BIOSYSTEMATICS, TAXONOMY & EVOLUTION

Paper Code: 
ZOL 121
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

Course objectives:

This course will enable the students to -

  1. The course provides information about basic concepts of Biosystematics
  2. Descriptive study of taxonomy including speciation, Concept of evolution and theories of organic evolution with an emphasis on Darwinism and Genetics of quantitative traits in population.
  3. Besides elaborating the process of speciation, it also explains methods of Phylogenetic analysis.

 Course Outcomes (COs):

Course

Learning outcomes

(at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

 

ZOL 121

Biosystematics, Taxonomy & Evolution

CO1:Comprehend the basic concepts of animal taxonomy and analyze the implications of Chemotaxonomy, Cyto-taxonomy and Molecular taxonomy

CO2: Concept of molecular Phylogenetics and Genetics of Quantitative traits in a population.

CO3: It would furnish the student with different taxonomic procedures including taxonomic collection, species concept and Speciation, preservation, methods of identification and taxonomic keys.

CO4: To understand different theories of biological classification and the basic concept of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Demonstration, Team teaching

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, Simulation, Seminar presentation, Giving tasks, Field practical

 

Class test

Semester end examinations, Quiz,

Assignments,

Presentation

Individual and group projects

 

10.00
Unit I: 
UNIT I

   Definition and basic concepts of biosystematics and taxonomy

    Importance and applications of bio-systematic in biology

    Material basis of biosystematics-different attributes

    Trends in biosystematics-

  •         Chemotaxonomy
  •         Cyto-taxonomy
  •         Molecular taxonomy
15.00
Unit II: 
UNIT II

Dimensions of speciation and taxonomic characters   

  •     Dimensions of speciation – types of lineage changes,  production of additional lineage
  •     Mechanisms of speciation in panmictic and apomictic species
  •     Species concept- Species category, different species concept, subspecies and other infra specific categories
  •     Theories of Biological classification , Hierarchy of categories
  •     Taxonomic characters – different kinds, origin of reproductive isolation
15.00
Unit III: 
UNIT III

Procedure keys in taxonomy

  •     Taxonomy procedures-Taxonomic collections, preservations, curetting process of identification
  •     Taxonomic keys-Different kinds of Taxonomic keys, their merits and demerits
  •     Systematic publication-Different kinds of publications
  •     Process of typification and different zoological types
  •     International code of Zoological nomenclature (ICZN) – its operative principles, interpretation and application of important rules, Zoological nomenclature, formation of scientific names of various taxa.
  •     Evaluation of biodiversity indices:
  •     Shannon-Weinner index, dominance index
10.00
Unit IV: 
UNIT IV

Concept of evolution and theories of organic evaluation with an emphasis on Darwinism.

    Micro and Macro-evolution

    Neo-Darwinism

    Hardy –Weinberg law of genetic equilibrium

    A detailed account of Destabilizing forces:

(i) Natural selection

(ii) Mutation

(iii) Genetic drift

(iv) Migration

(v) Meiotic drive

10.00
Unit V: 
UNIT V

Genetics of quantitative traits in populations

  •     Analysis of quantitative traits
  •     Quantitative traits and natural selection
  •     Genotype-environment interactions
  •     Inbreeding depression and heterosis
  •     Molecular analysis of quantitative traits
  •     Phenotypic plasticity
  •     Molecular phylogenetics
  •     How to construct phylogenetic trees
  •     Phylogenetic inference-Distance methods, parsimony methods, maximum likelihood method
Essential Readings: 

Essential Readings

    Evolutionary Biology, Futuyamma, D. J. Suinuauer Associates, INC Publishers, Sunderland.

    Principles of Systematic Zoology by  Ernst  Mayr

Suggested Readings

    A Primer of Population Genetics. Hart, D.L. Suinuaer Associates, Inc, Massachusetts.

    Genes and Evolution. JhaA.P.John Publication, New Delhi

    Species Evolution-The role of chromosomal change. King,M. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Evolution and Genetics Merral, D.J.Holt, Rinchart and Winston, Inc.

    Evolutionary Genetics. Smith,J.M. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Evolution. Strikberger, M.W.Jones and Barlett Publishers, Boston London

    Batschelet-F-Introduction to mathematics for life scientists Springer  Verlag, Berling.  

Skoal R.R. and F.J.Rohiff Biometry-Freeman, San-Francisco.

    Snecdor, G.W. and W.G. CocharanStatisical Methods of affiliated-East-

West Press, New Delhi.

    Murry J.D. Mathematical Biology-Springer, Verlag, Berlin.

Academic Year: 
2020-2021
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