Biological Sciences 226 - Evolution: Making Sense of Life

Evolution

Spring
2023
01
4.00
Patricia Brennan

MW 10:00AM-11:15AM

Mount Holyoke College
119848
Reese 302
pbrennan@mtholyoke.edu
Evolution is central to our understanding of Biology; it helps us explain both the diversity and commonality in organismal form, function and behavior that have been generated over 3 billion years of life on Earth. We will discuss the mechanisms of evolution within populations and between species, examine some branches of the tree of life and learn how the tree is generated, discuss how phenotypes arise from genotypes and interactions with the environment, and how development is central to understanding evolution. Some themes include the evolution of symbiosis, sex, and human evolution, as well as the crucial role that evolutionary principles play in society including agriculture, medicine, and even the judicial system.

Prereq: BIOL-200 or BIOL-223 or BIOL-230.; Coreq: BIOL-226L.

BIOL-223 and/or BIOL-226 must be taken for the Biology major.

Multiple required components--lab and/or discussion section. To register, submit requests for all components simultaneously.
Permission is required for interchange registration during the add/drop period only.