Zoology/Genetics 705/805

Population Genetics

Wed 1:10-2:00pm, Fri 1:10-5:00pm

Rooms G17 (lecture) and G41 (lab), Rudman Bioscience

Instructor: Tom Kocher (Tom.Kocher@unh.edu)

Office hours: by appointment, 216 Rudman

Text: Genetics of Populations, 2nd edition, Philip W. Hedrick(Jones and Bartlett Pub.)

Prerequisites: Introductory Genetics (Biol 604 or equivalent)

Preliminary Lecture/Lab Schedule

September

6 - Orientation; "What is population genetics?" (Chapter1, pp. 1-10)

8 - Experimental methods for studying genetic variation (pp.21-41)

LAB: Methods for allozymes, RFLP, PCR and DNA sequencing

13 - Probability and Statistics (pp. 10-21)

15 - Phenotypic variation and Mendelian inheritance (pp. 41-45)

LAB: Calculating basic statistics of genetic variation (pp. 75-85)

20 - Hardy-Weinberg expectations (Chapter 2, pp. 47-56, 72-75))

22 - Multiple alleles, multiple loci and sex linkage (pp. 56-720

LAB: Nucleotide diversity and genetic distance)

27 - Basic selection models I (Chapter 3)

29 - Basic selection models II

LAB: Basic selection models

October
4 - Quiz #1 (Chapters 1-3)

6 -Fitness components (Chapter 4)

LAB: Estimating fitness components

11 - Frequency-dependent selection

13 - Sexual selection

LAB: Frequency dependent selection

18 - Inbreeding (Chapter 5)

20 - Inbreeding and selection

LAB: Inbreeding and selection

***** Midsemester *****

25 - Random genetic drift (Chapter 6)

27 - Effective population size

LAB: Random genetic drift

November

1 - Migration (Chapter 7)

3 - Wright's hierarchical F-statistics

LAB: Measuring population structure

8 - Gene flow, selection and clines

10 - Veteran's Day (University Holiday - no classes)

15 - Quiz #2 (Chapters 4-7)

17 - Mutation (Chapter 8)

LAB: Mutation

22 - Mutation, and drift

LAB: None

***** Thanksgiving Break *****

29- Neutral theory and tests for selection (Chapter 9)

December

1 - Testing neutrality

LAB: HKA and MK tests

6 - Gametic disequilibrium (Chapter 10)

8 - Multilocus selection

LAB: Adaptive landscapes

13 - Quantitative traits (Chapter 11)

20 - Final Exam (1:00 - 3:00PM) - Cumulative (Chapters1-11), with emphasis on last half of the semester.

Grading policy -

Class participation (10%) - Ask questions as we go!

Lab exercises (20%) - Fill out the lab worksheets.

Problem sets (20%) - Complete in full and show your work!

Quizzes (30%) - Two quizzes during the semester

Final (20%) - An opportunity to synthesize the semester