BIO3020 - Timetable of Topics 2026
Week | Lecture | Lecturer | Laboratory | Lecturer |
1 | Topic 1: Natural selection, life histories, sex and death (to be assessed in Week 3 lab class – In Semester test 1) ·Introduction to Evolutionary Ecology ·Natural Selection, Evolution and Adaptation | DD | ·Introduction ·Commencing multi-week lab projects | DD / MM |
2 | Topic 1 continues ·Life-history Theory | DD | ·Continue multi-week lab projects ·Consolidating our understanding of evolutionary adaptation | DD |
3 | Topic 1 continues ·Sex Allocation ·Evolution of Ageing | DD | · In Semester Test 1 ·Continue multi-week lab projects ·Applying a cost-benefit framework to the study of a controversial topic in evolutionary biology | DD |
4 | Topic 2: Sexual selection, speciation and cooperation (to be tested in Week 8 lab class – In Semester test 2) ·Sexual Selection | DD | ·Continue multi-week lab projects ·Phylogenies and tree thinking | DD |
5 | Topic 2 continues ·Speciation | DD | ·Finish multi-week lab projects ·Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis | DD |
Mid-semester break | ||||
6 | Topic 2 continues ·Levels of Selection Topic 3:Genetic adaptation, drift and mutation (to be tested in Week 8 lab class – In Semester test 2) ·The Genetic Basis of Adaptation ·The Fitness Effects of Mutations | DD /MM | ·Genetic Variation and Distribution of the Fitness Effects of Mutations | MM |
7 | Topic 3 continues ·Bottlenecks, Founder effects and Molecular Clocks ·Hardy-Weinberg and Detecting Deviations | MM | ·Genetic Variation and Distribution of the Fitness Effects of Mutations | MM |
8 | Topic 4: Revision ·Revision week | DD/ MM | · In Semester Test 2 | DD |
9 | Topic 5: Evolutionary genetics, processes and inferences ·Genetic variation, its measurement, and how it underpins evolutionary genetics | ND | ·Population genetics (invading gallwasp case study) – Genetic consequences of an invasion | ND |
10 | Topic 5 continues ·Evolutionary processes in local populations | ND | ·Population genetics – Local population structure | ND |
11 | Topic 5 continues ·Evolutionary processes among populations | ND | ·Population genetics – Among population genetic structure | ND |
12 | Topic 5 continues ·Case studies – making biological inferences from genetic information | ND | ·Wrapping up and opportunity to work on Assignment 2 | ND |
Lectures&Laboratories: Refer to Allocate+ Lecturers: DD – Prof. Damian Dowling; MM – Prof. Mike McDonald; ND – Dr. Nick Deal | ||||