The course deals with the mechanisms and processes of human evolution and adaptation to the environment. The course examines how various environments has influenced the biology and variability of humans in the past and the present. The arguments include human population genetics, growth and development, biological variability, biodemography, evolutionary relationships of human populations and the tempo and mode of human migration and settlement
All books can be downloaded via the university Library website:
Stinson S, Bogin B, O'Rourke D (2012). Human biology an Evolutionary and Biocultural Perspective. Wiley Blackwell.
Templeton A (2018). Human Population Genetics and Genomics. Academic Press.
Herrera RJ, Garcia-Bertrand (2018). Ancestral DNA, Human Origins and Migrations. Academic Press.
Stanford C, Allen JS, Anton SC (2013) . Biological Anthropology. Pearson
Learning Objectives
Acquire a solid epistemological and cultural preparation in Human Biology. Acquire useful techniques and methods for the understanding of Human Biology from the, molecular, genetic and biodemographic perspective. From the level of individuals, populations and species. Acquire the skills to work in the field of Human Biology in ample autonomy, as well as the capacity to work in groups while valorising ones own competence and that of others. The capacity to assume responsibility for projects in related to aspects of Human Biology
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures: 4 hours of weekly lessons
Type of Assessment
Oral examination
Course program
Human Biology is an interdisciplinary field which seeks to understand our species diversity in the present and in the past. The course considers the processes and mechanism that drive human evolution at both the genotypic and phenotypic level. The course includes a survey of human genetic diversity across human populations, biological variation related to climate and other elements of the natural environment. Topic include human growth and development, biodemography, human ecology and adaptation to extreme environments. The course traces human migrations from the origin of our species to its spread over the globe taking information from a multidisciplinary perspective including genomic and archeology.