BIO 494 Evolution

Prerequisite: BIO 330 and senior standing.

Capstone course required for all senior-level Biology majors. A study of the processes, concepts, and philosophical implications of the modern theory of biological evolution. Topics range from chemical evolution and the origin of life to macroevolutionary trends in adaptive radiation and extinction. Examples from various taxa are employed to examine concepts such as species and speciation, evolutionary rates, and the role of chance events in the evolutionary process. Evolutionary theory is examined in relation to its ability to explain biological complexity and structural anomalies in various taxa including humans. Three two-hour class periods each week.

Credits

1 Course Credit