Biodiversity and Evolution
A.Y. 2018/2019
Learning objectives
The course aims to supply theoretical knowledge about biodiversity and practical competence to analyze and evaluate the status of biodiversity. Particular emphasis will be given to the analysis of molecular biodiversity and to the study of evolutionary relationships among some animal taxa, both at species/genera level and at higher taxonomic levels.
Expected learning outcomes
Undefined
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Course syllabus
Introduction
Evolution as the origin of biodiversity
The species and the processes of speciation
Darwin's Theory of evolution and its interpretations
Molecular evolution
Case studies of phylogenetic analyses on molecular basis: potentiality and pitfalls of the molecular evolutionary studies
Mechanisms of molecular evolution.
The overall pipeline of the molecular phylogenetic reconstructions: selection of the molecular markers, multialignment of the homologous sequences, and reconstructions of the evolutionary tree.
Phylogenetic trees: definition, types, consensus trees, bootstrap analyses and interpretation of the reliability of the phylogenetic reconstructions.
Molecular phylogenetic markers: differences of resolving power between protein and nucleotide sequences, and between nuclear and organellar genes.
Molecular clock.
Long branch attraction phenomena
Molecular evolutionary models (Kimura, Jukes e Cantor, Felsestein, GTR). Site heterogeneity of the evolutionary rate. Methods of molecular evolution based on character status and on distance matrices (Maximum Parsimony, UPGMA, Neighbour Joining, Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian inferences).
Biodiversity
The Status of biodiversity
Extinctions and introductions
Analysis of the evolutive relationships of selected animal groups
Cryptic species
DNA barcode: definition, peculiarities, and applications. Reliability and drawback of molecular systematics. The "DNA barcoding" for the study of the biological diversity: definition, usage of different molecular markers in different taxa, peculiarities, applications and drawbacks.
Several case studies derived from recent scientific publications will be analysed in details.
Materials
· Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution. Paul G. Higgs, Teresa K. Attwood, Wiley-Blackwell
· Scientific publications
· Slides of the lessons and additional materials will be available at the UniMi Ariel platform
Examination
The examination consists in a written test with open questions and a final oral test.
Teaching methods
Traditional lessons aided by slides
Attendance is strongly recommended
Language of instruction
Italian
Evolution as the origin of biodiversity
The species and the processes of speciation
Darwin's Theory of evolution and its interpretations
Molecular evolution
Case studies of phylogenetic analyses on molecular basis: potentiality and pitfalls of the molecular evolutionary studies
Mechanisms of molecular evolution.
The overall pipeline of the molecular phylogenetic reconstructions: selection of the molecular markers, multialignment of the homologous sequences, and reconstructions of the evolutionary tree.
Phylogenetic trees: definition, types, consensus trees, bootstrap analyses and interpretation of the reliability of the phylogenetic reconstructions.
Molecular phylogenetic markers: differences of resolving power between protein and nucleotide sequences, and between nuclear and organellar genes.
Molecular clock.
Long branch attraction phenomena
Molecular evolutionary models (Kimura, Jukes e Cantor, Felsestein, GTR). Site heterogeneity of the evolutionary rate. Methods of molecular evolution based on character status and on distance matrices (Maximum Parsimony, UPGMA, Neighbour Joining, Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian inferences).
Biodiversity
The Status of biodiversity
Extinctions and introductions
Analysis of the evolutive relationships of selected animal groups
Cryptic species
DNA barcode: definition, peculiarities, and applications. Reliability and drawback of molecular systematics. The "DNA barcoding" for the study of the biological diversity: definition, usage of different molecular markers in different taxa, peculiarities, applications and drawbacks.
Several case studies derived from recent scientific publications will be analysed in details.
Materials
· Bioinformatics and Molecular Evolution. Paul G. Higgs, Teresa K. Attwood, Wiley-Blackwell
· Scientific publications
· Slides of the lessons and additional materials will be available at the UniMi Ariel platform
Examination
The examination consists in a written test with open questions and a final oral test.
Teaching methods
Traditional lessons aided by slides
Attendance is strongly recommended
Language of instruction
Italian
BIO/02 - SYSTEMATIC BOTANY
BIO/05 - ZOOLOGY
BIO/05 - ZOOLOGY
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Bandi Claudio, Horner David Stephen
Professor(s)
Reception:
Thursday 14.00 - 17.00
Via Celoria 26, Tower B, 2nd floor