Basics of Evolutionary Biology - MB170P124
Title: Basics of Evolutionary Biology
Czech title: Základy evoluční biologie
Guaranteed by: Department of Zoology (31-170)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2025
Semester: winter
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: winter s.:written
Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Min. number of students: 5
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Note: enabled for web enrollment
Guarantor: doc. RNDr. Michal Vinkler, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): RNDr. Filip Kolář, Ph.D.
Mgr. Zuzana Musilová, Ph.D.
Michail Rovatsos, Ph.D.
Mgr. Jan Toman, Ph.D.
doc. RNDr. Michal Vinkler, Ph.D.
Incompatibility : MB170P55
Opinion survey results   WS schedule    E-learning course
Annotation -
Evolutionary biology is currently perceived as a discipline at the basis of all other biological disciplines which offers a meaningful interpretation to the existing heterogeneity of the world around us. In this course, we go through the very basic concepts that are necessary to get insight into evolution of life on Earth. We start from the reasoning, why is evolutionary theory needed in the present world and science, define principles governing evolutionary processes and moving through all basic aspects of evolution at molecular as well as organismal levels we finally reach the exciting topics of evolutionary interactions across multiple co-evolutionary partners. This course does not require any previous knowledge of the subject from other courses, but given the topic overlap, this course is incongruous with the course Introduction to evolutionary biology, MB170P55. The course is taught only in English (for the Czech alternative see Introduction to evolutionary biology, MB170P55) and only if at least 5 students are enrolled. In cases of ordered or recommended distance learning, the teaching of this course is realised through online presentations that are subsequently shared with the students through Moodle and/or Google Apps. The course begins in the week from 2rd October 2023.
Last update: Vinkler Michal, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (20.09.2023)
Literature -

Douglas J. Emlen & Carl Zimmer (2019): Evolution: Making Sense of Life, W. H. Freeman, ISBN: 978-1319079864

Carl T. Bergstrom & Lee Alan Dugatkin (2016): Evolution, W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN: 978-0393601039

Douglas J. Futuyma, Mark Kirkpatrick (2017): Evolution, Sinauer Associates, ISBN: 978-1605356051

Last update: Peterková Jindřiška, Ing. (28.05.2020)
Requirements to the exam -

The course ends with a final examination. This has a form of a written test consisting of 30 questions combining multiple choice with mind map networks and brief free text. The examination is done through Moodle (dl2.cuni.cz). Oral examination with additional questions is an optional possibility in undecided cases to improve the final mark. The voluntary attendance of the practical training will be awarded by adding 5% points to the test results. In cases of ordered or recommended distance learning, depending on actual guidelines, the examination may take the form of an online test with a student identity controlled through a parallel videoconference. In these cases, the instructions will be provided to students by the course guarantor through SIS (message to all enrolled students) in a week advance.

Last update: Vinkler Michal, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (06.09.2022)
Syllabus -

1. Introduction to evolutionary thinking:
- What is evolution?
- Why is evolution relevant?
- Levels of organismal organisation
- Heritable variation (evolving molecules, mutation)
- Phenotypes - interaction of genes with environment

2. History of evolutionary thinking:
- Nature before Darwin
- Darwin’s descent with modification
- Natural selection
- Why “only” a theory?
- Ethics, Religion and Evolution
- After Darwin - evolutionary Synthesis

3. History of life on earth:
- What the rocks say?
- Building blocks of life
- RNA world and other hypotheses on the origin of life
- Genetic code
- Major eras of Earth
- Major evolutionary innovations


4. Tree of life:
- Tree thinking
- Phylogeny and taxonomy (relatedness, ancestry, monophylum, paraphylum, polyphylum)
- Maximum parsiomony
- Traits (apomorphy, plesiomorphy, homology, homoplasy)
- Phylogeography
- Timing of evolution (coalescence, use of fossils for dating)

5. Ways of change: from drift to natural selection:
- From alleles to population genetics
- Evolution’s “Null Hypothesis”, neutral variation
- Types of natural selection
- Beneficial and deleterious mutations
- Selection coefficient
- Mutation-selection balance
- Bottleneck, inbreeding and Founder effects

6. Evolution of genes:
- Patterns of selection in time and space
- Migration and gene flow
- Selecting diversity
- Balancing selection (frequency dependent selection, heterozygote advantage)
- Gene duplication
- Linkage disequilibrium
- Genetics of quantitative traits
- Genome evolution
- Horizontal gene transfer

7. Evolution of phenotypes:
- Evolutionarily stable strategy
- Selection on the level of individuals
- Selfish gene
- Conflicts within genomes
- Evo-devo


8. Adaptation: linking genes to traits:
- Molecular evolution (from mutation to protein variant)
- Protein evolution
- Adaptive landscape
- Recognising adaptations
- Fit to environment
- Evolutionary constraints
- Imperfections in complex adaptations
- Convergent evolution

9. Sex and evolution of life histories:
- Why sex?
- Red Queen
- Non-random mating
- Concept of sexual selection (male-male competition, mate choice)
- Fisherian runaway selection
- Condition-dependent traits and Indicator hypothesis
- Cryptic mate choice (extra-pair mating, sperm competition)
- Sexual conflict
- Meiotic drive

10. Speciation:
- Concepts of species
- Types of speciation (mechanisms of speciation, spatial aspects)
- Models of speciation
- Incomplete lineage sorting
- Speed of speciation
- Radiation
- Cryptic species
- Macroevoution (gradual vs. punctual evolution, biogeography)
- Extinctions

11. Coevolution:
- Web of life (ecological interactions)
- Mutualism
- Endosymbiosis
- Genomic parasites
- Antagonism
- Predator-pray models
- Selection on diversity
- Maladaptation
- Host-parasite interaction
- Evolutionary medicine

12. Evolution of behaviour:
- Behaviour evolves
- Sociality
- Group selection
- Kin selection
- Reciprocal altruism
- Conflicts and Game theory
- Animal cultures and their implications for humans


13. Human Evolution:
- Hominin evolution
- Human gene evolution
- Bottlenecks and recent selection
- Evolution of languages
- Ageing
- Modern life
- Repetition of all basic concepts on the example of human evolution
- Clarification of concepts based on dialogue with students

Last update: Vinkler Michal, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (04.10.2021)
Learning outcomes -

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Define evolution and explain its relevance across biological disciplines and levels of organismal organisation.
  • Describe the sources of heritable variation, including mutation and gene–environment interactions shaping phenotypes.
  • Summarise the historical development of evolutionary thinking from pre-Darwinian views to the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis.
  • Explain the principles of natural selection and critically interpret the meaning of evolution as a scientific theory.
  • Outline major hypotheses on the origin of life and identify key evolutionary innovations across Earth’s history.
  • Interpret phylogenetic trees and distinguish among monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic groups.
  • Apply basic phylogenetic reasoning, including maximum parsimony and trait interpretation (homology, homoplasy, apomorphy, plesiomorphy).
  • Explain fundamental evolutionary processes and related concepts and terms, including genetic drift, neutral evolution, mutation–selection balance, and selection coefficients.
  • Differentiate among types of natural selection and predict their effects on allele frequencies and population variation.
  • Describe how migration, gene flow, and demographic processes (e.g., bottlenecks, founder effects, inbreeding) shape genetic diversity.
  • Explain mechanisms generating and maintaining genetic diversity, including balancing selection, gene duplication, and linkage disequilibrium.
  • Summarise principles of genome evolution, quantitative trait genetics, and horizontal gene transfer.
  • Explain how phenotypes evolve through interactions among genes, development, and selection, including evo-devo perspectives.
  • Evaluate adaptation by linking molecular changes to organismal traits and environmental fit.
  • Interpret the concept of adaptive landscape and identify evolutionary constraints, trade-offs, and convergent evolution.
  • Explain the evolutionary significance of sexual reproduction and describe mechanisms of sexual selection and the concept of non-random mating.
  • Describe the concept of life-history strategies, sexual conflict, meiotic drive, and the Red Queen hypothesis.
  • Compare major species concepts and explain mechanisms and models of speciation across spatial contexts.
  • Interpret macroevolutionary patterns, including adaptive radiation, extinction, and incomplete lineage sorting.
  • Explain major forms of coevolution, including mutualism, antagonism, host–parasite dynamics, and endosymbiosis.
  • Relate evolutionary principles to applications in evolutionary medicine.
  • Analyse the evolution of behaviour using concepts such as kin selection, reciprocal altruism, group selection, and evolutionary game theory.
  • Discuss the evolutionary origins of human traits and hominin evolution, including in the light of recent selection, and demographic history.
  • Integrate evolutionary concepts to interpret human biology, behaviour, ageing, and modern environmental challenges.
  • Critically evaluate evolutionary explanations in scientific literature and communicate evolutionary reasoning using appropriate terminology.

 

Last update: Vinkler Michal, doc. RNDr., Ph.D. (18.02.2026)