Biology 470: Evolution
Spring 2013
Instructor: Dr. Kenneth Gobalet, Sci I Room 120, phone 654-3038 email: kgobalet@csub.edu
Text: Zimmer, Carl and Douglas J. Emlen. 2013. Evolution, Making Sense of Life.
Available as an iversion through the Roberts and Company, Publishers.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/evolution-making-sense-life/id529832962?mt=8
Recommended: Zimmer, C. 2009. The Tangled Bank. Roberts and Co. Publishers
Martin, R. A. 2004. Missing Links, Evolutionary Concepts & Transitions through Time.
Readings (Gobalet’s Web Site: http://www.csub.edu/~kgobalet/):
Arjamma, O. & T. Vuorisalo. 2010. Gene-culture co-evolution and human diet. American
Scientist 98:140-147.
Barnosky, A.D. et al. 2004. Assessing the causes of Late Pleistocene extinctions on the
continents. Science 306:70-75
Bowler, P.J. 2009. Darwin’s originality. Science 323:223-226
Bramble, D. & Lieberman.2004. Endurance running & evolution of Homo. Nature 432:345-352.
Carroll, S.B. 2006. The Making of the Fittest: The Bloodless Fish of Bouvet Island. Pgs. 19-27
Carroll, S.B. 2006. The Making of the Fittest: Immortal Genes pgs 69-89.
Carroll, S.B. 2006. The Making of the Fittest. Fossil genes. Pgs. 117-137
Dawkins, R. 2006. The God Delusion. Pgs 113-143.
Diamond, J. 1991. The saltshakers curse. Natural History. October: 20, 1991.
Diamond, J. 1991. The athlete’s dilemma. Discover. August: 78-83
Diamond, J. 1992. An animal with strange life cycle. The Third Chimpanzee. Pg. 59-84
Dobzhansky, T. 1973. Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.
Am. Biol. Teacher 35:125-129.
Gould S.J. 1990. An earful of jaw. Natural History Mar: 12-23
Gould. S.J. 1997. Nonoverlapping magisteria. Natural History (March 1997)
Holldobler, B. and E.O. Wilson 1994. Journey to the Ants: Origin of Cooperation 95-106
Janzen, D.H. & P. S. Martin 1981. Neotropical anachronisms. Science 215: 19-27.
Losos, J.B. 2001. Evolution: a lizard’s tale. Scientific American (March): 64-69
Mann, C. 2006. 1491 (Artificial Wilderness). Revelat. of Americas before Columbus p 350-362.
Martin, P.S. 2005. Twilight of the Mammoths, Ice Age Extinctions. Pg 4-44, 48-57.
Mayr. E. 2004. Darwin’s five theories of evolution. Pgs 97-115
Palumbi, S. R. 2001. Humans as the world’s greatest evolutionary force. Science 293:1786-1790.
Pope John Paul 11. 1996. Magisterium is concerned with question of evolution
Rennie, J. 2002. 15 answers to creationist nonsense. Scientific American July Pgs. 78-85.
Ruff, C.B. 2006. Gracilization of modern human skeleton. American Scientist, 94(6) 508- 514.
Wake, D. B. et al. 2011. Homoplasy: from detecting pattern to determining process and
mechanism of evolution. Science 331: 1032-1035.
Williamson, D.I. & S.E. Vickers 2007. The origins of larvae. American Scientist 95(6): 509-517.
Willmore, K.E. 2010. Development influences evolution. American Scientist 98 (3): 220-227.
Wilson, D.S. & E.O. Wilson. 2008. Evolution “for the good of the group.”
American Scientist 96: 380-389.
Wise, D. 1998. Creationists geological time scale. American Scientist 86: 160-164, 166-173.
Zimmer, C. 2004. Faster than a hyena: running may make humans special. Science 306:1283
Zimmer, C. 2008. Palimpsest. Microcosm, E. coli and the New Science of Life. pgs 125-156.
General information: This course includes readings, lectures, and discussions. There will be a
single midterm exam and a comprehensive final. Quizzes may be given with or without notice.
The paper is due at the beginning of class on the date due. Late papers will be penalized a
minimum of 10% of the value of the assignment.
Summary of Activities
Research paper
Examination May 6th
Final Examination
Quizzes, etc.
Participation (instructor discretion)
Bonus book review due April 29, 2012
Point value
100
100
100
TBA
50
>350
Up to 20 points
Grading
Grades will be based on the following scale
94-100
90-93
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
=
=
=
=
=
=
A
AB+
B
BC+
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
60-62
below 60
=
=
=
=
=
=
C
CD+
D
DF
Biology 470: Literature-based paper
A literature review paper without separate sections for introduction, methods,
results etc. is a course requirement. The topic should address a question in evolutionary
biology. The target audience is the other members of the class. The paper should be
comprehensive and contain at least 15 citations of reviewed literature (cited in the text
and in a Literature Cited section) and be of appropriate length to cover the subject. Nonreviewed literature (secondary or popular sources like your textbook or peer-reviewed
web sites) may be used but only in addition to the 15 citations. On-line citations need to
be cleared in advance with Gobalet unless they are peer-reviewed journals. The format
for the citations and literature cited section should follow the Biology Department’s
“Format for laboratory Reports.” The title of the paper, author, course number, and date
should be centered on the first page. There should be no separate title page or folder. Use
font #12, 1.5 line spacing and a left justified margin. The paper is due May 15, 2013 at
8:00 am. To determine adherence to proscribed format, the method of citing sources in
the text and the literature cited section will be the first thing evaluated. If the format is
incorrect, the paper will be returned ungraded and docked up to 10 points. Good
writing involves considerable reading and revisions based on the comments of reviewers.
To this end have others read, edit, and criticise your work.
Schedule
Week
April 1-4
April 8-11
Topic
Reading (R: Recommended)
Zimmer & Emlen Chapter or Other:
Evolution, History of Evolution Z&E Ch 1 &2
Mayr 2004 Darwin’s Five Theories
R: Bowler (2009): Darwin’s originality
R: Dobzansky (1973): Nothing in Biology
Geological Evidence
April 15-18
Diversity of Life, Evidence
and April 22-25
and April 29-May 2 Bonus Review Due April 29th
May 6-9
Z&E Ch 3
Zimmer 2008. Palimpsest
Wise 1998. Creationists geological time scale
Pope John Paul 11. 1996 Magisterium
Dawkins 2006. God Delusion
R: Gould 1997 Nonoverlaping Magisteria
R: Rennie 2002. 15 Answers to Creationists
Z&E Ch 4
Carroll 2006. Bloodless Fish
Carroll 2006 Immortal Genes
Carroll 2006 Fossil Genes
Gould 1990 Earful of Jaw
Examination May 6th
Heredity & Ways of Change Z&E 5, 6
R: Williamson & Vickers 2007. Origins of Larvae
May 13-16
Natural Selection, Genes, Adapt. Z&E 8, 9, 10
Paper due May 15th
Losos 2001. A Lizard’s Tale
R: Willmore 2010. Development
Influences Evolution
R: Jansen and Martin 1981.
Neotropical Anachronisms
R: Wake et al. 2011 Homoplasy
May 20-23
Sex, Life History, Origin of Sp. Z&E 11, 12, 13
R: Holldobler & Wilson 1994
R: Wilson and Wilson 2008
Mat 27-30
Macroevolution, Extinction, Z&E 14, 15, 16
(27th Holiday)
June 3-6, 10
June 12, 2013
Coevolution
Human Evolution
R: P. Martin 2005, Ice Age Extinctions
R: Mann 2006. Artificial Wilderness
R: Barnosky et al 2004. Late Pleistocene
Extinctions
Z&E 17, 18
Diamond 1991. Saltshakers Curse
Diamond 1991 Athlete’s Dilemma
Ruff 2006. Gracilization of Human Skeleton
Zimmer 2004. Faster than a Hyena
R: Diamond 1992. Animal with Strange
Life Cycle
Arjamma and Vuorisalo 2010 Gene
Culture co-Evolution
R: Bramble and Lieberman 2004. Human
Endurance Running.
R: Palumbi. 2001 Humans as Evolutionary Force
Final Examination (8:00-10:30am)
Biology 470: Bonus Book Review
(See Gobalet’s website for details)
By turning in a review (critique) highlighting the important points of interest to you of one of the
listed books, up to 20 points will be added to the course point total. Another title may be
approved by Gobalet. Printed and electronic copies are due April 29, 2012 at 8:00 am)