Bi8620 Human evolution

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Eva Drozdová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Eva Drozdová, Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Eva Drozdová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Přepokladem pro studium evoluce člověka jsou znalosti anatomie člověka, částečně také primatologie a taxonomie.
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
there are 15 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
At the end of the course students should be able to understand mechanisms of evolution of Homo sapiens sapiens. Further should the stdents be oriented in methodic connected with palaeoanthropological research.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to understand mechanisms of evolution of Homo sapiens sapiens. Further should the stdents be oriented in methodic connected with palaeoanthropological research.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to human evolution. What is palaeoanthropology, history of fosil record in our country and in the whole world. Taxonomy of Homo sapiens sapiens.
  • 2. Basics of taxonomy. Cladistics, fenetic, evolutionary taxonomy. Taxons, Linné's hierarchy. Scientific names. Definition of genus. Morphospecies, chronospecies, paleospecies. Homologies (synapomorhic, synplesiomorphic a autapomorphic traits), convergece, homoplasia. Morfoklina. Monophyletic polyphyletic a paraphyletic taxons.
  • 3. Dating methods. Relative dating: geochronology, geostratigraphy, biostratigraphy. Absolute dating: Physical and chemical methods - Radioactive carbon C14, Calcium Ca41, Berylium 10 Be10, Uran -thorium method, Kalium /Argon, termoluminiscence, elektrospin rezonance, paleomagnetism, racemisation of aminoacids, bone dating based on fluor, uran and carbon contents, hydratation of obsidianu. Palaeoekology, taphonomy.
  • 4. Miocene hominoids. Paleocene primates (genes Purgatorius, Altiatlasius, Plesiadapis), climatic and geologic situation in palecene. Eocene primates (families Omomyidae a Adapidae). Oligocene primates (subfamilies Parapithecoidea a Propliopithecoidea co called Fayum primates). Miocene primes (Dryomorfs, Ramamorfs and Pliomorfs), climatic and geological changes in miocene. Origin of modern hominids.
  • 5. a 6. Genes Ardipithecus a Australopithecus I a II Characteristics of subfamily Homininae. South- african (Taung, Swartkrans, Makapansgat, Kromdraai, Sterkfontein) and east- african sites (Olduwai, Laetoli, Turkana lake, Baringo lake, Afar, Hadar a Omo river basin). Characteristics of most important skeletal founds. Palaeoecological conditions. Anatomical and morphological traits of Australopithecines and Ardipithecines. Individual genes: A. anamensis, afarensis, africanus, bahlerghazali, garhi, robustus, boisei, aethiopicus, Ardipithecus ramidus. Tool culture. Hominid diet. Origins of hominids – theories.
  • 7. Evolution of teeth, brain and bipedal locomotion Encephalisation, eocortex and lymbic system. Evolution of brain and communication. Dental formulas of Primates, thicness of dental enamel, megadonts, diet adaptations. Bipedality, unique trait of the genus Homo, teories of its origin, anatomical changes.
  • 8. Homo habilis The first member of geus Homo? Dating. Morfological and anatomical characteristics of the genus. Homo rudolfensis. Owerview of important found places of Homo habilis and Rudolfensis. Material culture. Palaeoecology.
  • 9. Homo erectus group Chronology. Basic morphological and anatomical characteristics of the group. H. ergaster. Place of H. erectus in . H. heidelbergensis. H. ancestor. The place of Archaic Homo sapiens in human evolution. Important localities and founds. Material cutlture. Palaeoecology. What about Homo georgicus?
  • 11.Homo sapiens neanderthalensis Subspecies of independent species? Important localities in Europe and at the rest of world, localities at the territory of Czech Republic. Anatomic characteristics of the Neanderthal man. Paleoecology. Molecular exploration of the Neanderthals. Material culture. Rituals, burials, social structure of the Neanderthal society. The role of Neanderthal man in evolution scheme of recent man.
  • 12.Homo sapiens sapiens Cro-magnon man. Characteristics of genus H. sapiens sapiens. Localities in our country and in whole world. Colonisation of New world - America and Australia. Homo floresiensis. Palaeoecology, material culture.
Literature
  • HENKE, Winfried and Ian TATTERSALL. Handbook of Paleoanthropology. 1st ed. Berlin: Spronger Verlag, 2007, 2173 pp. ISBN 978-3-540-32474-4. info
  • VANČATA, Václav and Jaroslav MALINA. Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie 13: Paleoantropologie - přehled fylogeneze člověka a jeho předků. Editor: Jaroslav Malina. Brno (CZ): Nadace Universitas Masarykiana v Brně, nakladatelství a vydavatelství Nauma v Brně, 2003, 212 pp. Modulové učební texty pro studenty antropologie. ISBN 80-210-3049-6. info
Teaching methods
Lectures.
Assessment methods
Oral exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
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