BU-104 Evolution & Natural Selection

Unit · year 1

BU-104 · Evolution & Natural Selection

Threads evolution25 lectures5 concepts

The central organising theory of biology: descent with modification.

PREREQUISITES

L01	Life Before Darwin: Fixity and Change —
L02	Darwin, Wallace, and the Voyage Evidence Natural selection
L03	Variation Within Populations Natural selection
L04	Overproduction and the Struggle for Existence Natural selection
L05	Natural Selection: The Logic Natural selection
L06	Directional, Stabilising, and Disruptive Selection Natural selection
L07	Fitness Defined Fitness and adaptation
L08	Adaptation and Its Limits Fitness and adaptation
L09	Trade-offs and Constraint Fitness and adaptation
L10	Artificial Selection Natural selection
L11	Observed Selection: Peppered Moths and Finches Natural selection, Fitness and adaptation
L12	The Species Problem Speciation
L13	Reproductive Isolating Mechanisms Speciation
L14	Allopatric Speciation Speciation
L15	Sympatric Speciation Speciation
L16	Adaptive Radiation Speciation
L17	Sexual Selection: Intrasexual and Intersexual Sexual selection
L18	Costly Signals and the Handicap Principle Sexual selection
L19	Sexual Dimorphism Sexual selection
L20	Fossil Evidence for Common Descent The evidence for common descent
L21	Homology, Analogy, and Vestigial Structures The evidence for common descent
L22	Biogeographical Evidence The evidence for common descent
L23	Molecular Evidence for Common Ancestry The evidence for common descent
L24	Common Misconceptions About Evolution Natural selection
L25	Synthesis: Descent with Modification Natural selection, The evidence for common descent

Differential survival and reproduction of heritable variation.

Reproductive success shapes the traits of a population.

How reproductive isolation gives rise to new species.

Homology, fossils and molecules point to shared ancestry.

Traits favoured through mate choice and competition.