Mécanismes de l'évolution biologique

Selection and adaptation, evolution of sex and sexual selection, indirect selection, neutral evolution and genetic drift, elements of population evolution, phylogenies and phylogenetic inference, gene genealogies, genes and genome evolution, mechanisms of speciation, intragenomic conflicts and unit of selection, evolution of development

Understanding the basic mechanisms of biological evolution and its consequences on the diversification of life. Identifying hypotheses on past evolution that are compatible with a set of observations (data interpretation). From a set of observations, predict the future evolution of a gene, a genome, or a set of organisms, using the knowledge acquired on the evolutionary process.

A detailed list of specific learning outcomes that will be evaluated at the end of the course will be made available to students.

Lectures, problems solving, case studies, computer data analyses.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

S.C. Stearns et R.F. Hoekstra, 2005 : Evolution : an introduction (second edition), Oxford (ISBN: 0199255636) ; D. J. Futuyma, 2005 : Evolution, Sinauer (ISBN: 0878931872) ; N.H. Barton, D.E.G. Briggs, J.A. Eisen, DB Goldstein, et N.H. Patel, 2007: Evolution, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (ISBN: 0879696849)

Contacts

J.C. de Biseau (Solbosch campus, U Building, Door C, 4th level, room 165, jcbiseau@ulb.ac.be); Patrick Mardulyn (Solbosch campus, U Building, Door C, 4th level, room 149b, pmarduly@ulb.ac.be)

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination

written examination

Written exam

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

100% for the written exam

Language(s) of evaluation

• french