Description
A problem-oriented teaching approach will allow students to ask questions about the evolutionary history of a group of their choosing, and then attempt to answer such questions using the methods discussed in the course.
The aims are to provide students with:
• A working knowledge of how phylogenetic trees are constructed, and the strenghts and weaknesses of analytical methods;
• An understanding of the role of phylogenetic trees in palaeontological research (e.g. biodiversity, divergence date estimates, biogeography etc.);
• A practical insight into the different methodologies used for reconstructing macroevolutionary patterns throughout time
• A clear appreciation of the history of life during the Phanerozoic, especially with regard to large-scale macroevolutionary patterns such as mass extinction events and the impact of geological/climatic change on organismal distributions.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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