BIOL 1010 OR BIOL 1031 OR BIOA 1002 OR BIOA 1003 OR SCIE 1505
Articulate the concept of homology, and how biogeography and transitional fossils provide evidence of evolution [BIOL 1010] Compare and contrast the fundamental features of mitosis and meiosis with emphasis on the movement of homologous chromosomes during these cellular reproductive processes [BIOL 1010] [BIOL 1030] Define gene flow and genetic drift (and founder effect) and explain how they influence allele frequencies in populations [BIOL 1010] Define Mendel’s two laws of heredity that explain the transmission of traits from one generation to the next [BIOL 1010] [BIOL 1030] Describe the basic chemical structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), and their function in the processes of replication, transcription, and translation of genetic information. [BIOL 1010] [BIOL 1030] Describe the basic tenets of ‘Darwinian evolution’: i) Tree of Life concept; ii) Natural selection, leading to adaptive evolution (including different modes of selection, and sexual selection) [BIOL 1010] Describe the components of a formal laboratory report Describe the most general attributes of fossil record, including mass extinctions (with examples) and adaptive radiations. [BIOL 1010] Explain exponential population growth and intraspecific competition. [BIOL 1011] Explain the ‘biological species concept’, and distinguish between and give examples of i) pre- and post-zygotic reproductive barriers; ii) allopatric and sympatric speciation (e.g, polyploid speciation). [BIOL 1010] Generate and interpret data collected from experiments in the laboratory and communicate results by a variety of written forms. [BIOL 2030] Interpret the information in simple phylogenetic trees and taxonomies, including distinguishing between monophyly, paraphyly and polyphyly. Construct phylogenetic trees using shared characters and parsimony, and use trees to generate testable predictions. [BIOL 1010] Recall basic mathematical concepts and techniques: logarithms, exponentials, solving simple algebraic equations, slopes and intercepts, graphing and interpreting simple graphs Analyze data using basic statistical techniques (mean, standard deviation, n, chi-square test). [BIOL 1010] [BIOL 1011] [BIOL 1030] Generate and interpret appropriate tables and graphs used to represent data [BIOL 2020] Use the Hardy-Weinberg principle to calculate expected genotype and allele frequencies (1 Locus, 2 Alleles) [BIOL 1010]
Assign numeric values to qualitative traits (Lab).Apply the breeder’s equation in its simplest format.Define/explain evolutionary (Darwinian) FitnessDescribe the basic mechanisms of extinction and radiation in the fossil record.Distinguish between cases of evolution versus non-evolutionary processes of biological change.Distinguish between some basic species concepts.Evaluate evidence pertaining to simple cases of extinction and radiation in the fossil record.Explain the basic process of evolution by natural selection (following from what are sometimes called Darwin's postulates).Explain the concept of heritability in terms of the genetic vs. environmental variance for a traitExplain/recognize adaptations.Extend and apply this understanding to simple situations of tradeoffs, sexual selection and kin selection.Infer the phylogenetic history of organisms from simple data sets.Interpret phylogenies, and use phylogenies to test hypotheses about evolution (e.g. adaptation, speciation etc)Interpret the evidence that biologists use to determine whether traits are adaptive.Order some major events in the fossil record.Relate recent understanding of developmental regulatory genes to the origin of novel traits and body forms.Write a formal laboratory report (Lab).Account for the stochasticity of working with live organisms in interpreting experimental data (Lab).Apply simple statistical tests to experimental data (Lab).Define and explain the four evolutionary forces, mutation, selection, drift and migration.Evaluate evidence relating to simple cases of evolution of novel characters.Explain the basic mechanism(s) by which evolutionarily novel characters (e.g. wings, eyes, blood clotting, flagellae) arise.Explain the basic mechanisms of speciation.Generate appropriate tables and graphs to represent data (Lab).Interpret evidence to determine which mechanisms might be acting in simple cases of speciation.Predict the effects of each evolutionary force on allele and genotype frequencies in a given situation and for combinations of two evolutionary forces (calculate the change for simple situations – qualitative predictions for situations involving two evolutionary forces.
