PřF:Bi8260 Human variability - Course Information
Bi8260 Variability and adaptability of human population
Faculty of ScienceSpring 2010
- Extent and Intensity
- 2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
- Teacher(s)
- doc. RNDr. Václav Vančata, CSc. (lecturer)
doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. (lecturer) - Guaranteed by
- prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Malina, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Petra Urbanová, Ph.D. - Timetable
- Tue 12:00–13:50 Bp1
- Course Enrolment Limitations
- The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
- fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
- Anthropology (programme PřF, M-BI)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, M-BI, specialization Physical Antropology)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, M-BI, specialization Socio-Cultural Antropology)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-AN)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BC)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BC, specialization Fyzická antropologie)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BC, specialization Sociokulturní antropologie)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BI)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BI, specialization Physical Antropology)
- Anthropology (programme PřF, N-BI, specialization Socio-Cultural Antropology)
- Course objectives
- The main objective of the course is to provide an overview on origins of genotypic and phenotypic variations in modern human populations in relation with adaptation mechanisms and strategies. At the end of this course the students should be able to: explain the principles of human variability origination (selection, genetic drift etc.); list and describe the qualitative traits of variability (pigmentation, color of the eyes, color, shape and structure of hair etc.); define and explain the variability of quantitative traits (meric characteristics, body proportions); explain the principles of physiological, genetical and cultural adaptation; interpret and compare the genetic and phenotype variability.
- Syllabus
- 1) Origin and causation of genotypic and phenotypic variations in humans (recombinations, genetic drift, selection, plasticity), quantification of human diversity 2) Historical overview to a term "race", typology of humans, racism, concept of race in modern science 3) Qualitative traits - distribution, pigmentation, eye color, hair color, morphology and structure, termoregulation, melanine and its importance in organism and in evolution 4) Quantitative traits - distribution, genetics of quantitative traits, body proportions, stature 5) Polymorphisms - HLA systems, ABO blood groups 6) Metabolism and nutrition strategies - basal metabolism, lactase intolerance, starvation, BMI index, overweight, obesity 7) Inflammatory and chronic diseases, alergies, congenital diseases 8) Ecological Anthropology. Adaptation, adaptability, acclimation, Bergmann's and Allen's rules 9) Interactions between physical, physiological and cultural adaptations, genetic, morphological and ethnical differences, population strukture and surnames 10) Comparisons between genetic, morphological and linguistic variations within and between populations
- Literature
- MORAN, Emilio F. Human adaptibility : an introduction to ecological anthropology. 2nd ed. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 2000, xxvi, 446. ISBN 0-8133-1254-X. info
- Human variability and plasticity. Edited by Barry Bogin - C. G. N. Mascie-Taylor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995, xiv, 241. ISBN 0521453992. info
- BENEŠ, Jan. Homo sapiens sapiens : hominizace ve světle biologických behaviorálních a sociokulturních adaptací. Vyd. 1. V Brně: Univerzita J. E. Purkyně, 1990, 219 s. ISBN 8021001739. info
- BENEŠ, Jan. Ekologie člověka. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1985, 287 s. info
- Teaching methods
- Theoretical preparation in form of lectures, adequately complemented with multimedial presentations (video).
- Assessment methods
- The course is concluded with a written test.
- Language of instruction
- Czech
- Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
- Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
- Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2010, recent)
- Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2010/Bi8260