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Linköping Institute of Technology

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Valid for year : 2007
 
NBID24 Adaptation: Molecules to Organism, 6 ECTS credits.
/Adaptation: Molecules to Organism/

For:   Bio   ETH   MOL  

 

Prel. scheduled hours: 60
Rec. self-study hours: 100

  Area of Education: Science

Subject area: Biology

  Advancement level (G1, G2, A): A

Aim:
The student will increase her/his understanding of the concept of adaptation in a physiological and an evolutionary context. The student will analyze and discuss classical and modern examples of adaptation at two levels of organization: organismal and molecular. The student will carry out a simple physiological experiment with the major emphasis placed on the different stages of scientific enquiry: hypothesis formulation, experimental design, analysis and statistics and communication of results.

Prerequisites: (valid for students admitted to programmes within which the course is offered)
Basic proficiency in the application of the following methods and tools:
  • Search in scientific databases, paper retrieval and basic rules in the citation of scientific information
  • Descriptive statistics: mean, standard deviation and standard error of the mean
  • Two-group statistical comparisons: parametric and non-parametric methods
  • Graphical illustration of results using Excel including the presentation of standard deviation and X-Y plots


Note: Admission requirements for non-programme students usually also include admission requirements for the programme and threshhold requirements for progression within the programme, or corresponding.

Supplementary courses:
NBID27 Neurobiology

Organisation:
The course consists of lectures, seminars and a short research project. The course is offered in coordination with Kolmården Animal Park so the park facilities will be used as a source of live experiences and study materials. The students are expected to work independently and manage their time efficiently in order to handle the course assignments. Extra costs due to travelling and living must be paid by the student.

Course contents:
The course will revise and refine the concept of adaptation with special emphasis on the modern criteria to distinguish between physiological and evolutionary adaptation and how to pursue it experimentally (the phylogenetic comparative method). Examples will be presented and common deviations from scientifically acceptable definitions will be discussed.

Course literature:


Examination:
Written examination
Short research project: written report
Research project: report and oral presentation
2 p
0,5 p
1,5 p
/
/
/
3 ECTS
1 ECTS
2 ECTS
 



Course language is English.
Department offering the course: IFM.
Director of Studies: Agneta Johansson
Examiner: Jordi Altimiras
Link to the course homepage at the department


Course Syllabus in Swedish

Linköping Institute of Technology

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Contact: TFK , val@tfk.liu.se
Last updated: 12/09/2010