BEE 562 - Concepts and Methods in Evolutionary Biology

The course aims at achieving two related objectives: first, to provide graduate students in Ecology & Evolution, other biology departments, as well as Philosophy, with a basic understanding of the varied methods (both experimental and statistical) that make up the body of evolutionary quantitative biology. The focus will be in particular on quantitative genetics and its interface with more modern approaches, including QTL mapping, bioinformatics and the various “omics” (genomics, proteomics, etc.). Second, students will become familiar with the fundamental concepts of philosophy of science, in particular as they relate to the conceptual analysis of the ideas that shape modern evolutionary and ecological theory. In this respect, the focus will be both on philosophical concepts such as falsificationism, induction, deduction, hypothesis testing and the nature of evidence, as well as on the meaning of key ideas in evolutionary ecology, like natural selection, genetic drift, and constraints.

3 credits

Grading Letter graded (A, A-, B+, etc.)