PLBIO 2440 - Evolutionary Plant Biology

(OPHLS-AG)

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

K. Niklas.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of evolution with an emphasis on plants as excellent exemplars for understanding evolutionary theory and the interpretation of data pertaining to evolution. The topics will include population generics, developmental biology (including comparative embryology and anatomy), theories about speciation (including allopatric, sympatric, and peripatric models), the empirical study of speciation (examples include autopolyploidy, and allopolyploidy), macroevolution (including species selection, kin selection, and multilevel selection theory), the evolution of multicellularity, physical constraints on evolution, evolutionary ecology, and major evolutionary transitions as recorded in the fossil record.

Outcome 1: Think critically about evolutionary theory.

Outcome 2: Articulate the various lines of evidence supporting the theory of evolution: evidence drawn from molecular biology, population genetics, comparative studies (of mbryology, morphology, and anatomy), biogeography, and the fossil record.

Outcome 3: Appreciate the importance of plants to understanding evolutionary theory and learn that much of evolutionary theory is incomplete when viewed in the absence of understanding plant biology.