This document outlines the course SBC322 Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics. It discusses how new genomic technologies have changed ecology and evolution research by merging molecular and ecological approaches. It aims to critically evaluate research questions, methods, experimental designs and applications in ecological and evolutionary genomics. The course will improve students' skills in critically reading literature, understanding interdisciplinary science, and oral and written scientific communication through interactive small group work, informal and formal presentations, blog posts, and peer review.

1. SBC322 Ecological and
Evolutionary Genomics
y.wurm@qmul.ac.uk

3. This changes
everything.454
Illumina
Solid...
Any lab can
sequence
anything!

4. How does this change affect us
regarding ecology & evolution
research?

5. (1/2) Merging of molecular and
eco/evo approaches
• identifying genes & mechanisms underlying:
• phenotypes (behaviors, morphologies, physiologies…)
• constraints
• responses to changing environments
• …

6. (2/2) Novel approaches for
• relationships between species
• relationships within species
• species distributions
• life histories
• biodiversity assessments
• evolutionary histories

7. Very challenging.exciting.

8. Aims (1/2)
To understand and critically evaluate:
• research questions
• methods
• experimental designs
• applications
in ecological and evolutionary genomics.

9. Aims (2/2)
Improving skills:
•critically reading scientific literature
•understanding interdisciplinary science
•oral scientific communication (formal & informal)
•written scientific communication (blog & exam)
Understanding:
•the peer review process for scientific publication

10. Science-driven.

11. Interactive
• Small groups - informal presentations
• Formal presentations in pairs
• Blog posts
• Peer review

12. ok?

13. Yannick Wurm
YW
Christophe Eizaguirre
CE

14. Main themes
1. Methods
2. Social evolution
3. Conservation
4. Genome dynamics
5. Speciation

16. Schedule
(work in progress; on qmplus)
Evaluation
25%: Class participation (in class + blogging + presentations)
75%: essay exam

17. Reading a paper

18. Reading a paper
Sequence of events:
• Title
• Abstract
• Figures/Subtitles
• Main text
• (iterate)

19. Additional Guidelines
• Read critically
• authors aren’t always correct.
• Instead, be suspicious
• Read creatively
• what are the good ideas?
• what improvements could make important differences?
• Make notes
• underline/annotate/markup key points
• questions/ambiguities/criticisms
• After first read, summarise in 1-2 sentences
• then extend summary
• Compare to other works

20. • a one or two sentence summary of the paper.
• a deeper, more extensive outline of the main
points of the paper, including for example
assumptions
• made, arguments presented, data analyzed, and
conclusions drawn.
• any limitations or extensions you see for the
ideas in the paper.
• your opinion of the paper; primarily, the
quality of the ideas and its potential impact.
Reading a paper / notes