34996 - Evolution and Human Biodiversity

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student acquires knowledge about human evolution. In particular, the student will be able to know macro and micro evolutionary processes through the study of fossil evidence, genetic variability, cultural manifestations and past and modern human adapation. In particular, the student will be able to: understand the evolutionary and adaptive aspects of human biodiversity; analyze the biodiversity of human remains; use bioindicators for the study of intra-and inter-population variation.

Course contents

The course consists of two modules:

Human evolution and Human biodiversity and Environment.

The module Human evolution (module 1) precedes that of Human biodiversity and Environment (module 2).

MODULE 1

The History of human evolution provided by the study of the fossil record taking into account the environmental context of their recovery.

• Human evolution: false myths and current research directions
• Methods of studying biological variability in the fossil record
• Specific human evolutionary traits: bipedalism and encephalization
• Neanderthals and Homo sapiens - biological and cultural aspects
• Climatic transitions during the Pleistocene and Holocene and cultural transitions
• The Anthropocene

 

MODULE 2

• Modern human biodiversity and the history of the concept of “race"
• Study of Homo sapiens dispersal and peopling by methods of molecular anthropology
• Human ecology, human population biology and relationship with the environment
• Human bio-cultural evolution and gene-culture coevolution
• Epigenetic variability and human biodiversity
• Genes, evolution of human traits and functional studies (example of the language gene FOXP2)
• Evolution and biodiversity in human life cycle traits
  

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1

Slides of the lessons and scientific papers will be provided.

Some web sites with updated and reliable information:

http://www.becominghuman.org/

http://humanorigins.si.edu/

http://pikaia.eu/category/argomenti/antropologia/

 

Govoni P, Belcastro MG, Bonoli A, Guerzoni G. (in uscita settembre 2024) - Ripensare l'Antropocene. Oltre natura e cutlura. Carocci editore.

 

MODULE 2

PDF papers and chapters from the following texts will be provided to the students:

• Sara Stinson • Barry Bogin • Dennis O’Rourke • "Human Biology: an evolutionary and biocultural perspective (second edition)”
• Toomas Kivisild • Chris Tyler-Smith • Matthew Hurles • Edward Hollox • Mark A. Jobling • “Human Evolutionary Genetics (II edition)”.

 

For both the modules and for a general framework it is suggested the use of the "Manuale di Antropologia. Evoluzione e biodiversità umana (a cura di Luca Sineo, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi), 2022, Utet Università, 640 pp., 27,00 €".

Teaching methods

Frontal lesson

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a joint written test (Module 1 and Module 2) to be taken on the EOL platform. The duration of the exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The examination covers the syllabus taught during the current academic year. Students who do not take the examination within the academic year in which they attended the course, or out-of-course students, are responsible for obtaining the teaching materials for the current academic year and, if necessary, contacting the course instructors.

For students enrolled in Evoluzione e Biodiversità umana:
The exam consists of 5 open-ended questions for each module (10 questions in total). Each question is worth 0 to 3 points, so the maximum score for each module is 15 points (3 × 5). The final grade is calculated as the average of the scores obtained in the two modules. Exceptionally outstanding answers may be awarded more than 3 points; these additional points may result in the award of honours (30 cum laude).

For students enrolled in Paleoantropologia:
The exam consists of 5 open-ended questions from Module 1 and 1 question from Module 2 (6 questions in total). Each question is worth 0 to 5 points, for a maximum possible score of 30 points (5 × 6). The final grade is based on the average performance across the questions from both modules. Exceptionally outstanding answers may be awarded more than 5 points; these additional points may result in the award of honours (30 cum laude).

Additional information:
The examination is a single exam, although it is organized into two modules.

Evoluzione e Biodiversità umana
Students must answer the questions from both modules, demonstrating knowledge of the entire syllabus. For the examination to be considered valid, and for the score obtained in each module to be retained for a future examination session, students must achieve a minimum score of 9 points in each module. Otherwise, the entire examination (Module 1 and Module 2) must be retaken.

Paleoantropologia
Students must answer all six questions (5 from Module 1 and 1 from Module 2), demonstrating knowledge of the entire syllabus. For the examination to be considered valid, and for the score obtained to be retained for a future examination session, students must answer all six questions. In particular, the single question from Module 2 must not be left unanswered.

The written examination is an official document. Therefore, comments, personal remarks, observations, or symbols unrelated to the content of the questions are not permitted. The presence of any such elements will result in the invalidity of the examination.

 

 

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

 

Regarding assessment, the use of AI is prohibited. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

PC and video projector

Office hours

See the website of Maria Giovanna Belcastro

See the website of Cristina Giuliani