This course is concerned with three key aspects of biodiversity studies: (1) mechanisms of biodiversity generation and loss (macroevolution); (2) past, current and future distribution of biodiversity (macroecology and biogeography); (3) measuring and documenting biodiversity (systematics). The course will begin with an overview of species and speciation, introducing key concepts in systematics and phylogenetics. This will be followed by topics in biogeography including evolutionary radiations, endemism, extinction, species dispersal and distribution patterns. The theme of diversification and extinction will continue through the macroevolution component of the course, which will use a series of major events in biodiversity generation and loss (eg the extinction of the dinosaurs, the radiation of mammals) as test cases to cover essential concepts in evolutionary biology with the emphasis on developing critical skills in hypothesis testing using a range of types of information, including palaeontology, systematics, developmental biology, and molecular data. This will lead to present day patterns of biodiversity, examined in the light of macroecology, examining the contribution that broad scale ecological studies can make to our understanding of past, present and future patterns of species richness and biodiversity loss.

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Explain the primary mechanisms of biodiversity generation and loss over macroevolutionary time.
2. Describe the distributional patterns of biodiversity at community to global scales and explain how these patterns are assembled.
3. Understand phylogenies and how they are used to interpret macroevolution and document the diversity of life.
4. Apply critical skills in hypothesis testing using a range of types of information, including palaeontology, systematics, developmental biology, and molecular data.
5. Interpret a scientific paper on any of a range of topics in evolution and present a critical analysis of competing views either orally or in a short essay.

Assessment will be based on:

• Four in-class tests (15% each; LO 1-3)
• Tutorial worksheet (20%; LO 3, 4)
• Paper review and essay (20%; LO 4, 5)