Course title | Molecular Ecology |
---|---|
Course code | KZO/412 |
Organizational form of instruction | Lecture + Lesson |
Level of course | Bachelor |
Year of study | not specified |
Frequency of the course | In each academic year, in the winter semester. |
Semester | Winter |
Number of ECTS credits | 6 |
Language of instruction | Czech |
Status of course | Compulsory, Compulsory-optional |
Form of instruction | unspecified |
Work placements | unspecified |
Recommended optional programme components | None |
Lecturer(s) |
---|
|
Course content |
Content of lectures: Introduction to Molecular Ecology: questions and problems studied by Molecular Ecology. Population structure, speciation, reproductive strategies (inbreeding, sex ratio), demography (population expansion, bottlenecks). Molecular markers and methods of their analysis. Characterization, availability and informative value of various types of molecular markers (DNA sequences, nuclear vs. mitochondrial/plastid DNA, coding vs. non-coding DNA, microsatellites, AFLP, SNP). Analytic procedures vs. simulations (MCMC). Introduction to population and evolutionary genetics. Intraspecific genetic and phenotypic variability, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, neutral theory, genetic drift, molecular clock. Measures of genetic variability within and among populations, metapopulations. Genealogy vs. phylogeny. Population splitting and genetic diversification, coalescent theory, ancestral polymorphism, concerted evolution, hybridization. Demographic history. Effective population size, expansions, bottlenecks, migration. Kin selection. Reproductive strategies: sex ratio, mating system, inbreeding, social and brood parasites. Speciation, phylogeography, coevolution. Speciation process, delimitation of species, geographic distribution and methods of phylogeographic analysis. Genetic diversity mediated by geographic distance, nested clade analysis. Coevolution. Genome scan. Identification of loci under balancing/diversifying selection. Quantitative trait loci. Ecology-mediated changes in genomes (degeneration, horizontal transfer of genes). Applied aspects of molecular ecology: Study of biodiversity, barcoding, molecular ecology and conservation biology, molecular microbiology and epidemiology. New methods and programs in molecular ecology. Content of practices: Practical course on using phylogenetic and population genetic software for solving ecology and evolutionary problems.
|
Learning activities and teaching methods |
Group work |
Learning outcomes |
The course provides students with basic information on the role of ecological and evolutionary processes in shaping molecular characteristics of organisms (e.g. genetic structure of the populations or genome modifications) and the main methods of solving ecological problems using molecular data.
|
Prerequisites |
Students are not obliged to undertake any specific classes prior their enrolment in this class. Any prior knowledge of evolutionary biology and ecology is however advantagous for a full understanding of the class content.
|
Assessment methods and criteria |
Written examination
In order to pass this class, the students are obliged to actively participate in its theoretical and practical part. They have to prove their ability to use softwares for which the hands on training have been provided. Finally the students undertake a written exam based on the content of both theoretical and practical part of this course. |
Recommended literature |
|
Study plans that include the course |
Faculty | Study plan (Version) | Category of Branch/Specialization | Recommended semester | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter |
Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter |
Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Botany (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter |
Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Botany (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter |
Faculty: Faculty of Science | Study plan (Version): Zoology (1) | Category: Biology courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter |