OVERVIEW

The Population Biology presents different approaches to the study of micro-evolutionary processes in animal populations.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Genetics aims to provide students with basic knowledge on the mechanisms of hereditary transmission of phenotypic traits and on mutations. Population Biology aims to investigate the main aspects related to demographic structure, space-temporal dynamics and conservation of animal populations and metapopulations in an evolutionary perspective. The genetic-molecular approach, correlated with the biogeographical one, should make students capable of developing critical and analytical skills useful for future studies and research in the evolutionary biological field.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and the active participation in lectures and individual study will allow the student to acquire the knowledge necessary to understand the mechanisms that underlie the micro-evolutionary processes that take place at an organismic and population level. The study will be combined with an in-depth study by each student of a topic inherent to the subject matters treated by the teachers. The teaching aims to provide students with the theoretical and methodological basis of the evolutionary study of populations. The ideas relating to the areas of formal genetics, population genetics and zoogeography both pure (historical-descriptive) and applied (implications for the conservation of biodiversity) have the purpose of allowing students to develop critical and analytical skills, useful for future insights and personal research on micro-evolutionary phenomena.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures using power point presentations.

"Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.”

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Population and meta-population: general aspects. Populations Genetics. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and its deviations. History of and introduction to Zoogeography. Continental drift and current distribution of ecological conditions (biomes). Ranges definition, description and analysis. Definizione, descrizione e studio degli areali (vicarianza-dispersione). Vicariance. Dispersal. Speciation models. Systematic Biogeography (biogeographical regions, chorological categories).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used during the lessons and other teaching materials will be available on aul@web. In general, the notes taken during the lessons and the material on aul@web are enough for the preparation of the exam. The books listed below are suggested as supporting texts, but students can still use other university level texts as well, provided they are editions published in the last 5 years.

• Conner J.K. & Hartl D.L., 2005. Elementi di genetica ecologica. Piccin, Padova.
• Frankham R., Ballou J.D., Briscoe D.A., 2006. Fondamenti di genetica della conservazione. Zanichelli.
• Zunino M. & Zullini A., 2004. Biogeografia. La dimensione spaziale dell’evoluzione. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
• Lomolino M., 2020. Biogeography. A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Lomolino M.V., Riddle B.R. &  Whittacker R.J., 2016. Biogeography. Biological diversity across space and time. Oxford University Press.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

POPULATION BIOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a separate oral test for the two modules. The final exam mark will be calculated based on the weighted average of the assessments achieved in the two tests. 2 exam sessions will be available for the winter session (mid January-February) and 5 exam sessions for the summer session (June, July and September). Extraordinary sessions will not be granted outside the periods indicated in the study program rules.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details on how to prepare the exam and the degree of required deepening of each topic will be given during the lessons. In addition to the notional aspects related to the content of the course, the ability to describe the mechanisms related to inheritance, population dynamics and micro-evolutionary processes in a clear manner and with correct terminology will also be assessed.
 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department's disability liaison.