Interested in the origin of the myriad forms of modern plants?

Want to know more about HOW evolution works?

New Course: Plant Speciation and Evolution

Catalogue Description: A survey of the patterns and processes of speciation in modern plant groups. Includes a review of evolutionary principles, the genetic processes involved in evolution, the generation of heritable variation, phylogeny and phylogeography, breeding systems and the maintenance of discrete forms. Laboratory will include an original investigation of speciation in plants of SW Colorado. Prerequisite: Bio 206. 3 hours lecture-3 hours lab.

Lecture: M, W, F 12:20-1:15 PM Berndt Hall 755

Lab: M 1:30-4:30 PM Berndt Hall 3020

FLC Moodle access for registered students

Tentative list of course topics:

• Molecular basis of heredity

• Sources of genetic variation

• Genetics of selection

• Gene flow models & population subdivision

• Plant breeding systems

• Hybridization

• Polyploidy

• Evolution on islands

• Phylogeny

• Phylogeography

• Evolutionary studies and plant conservation

Laboratory:

The laboratory will introduce some of the methodologies for the modern study of plant evolution, particularly those focused in molecular techniques, including DNA sequencing and phylogeny reconstruction and flow cytometry for the determination of chromosomal variation.

We will be working as a group to understand the evolutionary relationship of the new species Gutierrezia elegans, recently described from SW Colorado. This species is restricted only to a single small outcrop of Mancos Shale and is allied with the more common and widespread species, G. sarothrae and G. microcephala but we don't understand how.  We will use DNA analysis to construct a phylogeny of the group in our region to examine this question.

Gutierrezia elegans

Photo © Al  Schneider