Paleontology and Evolution
Objectives
Intended learning outcomes of the curricular unit:
- to acquire knowledge of evolution, to understand their mechanisms and to apply in paleontology and taxonomy.
- to understand the concepts of evolution and the mechanisms of natural selection.
-to applying evolutionary concepts and to understanding evolutionary strategies of species or group studies.
General characterization
Code
10927
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Octávio João Madeira Mateus
Hours
Weekly - 3
Total - 43
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in natural sciences.
Bibliography
- Prothero, Donald R. 2007 – Evolution: What the fossils Say and Why it Matters. Columbia University Press.
- Levinton, J.S. 2001. Genetics, Paleontology, and Macroevolution. Cambridge Univ.
- Bell, G. 2008. Selection - The Mechanism of Evolution. Oxford University Press.
- Darwin, C. 1809. A Origem das Espécies. Publicações Europa-América (ou outra)
- Gaspar, A., Avelar, T. & Mateus, O, Almada, F. 2007. Evolução e Criacionismo: Uma Relação Impossível. Quasi ed. ISBN: 9789895523078
Teaching method
Classical didactics through content presentation by the teacher. interspersed with exercise performed by the students.
Evaluation method
Assessment is based on: multiple choice tests (50%) and individual work (50%) in video format on a theme of evolution or fossils.
Details provided in the first lesson and on the Moodle page dedicated to this course.
Subject matter
Syllabus
1. Evolution
1.1. Fundamentals concepts of evolution
1.2. Species and speciation
1.3. Types of evolution
1.4. Fundamentals concepts of molecular evolution,
1.5. Natural Selection and adaptation
2. The Evolution of Evolution
2.1. Before Darwin; the evolution of Darwin; Neo-Darwinian evolutionary Synthesis.
2.2. Microevolution, Macroevolution and Evo-Devo
2.3. The evidence of evolution
3. Methods of studying evolution and taxonomy
3.1. Phylogeny and Cladistics
3.2. Morphometry
3.3 Taxonomy
3.4. Tools for the study of evolution. Software of Cladistics
4. Evolution and diversity.
4.1. The diversity as a by-product of evolution.
4.2. Origins, extinctions and diversifications
5. The problematic of evolution in Palaeontology
These topics are given through seven modules:
- Introduction / Inspiration: Fascinating fossils: contributions from paleontology and paleobiology to the knowledge of evolution
- History, observations and legacy of Charles Darwin
- Evolution Mechanisms and Processes
- Our evolution. Historical legacy in the evolution of the human body. Our body as a result of evolution.
- Evolutionary concepts applied in systematics, taxonomy, nomenclature and classification
- Paleobiodiversity
- debate and argumentation