This course is intended to give students a deeper understanding of the evolutionary and ecological principles that operate in population- and species-level time scales. We do so by focusing on theory and empirical analysis of microevolutionary processes and speciation, with emphasis on fishes and amphibians. Concepts are applied to contemporary topics and conservation issues.

This option is assigned to block S2-A. There are normally two 2-hour sessions of timetables on-campus teaching held on Mondays. 

None

The course will be assessed by a 90-minute examination (50%), an in-course assessment consisting of a poster based on a concept and an empirical example from published paper (30%), and an in-course test assessing skills developed in genetic practicals (20%).

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

The aim of this course is to help students to gain a deeper understanding of the evolutionary and ecological principles that operate in population- and species-level time scales and how they relate to applied issues in conservation biology. This will offer students the opportunity to draw conceptual links from across their degree programme and relate those to fundamental and applied issues in biodiversity research. 

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ critically discuss the ecological conditions that promote adaptation, divergence, and speciation of fishes and other aquatic vertebrates; 

■ explain key concepts of and critically comment upon the ecological conditions and developmental and genetic basis of diversification in the organisms studied; 

■ critically discuss conservation biology issues in the context of microevolution of the organisms studied; 

■ critically assess tools used in studying phenotypes and genetics of vertebrate populations in nature; 

■ relate microevolution and speciation of the organisms studied to broader topics in evolution and ecology.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.