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‘Vertebrate Life and Evolution’ will provide you with a broad overview of the evolutionary history and present-day vertebrate life and evolution from a variety of perspectives, including: the fossil record, modern evolutionary and functional anatomy, morphological and molecular evidence. There are no prerequisites for BIOL0035 but BIOL0012 Animal Biodiversity is recommended. Vertebrate Life and Evolution complements GEOL0009 Vertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution, and GEOL0021 Biodiversity and Macroevolutionary Patterns.

During the module, you will become familiar with the diversity of modern vertebrates, their adaptations, and classification. Methods of study will be emphasised, including the building of phylogenetic trees, use of molecular and morphological data, and the influence of biogeography on current distributions. The relationship between fossil and living forms will also be discussed.

Upon completion of Vertebrate Life and Evolution, you will have gained an understanding of the diversity of modern, extant vertebrates and their extinct lineages, as well as phylogenetic interrelationships at class, order, family, genus and species levels. You will recognise fundamental evolutionary and functional anatomy for the main vertebrate groups, and will be able to apply methods of phylogenetic reconstruction via morphological (hard and soft-tissues anatomy) and molecular analysis.Ìý

Through museum-based practicals (in the newly refurbished Grant Museum of Zoology) and an individual research project, you will develop key skills in the use of contemporary research techniques in evolutionary biology, taxonomy, and systematics. These will include, specimen observation and assessment, methods of phylogenetic reconstruction, understanding of molecular applications to systematics, taxonomy, and classification. You will also enhance your skills in literature review, essay writing, and science communication.

Please note that BIOL0035: Vertebrate Life and Evolution is a Level 7 module with a 50% pass mark.

Learning outcomes

Subject-specific knowledge

• Identify key trends and patterns across the evolution of extant vertebrates
• Apply methods of phylogenetic reconstruction to understand evolutionary relationships
• Interpret fundamental evolutionary and functional anatomy for the main vertebrate groups
• Use taxonomy and systematics to identify and classify vertebrate groups

Intellectual, academic, and research skills

• Use formal systems of identification to generate hypotheses of relatedness
• Assemble a body of research material to construct informed arguments and test hypotheses
• Compose a formal journal article in submission-ready format

Practical and transferrable skills

• Interpret complex material and arguments and deliver this verbally to a lay audience (science communication)
• Develop skills in scientific/technical writing
• Assess and critique published scientific material

Indicative lecture topics – based on module content in 2023/24

• Vertebrate biodiversity and evolution
• Phylogeny and tree building
• Adaptive radiationÌý
• Lissamphibia evolution and diversityÌý
• Reptile diversity and speciationÌý
• Macroevolutionary patterns and ecological and evolutionary dynamics of birds
• Southeast Asia’s small apes
• The mammal revolution
• Vertebrate research across UCL, NHM, and ZSL (a mini symposium)