Biology 470: Evolution Spring 2012
Instructor: Dr. Kenneth Gobalet, Sci I Room 120, phone 654-3038 email: kgobalet@csub.edu
Text: Kardong, K.V. 2008. An Introduction to Biological Evolution, 2 nd Edition.
Recommended: Martin, R. A. 2004. Missing Links, Evolutionary Concepts & Transitions through Time.
Readings (Gobalet’s Web Site):
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. & D. Lieberman.2004. Endurance running and 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. from 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 the 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.
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 pgs 125-156, in Microcosm, E. coli and the New Science of Life.

General information: This course includes readings, lectures, and discussions. There will be 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 7th
Final Examination
Point value
100
100
100
Quizzes, etc.
Participation (instructor discretion)
Bonus book review due April 30, 2012
94-100
90-93
87-89
83-86
TBA
50
>350
Up to 20 points
Grading
Grades will be based on the following scale
= A
= A-
= B+
= B
73-76
70-72
67-69
63-66
= C
= C-
= D+
= D
80-82
77-79
= B-
= C+
60-62 = D- below 60 = F
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 14, 2012 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.
In this case, having other members of the class read, edit, and criticise your work, will improve it.

Schedule
Week
April 2-5
April 9-12
Topic Reading (R=recommended)
K= Kardong (2008), M=Martin (2004)
Evolution of Evolution; Time K Ch 1, 2; M Ch 1
Mayr 2004 Darwin’s Five Theories
R: Bowler (2009): Darwin’s originality
R: Dobzansky (1973): Nothing in Biology
Heredity, Emergence of Life K Ch 3, 4; M 2
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
April 16-19 Diversity of Life, Evidence
and April 23-26
K 5, 6; M 3-8, 10
Carroll 2006. Bloodless Fish
and April 30-May 3 Bonus Review Due April 30th Carroll 2006 Immortal Genes
Carroll 2006 Fossil Genes
Gould 1990 Earful of Jaw
May 7-10 Examination May 7
Selection, Variation th
May 14-17 Speciation, Coevolution
Paper due May 16th
K Ch 7, 8; M Ch 9, 12
K Ch 9, 10
Losos 2001. A Lizard’s Tale
R: Willmore 2010. Development
R: Williamson & Vickers 2007. Origins of Larvae
Influences Evolution
R: Jansen and Martin 1981.
Neotropical Anachronisms
R: Wake et al. 2011 Homoplasy
May 21-24
May 28-31
(28th Holiday)
Life History Strategies,
Life in Groups
Extinctions
K Ch 11, 12
R: Holldobler & Wilson 1994 Origin of Cooperation
K Ch 13
R: P. Martin 2005, Ice Age Extinctions
R: Mann 2006. Artificial Wilderness

June 4-7
and June 11
Human Evolution
R: Barnosky et al 2004. Late Pleistocene
Extinctions
K Ch 14, 15; M Ch 11
Ruff 2006. Gracilization of Human Skeleton
Zimmer 2004. Faster than a Hyena
R: Diamond 1992. Animal with Strange
Life Cycle
Diamond 1991. Saltshakers Curse
Diamond 1991 Athlete’s Dilemma
Arjamma and Vuorisalo 2010 Gene
Culture co-Evolution
R: Bramble and Lieberman 2004. Human
Endurance Running.
R: Palumbi. 2001 Humans as Evolutionary Force
June 13, 2012 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 30, 2012 at 8:00 am )