Short Course Description
Population genetics and the theory of evolution
The course will present computational models of population genetics. It will demonstrate the construction of such models, and discuss their application to major questions in the theory of evolution.
Topics include:
- Introduction: basic elements of a theoretical model; Equilibrium and stability
- Different forms of selection - viability selection, sexual selection, gametic selection
- Modeling mutation
- Recombination and linkage disequilibrium
- Epistasis and the fitness landscape
- Genetic drift
- Evolutionary Game Theory
- The evolution of cooperation
- Population genetics of plants versus animals
- Multi-level selection: the gene, the individual, the group, and the population. Conflicts between the levels
- The evolution of the genetic system:
- The evolution of mutation rates
- The evolutionary advantage of sex and recombination
Grade: 80% final exam, 20% exercise
Full Syllabus
