4

This text-book is required reading for the course and complements the material covered in lectures and practical classes. Students will be examined on material that may be covered only in the lectures, the text-book, or the practical component.  

Required unit materials

For practical classes we recommend that you use an A4 ring-binder with lined paper for taking notes and blank paper for diagrams.

You will also need a lab coat and enclosed shoes for every practical class in accordance with standard laboratory safety procedures. Without either of these you will not be allowed entry to the laboratory.

 

Lecture graphics and recordings will be available on ilearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au).

iLearn is a web-based communication package and can be accessed by most web browsers from inside or outside the University. iLearn and email will be the primary methods of communication in this subject.

You are expected to use iLearn for:

  • Regularly checking subject announcements
  • Downloading lecture, laboratory and reference materials
  • Completing review questions
  • Submitting assignments
  • Checking your grades

How do you log in? The URL for iLearn log in page is: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/.

You must log in each time you use it. Your user name is your student number, and your password is your myMQ student portal password, provided upon enrolment (unless you’ve changed it). If you are having trouble accessing your online unit due to a disability or health condition, please go to the Student Services Website for information on how to get assistance. If you are having problems logging on, that is, if you cannot log in after ensuring you have entered your username and password correctly, you should contact Student IT Help, Phone: (02) 9850 4357.

Unit Schedule

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

There are three components to the schedule. 1. The pre-recorded lecture material that will all be posted online and covers the fundamental material that contributes to an understanding of evolutionary biology and follows the structure of the text book. 2. The practical classes that will introduce you to 'hands-on' evolutionary biology and complement the material in lectures. 3. The case study material that will be delivered through the provision of material online each week, as well as through the case-study classes given each week in the class time (8-10 Tuesday morning). 

The schedule for each of these three components is given below

 

Lecture outline

 

 

 

DATE

TOPIC

LECTURER

1

25 Feb

Introduction/ Course overview

SG

 

2

25 Feb

The approach to Evolutionary Biology (Ch. 1 in text)

3

3 March

History of evolutionary ideas (Ch. 2 in text)

JA

 

 

4

3 March

The tree of life (Ch. 4 in text)

5

10 March

Biogeography

6

10 March

Macroevolution (Ch. 14 in text)

7

17 March

Heritable variation among individuals (Ch. 5 in text)

SG

 

 

 

 

8

17 March

Heritable variation among individuals (Ch. 5 in text)

9

24 March

Drift and Selection (Ch. 6 in text)

10

24 March

Drift and Selection (Ch. 6 in text)

11

31 March

Quantitative genetics (Ch. 7 in text)

12

31 March

Quantitative genetics (Ch. 7 in text)

13

7 April

Natural Selection (Ch.8 in text)

 

14

7 April

Natural Selection (Ch.8 in text)

 

MID SEMESTER BREAK

 

 

13

28 April

History in genes (Ch. 9 in text)

SG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

28 April

Adaptation (Ch. 10 in text)

15

5 May

Sex: causes and consequences (Ch. 11 in text)

16

5 May

Sex: causes and consequences (Ch. 11 in text)

17

12 May

Life history evolution (Ch. 12 in text)

18

12 May

Life history evolution (Ch. 12 in text)

19

19 May

Origin of species (Ch. 13 in text)

20

19 May

Origin of species (Ch. 13 in text)

21

26 May

Intimate partnerships: co-evolution (Ch. 14 in text)

22

26 May

Intimate partnerships: co-evolution (Ch. 14 in text)

23

2 June

No lecture

24

2 June

No lecture

 

 

 

 

 

Case study outline

 

 

 

Week beginning

TOPIC

LECTURER

1

25 Feb

Introduction

SG

 

 

 

3 March

NO CASE STUDY – reading for wk3

2

10 March

Snail shell polymorphism

3

17 March

Plant domestication

4

24 March

Extinction

JA

5

31 March

Migration

SG

 

6

7 April

Urban evolution

MID SEMESTER BREAK

 

 

7

28 April

Adaptation to climate change

SG

 

 

 

 

 

8

5 May

Animal domestication

9

12 May

Biogeography and Darwin’s finches

10

19 May

Evolution of sperm

11

26 May

Virus evolution

 

2 June

NO CASE STUDY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practical Sessions

 

Session week

DATE

ACTIVITY

1

24 February

NO PRACTICAL

2

2 March

Variation – Shells and bills 

3

9 March

Seed size 

4

16 March

Phylogeny

5

23 March

Selection on Campus (I)

6

30 March

Selection on Campus (II)

7

6 April

NO PRACTICAL

8

27 April

Evolution of Bill morphology (SimBio + specimens)

9

4 May

NO PRACTICAL

10

11 May

Adaptation to climate – fruit flies

11

18 May

Guppies (Photos + SimBio)

12

25 May

Clinal variation in acacia

13

1 June

NO PRACTICAL

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Plagiarism: All written work must be in the student’s own words. Assessments submitted via Turnitin will be subjected to plagiarism detection. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Penalties for plagiarism range from loss of marks to awarding of a zero, depending upon the level of plagiarism, and reporting to the Faculty Disciplinary Committee.

 

Also, if late submissions are accepted, please specify the policy for them. For example:

Late submissions: Assessments submitted after the due date and without an approved Special Consideration will be penalised one mark per day late. For example, if the assessment carries a value of 30% of the total unit grade and you initially achieve a score of 20/30 (67%) but have submitted one day late, one mark will be subtracted from the initial score (ie 20 - 1 = 19 out of 30 = 63%).

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Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

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The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

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IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
11/02/2020 made the additional changes