Diversification in Time and Space

This course deals with how patterns of biological diversity change over time and processes causing these changes. Focus will be on understanding micro- and macro-evolutionary processes, how these change species diversity and species distributions, and how to obtain knowledge of species histories. Emphasis will be placed on understanding methods used in analyses of micro- and macro-evolutionary diversification in time and space.

This course is part of the Nordic Master in Biodiversity and Systematics

Knowledge:

• Processes leading to speciation, migration and introgression, how to use population genetic theory to draw inferences about population processes and species delimitations.
• Phylogenetic analyses, calibration of phylogenies and analyses of evolutionary rates, the use of phylogenies in biogeographic studies, reconstruction of ancestral characters.
• Knowledge about how evolutionary theory and molecular methods can be used to study species histories on an advanced level.

Skills:

• Having overview of theory and tools to be used in studies of species histories and historical biogeography.

General competence:

• How to use various types of methodology to understand processes causing patterns and changes in biological diversity in time and space.

Teaching will be in the form of online lectures, exercises and obligatory discussion meetings.

Compulsory activities: Participating in online lectures, reading designated book chapters and papers, and undertaking exercises within the book. In addition, contributions towards discussion meetings and an online examination, the latter will be used in grading.