Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution. Evolutionary Biology, third edition . Inc. Sunderland, Massachusetts Additional readings are assigned throughout the semester, see schedule. Some familiarity with statistics or mathematics is useful, but not essential. Course Overview Evolutionary biology is a huge topic.
Evolution is the backbone of our biological understanding.
Evolutionary biology is an investigation of how evolutionary processes and systems have produced the changing, living world. This course has three sections. The first section covers the background for evolutionary biology, a short history, the genetic and ecological connections, classification, the fossil record, the history of life on earth, and biogeography. The second section covers the main topics in population genetics, population evolution, and natural selection. The last section covers species, speciation, biological diversity, and human evolution.