Systematic Biology

Catalog description

Systematic biology is the study of how life is classified in order to best study and understand biodiversity. This course is both a historical course and a research methods course. The history of classification systems (such as how Linnaean ranks came to be, and the weakness of using these ranks) will be discussed, leading into how modern phylogenetic methods were developed that have given rise to reliable methods to test hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. The course will go into detail for modern systematic methods, and will incorporate short exercises in how to use these methods - including model-based methods of studying genomic data - to reconstruct evolutionary relationships. Students complete several systematic research projects, including one they design and implement. Course Learning Outcomes 1. Read and understand phylogenetic trees at a deep level. 2. Construct a phylogenetic tree from anatomical or genomic data. 3. Criticize phylogenetic methods and the resultant trees; be able to determine why two studies produce a different topology and argue which has the true stronger support. 4. Know the history of systematics study and why the cladistics revolution’ was such a major turning point for biodiversity and classification in the 1970’s. View Class Schedule