This course will introduce you to the processes that underlie evolutionary change in natural populations. It is intended to give an integrated view, showing how theoretical approaches can be applied to investigate natural evolutionary processes as well as to understand the behaviour of genetic variation in managed populations. We will deal with subjects ranging from the evolutionary fate of molecular sequences to the genetic consequences of interactions between species and from variation at single genes to speciation itself.

• To survey the genetic processes underlying evolutionary change from the molecular to the population level
• To provide an appreciation of the importance of quantitative theory in developing an understanding of evolution
• To relate predictions based on quantitative theory to data collected from natural and managed populations
• To provide opportunities in tutorials and practical classes for developing quantitative analytical skills in biology
• To provide, through essay writing and associated tutorials, the opportunity to develop skills in synthesising material from the primary literature for the purpose of exploring and critically assessing scientific arguments

Through lectures to consider

• the basic concepts and quantitative foundation of population genetics
• the importance of population genetics in population management
• molecular population genetics
• the phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data.
• the fundamentals of quantitative genetics

Through practicals

• to study the use of computer simulations to understand the behaviour of genes in populations
• to become familiar with experimental and analytical techniques in current use in evolutionary genetics
• to appreciate the importance of statistical techniques in the analysis and interpretation of biological and genetic data

Through tutorials

• to develop skills in solving quantitative problems in evolutionary genetics

Through essay writing

• to develop skills in understanding, assimilating and presenting scientific arguments in a critical and original fashion