LSM 2107: Evolutionary Biology

Lecture 1
What is evolution?
Natural sciences
Physics studies the fundamental
properties of the universe
Chemistry studies the properties of
atoms and molecules
Biology studies the properties of
living organisms
Evolution
“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light
of evolution.”
Theodosius Dobzhansky
Evolution
Evolution is the core, unifying framework for
understanding our origins, the diversity of life, and all
of biology.
Evolution by natural selection
• 1858: Charles Darwin and Alfred
Russel Wallace present their
papers outlining the theory of
evolution by natural selection
• 1859: Charles Darwin publishes
his book on the same topic
Evolution by natural selection
Evolution is change in populations over time

Natural selection is one of the mechanisms of

evolution
Evolution by natural selection
Darwin reasoned as follows:
• If variation in traits exists within
populations
• And this variation is heritable
• And individuals with some traits
survive better and reproduce more
than others
• Then these adaptive traits will tend
to become more widespread within
a population.

This is evolution by natural selection.

Evolution by natural selection
Natural selection is a process that can lead
to remarkable complexity and beauty in
organisms.

Natural selection explains how populations

adapt to their environment and how they
change over time.
Evolution by natural selection
• Can explain most of the diversity of behaviors, life
forms, physiologies, and ways of living we see today….
Why study evolution?
• Evolution by natural selection is one of the most
powerful ideas in the history of human thought.
• Only by understanding evolution can we make
sense of biology.
• Evolution has many applications to medicine,
agriculture, and other fields of human endeavour.
Food
Insecticide resistance
Aging
Eunice Tan John Ascher
Teaching assistants
Su Tingting

Wong Qi Yi Ambrose

Zhang Fengqi
Poll Everywhere
• Used for in-class questions to give instant feedback
• You can either use web browser on your computer
or on a smart phone
• Used to assess classroom participation
 Course structure
• 13 weeks
• 4 module credits (MC)
• Two lectures per week (Monday 10 am; Wednesday 10
am)
• Each lecture is 1.5 hours
• Pre-lecture Canvas quizzes (5 questions each)
• 4 homework assignments
• Class participation via Poll Everywhere and verbal Q & A
including after lecture
 Course structure
• Students read information on lecture
topic before class
• Students take an open-book pre-lecture
Canvas quiz on the lecture topic (quiz
available 48 hours before the lecture)
• Lecture covers same topics as reading,
but may use different examples and
focus on more-challenging concepts
• Textbook: Evolution by Bergstrom and
Dugatkin (1st or 2nd edition)
Assessment
• Pre-lecture quizzes (20%)
• Homework (20%)
• Mid-term test (30%)
• Final exam (30%)
Canvas Discussions (Forum)
Canvas Discussions
An online forum where students can discuss
questions about the course material
• Please post general questions related to course
contents or logistics to the respective threads here
• You can email one of us about questions unique to
you
• Please check the forum regularly: help answer
colleagues’ questions and join in the discussions
Email
Only use email for issues specific to yourself, not to all
students (post general questions related to course
material to the Forum):
John Ascher: [email protected]
Eunice Jingmei Tan [email protected]

We may forward some queires to the TAs:

Su Tingting
Wong Qi Yi Ambrose
Zhang Fengqi
Consultation hours
• John Ascher: S3-04-12
• Eunice Jingmei Tan: S3-01

• Flexible hours
• Please send an email to schedule
• Zoom consultation may be possible
• Please post questions of general interest to the
‘Discussions’ forum
Readings
• See Canvas for list of lectures and check Quiz
instructions for associated readings
• Together, the readings comprise most, but not all,
of the textbook chapters
Timetable:
also on Canvas
Readings: Lecture
What is evolution? (JA)
What is the evidence for evolution? (JA)
Reading (Chapter)
1 (section 1.1)
2 (section 2.3 to 2.6)
11 (section 11.6 is not
How did life evolve? (ET)
examinable)
see also Canvas including How do variations come about? (ET) 6

weekly summary How do variations get fixed in populations via natural selection? (ET) 7

How do variations get fixed in populations via random processes? (ET) 8

3 (Box 3.1 + section 3.5 are

What is the outcome of natural selection? (ET)
not examinable)

What is artificial selection, and how do we use it in our lives? (ET) 2.5
How does evolution lead to variation in life histories? (ET) 20.5
How does the environment determine phenotypes? (ET) 9.3 & 9.4
What is the history of life? -Extinction, biogeography, macroevolution (JA) 15
Recess week followed by MIDTERM
4 (except 4.4 & 4.5), 5.7 and
How do we construct evolutionary relationships? (JA)
5.8
What are species? (JA) 14.1 (refresh 2.3)
How does speciation occur? (JA) 14.2 and 14.3
Why sex? - Causes and consequences (JA) 16 up to 16.4
What is sexual selection? (JA) 16.5 and 16.6
What are the major transitions in evolution? (JA) 12
What is convergent evolution? (JA) 4.4
What is coevolution? (JA) 18
How do sociality and altruism evolve? (JA) 17

3.5 and 13 (sections 13.1 +

What is evo-devo? - Evolution of novel traits (ET)
13.4 are not examinable)

How did humans evolve? (ET) 19

How does evolution affect our lives? (ET) 20
Readings
• ≈500 pages of actual material
• ≈24 pages per lecture
• ≈5 pages to read per day (based on ≈100 days
between now and final lecture)
Readings
Harvard University
BIOS E-1b: Organismal and Evolutionary Biology
≈23 pages per lecture
Core concepts
• Natural selection
• Genetic drift
• Phylogeny
• History of life on Earth
• Origin of variations
• Sexual selection
• Homologous traits
• Speciation
Lecture 1: What is evolution?
Lecture 2: What is the evidence
for evolution?
Comparative Age of the Earth Biogeography
anatomy and and fossils
hierarchical
diversity

Struggle for Earlier

existence ideas
Artificial about
selection evolution
Lecture 3: How did life evolve?
• Basic organic molecules
• Larger organic molecules
• Cells
• RNA world
• DNA world
Lecture 4: How do variations
come about?
• Mutations in protein coding genes
• Regulatory genes
• Translocations
• Duplications
Lecture 5: How do variations get fixed
in populations via natural selection?
Lecture 6: How do variations get fixed
in populations via random processes?
• Drift
• Hardy–Weinberg principle
Lecture 7: What is the outcome of
natural selection?
• Morphological, physiological, and behavioural
adaptations
Lecture 8: What is artificial selection,
and how do we use it in our lives?
Lecture 9: How does evolution
lead to variation in life histories?
Lecture 10: How does the
environment determine phenotypes?
• Phenotypic plasticity
• Epigenetics
Lecture 11: What is the history of
life?
• Extinction, biogeography, macroevolution
4 March: Midterm test
• Tests material from first half of course
• Open-book including pdfs (etc.)
• ≈45 multiple-choice questions
• Details of test will be posted to Canvas in advance.
• For Examsoft refresher, common briefing sessions
should be available:
https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/DA/Common+Briefing+
Sessions
• Exam Soft/CIT team are available to provide further
instruction and troubleshooting.
Lecture 12: How do we
reconstruct species relationships?
• Phylogenies
• Molecular clock
Lecture 13: What are species?
• History of classification
Lecture 14: How does speciation
occur?
Lecture 15: Why sex?
Lecture 16: What is sexual
selection?
Lecture 17: What are the major
transitions in evolution?
 Lecture 18: What is convergent
evolution?

Thylacine Dingo
(Thylacinus cynocephalus) (Canis lupus)
Lecture 19: What is coevolution?
• Mimicry
• Plants and pollinators
• Character displacement
• Mutualisms
Lecture 20: How do sociality and
altruism evolve?
Lecture 21: What is evo-devo?
• How do modules acquire
unique morphologies and
differentiate from each
other?
• Hox genes
• Conserved toolkit of
development
• Serial homology
• Evolution of body plans
• Evolution of genetic
architecture
Lecture 22: How did humans
evolve?
Lecture 23: How does evolution
affect our lives?
• Bacteria and other pathogens
• Genetic fingerprinting and the law
• Mapping of human diseases
• Improved crops
29 April 2024: Final examination
• Tests material from entire course, but focus is on
second half
• Open-book including pdfs, notes, etc.
• ≈45 multiple-choice questions
• 29 April, 9AM
• Instructions for e-exam as shared on Canvas (same
as midterm). Prepare your laptop with help from
CIT/Exam Soft team.
Before class next Mon there will be a Canvas
quiz on Chapters 1–2 of your textbook
1. Honesty in academic communication
In academia, we pursue truth and knowledge founded on trust that the
work is one's own and is accurate, reproducible, and truthful. This trust
and the reputation of the individual and NUS are destroyed by dishonest
behaviour.

 Fabrication – making up data or information (lying)

synthesizing or creating data for unperformed experiments,
constructing graphs and figures unsupported by data or information
 Falsification – deliberately manipulating or altering data or
academic/professional credentials (cheating), doctoring photos and graphs,
altering data in tables, using data from one experiment for a different experiment

*http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/adminpolicy/acceptance.html#NUSCodeofStudentCondu
ct
1. Honesty in academic communication
 Plagiarism – submission of ideas, phrases, paragraphs or figures of others’
as your own (stealing)
 “Others” includes books, journals, internet sources and classmates – they
must be acknowledged
 reusing your own work without attribution
 The university considers plagiarism an offence and will subject students to
disciplinary action
 What is plagiarism and how to avoid it?
 Short note
 http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/success/sl7.htm
 E-tutorials on plagiarism
 http://emodule.nus.edu.sg/ac
 https://connect.le.ac.uk/p72155629/
2. Respecting the rights of others
Not infringing the learning process of fellow students
 Distractions, e.g. talking, mobile phone browsing, arriving late
 Uncooperative or failure to listen to others during group work
 Improper attire for field/lab work – resulting in others having to
work alone
 Allowing one’s work to be copied – depriving others opportunity to
learn

Teaching, Training and Reinforcing Ethical Conduct in the Classroom