Unit 8: Phylogeny, Systematics, and Biogeography.

"Every species has come into existence coincident both in time and space with a preexisting closely allied species." - Alfred Russell Wallace, the "father" of biogeography, in his essay On the law which has regulated the introduction of new species.

"Nature does not proceed by leaps and bounds." - Carolus Linnaeus, creator of the rules of biological nomenclature.

Objective 1:

• Absolute vs. relative dating (1c)

Objective 2:

• Continental drift (2a)
• Intermittent land bridges (2d)
• Did cracking continent trigger a deep freeze?: The break-up of a supercontinent may have caused a 'Snowball Earth'. (optional)

Objective 3:

• Conditions necessary for species dispersal (3a/c)
• The Law of the Minimum and the Law of Tolerance (3b)

Objective 5:

• Convergent evolution (5b)
• Confused by evolutionary trees? Check out Understanding Evolution.

Objective 8:

• Primates (8a)
• Hominoid divergence (8d)
• A recent split of humans and chimps? (optional) (New!)
• Unique characteristics of primates (optional)

Objective 9:

• Characteristics that differ between apes and humans (9b)

Objective 12:

• Latitudinal trends in species diversity (12f)
• Life is faster in the temperate zones (optional) (New!)

Objective 13:

• Rapid climate change article (courtesy of American Scientist)
• More on rapid global warming (optional)

Objective 14:

• Lake turnover (download a .pdf file)
• More lake turnover
• What is a mesotrophic lake? (14b)
• Beebe Lake

Objective 15:

• More on biomes
• Biomes slideshow

Optional Supplementary Material:

• An Archaeological Facelift: Computer reconstruction of "Toumai" skull suggests that the owner is the oldest known hominid, Sahelanthropus tchadensis.

• Island of the Lost Hominids: Remains of a previously unknown species of hominid have been discovered on the Indonesian Island of Flores. A new wrinkle in the evolutionary history of humankind!
  • Researchers verify Flores hobbit as new species of human being.
  • Artist's reconstruction of the Flores hominin.
    
• Faster than a Hyena? Running May Make Humans Special. Study suggests that the ability to run long distances efficiently was a key evolutionary innovation for humans.
• The Long March of Human Genes: New evidence that the ancestors of modern humans originated in Africa and not independently in different regions of the world.
• Jaw-dropping theory of human evolution: Did mankind trade chewing power for a bigger brain?
• Survival of the fittest females: Tiny animals evolve through the ages without males' help.
• Molecular clocks in action: Planting the mammalian supertree

back to main menu