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Primatology

Code: 105780 ECTS Credits: 3
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500251 Environmental Biology OT 4

Contact

Name:
Aurora Manuela Ruiz-Herrera Moreno
Email:
aurora.ruizherrera@uab.cat

Teachers

Yasmina Avia Garcia
Aurora Manuela Ruiz-Herrera Moreno

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is recommended that the basic concepts of Paleoanthropology, Genetics, Evolution and Molecular Genetics be considered.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The course of Primatology shows the panorama of current primates in their biological aspects in general, and in taxonomic and ethological in particular. It also analyzes the phylogeny and evolution of primates and the aspects that affects their conservation. In addition, we analyze the importance of models in biomedical research and paleoanthropological research, to understand ourselves.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Carry out functional tests and determine, assess and interpret vital parameters.
  • Develop strategies of analysis, synthesis and communication in order to teach biology and environmental studies.
  • Identify and interpret the diversity of species in the environment.
  • Integrate knowledge of different organisational levels of organisms in their functioning.
  • Obtain information, design experiments and interpret results.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  2. Actuar en l'àmbit de coneixement propi avaluant les desigualtats per raó de sexe/gènere.
  3. Define the role of primates in identifying the causal agents of diseases.
  4. Explain the biological basis of human social behavior.
  5. Interact with governmental institutions of the social, political population and public health sectors and advise them.
  6. Obtain information, design experiments and interpret results.
  7. Recognise the basic principles of biology that must be conveyed in the field of secondary education.
  8. Summarize and interpret the biology, evolution and behavior of the Primates order.
  9. Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.

Content

Block 1:

- Definition and evolutionary tendencies. Evolution of Primates.

- Diversification in current primates.

- Biogeography, ecology, and adaptations to the environment.

 

Block 2:

- Chromosomal characteristics, karyotype, and intraspecific variability.

- Mechanisms of chromosomal speciation, breakpoints and synthetic groups.

- Databases and analysis of Primates genomes

 

Block 3:

- Methods for studying primates behavior

- Socio-sexual behavior in primates.

- Primate Cognition. Animal cultures

- Communication in primates.

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Computer practices 2 0.08 6
Fieldwork 2 0.08 4, 6, 7
Laboratory practiques 1 0.04 4, 6, 7, 8
Lectures 19 0.76 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Seminar 2 0.08 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 2 0.08 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
Type: Autonomous      
Personal study 45 1.8 1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

Lectures are divided into three blocks: 1) Taxonomy and Morphological Evolution 2) Genetic evolution and specific diversification and 3) Ethology. In each one there will be a practice that will be developed within the same block.

At the end of the course, there will be a global seminar with all the students where different topics will be discussed directed by the three teachers.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exam 50% 2 0.08 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Practice assessment 30% 0 0 4, 6, 7, 8
Seminar assessment 20% 0 0 1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 7, 8

As it is a continuous evaluation, the course will consider the different activities of the student in the classroom, as well as the practices and seminars. It will be evaluated by means of a written test that includes the three parts of the subject, a test answered by the working group of the seminar, and the practices of each of the 3 sections that the subject consists of. The final result will be the weighted sum of each of the parts.

- There will be a written test to evaluate the theoretical part of the subject (50%).

- The practices will measure 30% of the final mark (10% for each of the 3 practical sessions). Assessment will take into account both the attitude of the students as well as the work carried out in the laboratory itself and the questionnaires required.

-The seminar will have a group assessment that will equal 20% of the final grade. All students in the same group will have the same grade in this test

To be eligible for the retake process, the student should have been previously evaluated in a set of activities equaling at least two-thirds of the final score of the course or module. Thus, the student will be graded as "No Avaluable" if the weight in of all conducted evaluation activities is less than 67% of the final score.

Attendance to practical or field sessions is mandatory. Students missing more than 20% of programmed sessions will be graded as "No Avaluable".

This subject foresees the single assessment system. The single assessment consists of a single summary test in which the contents of the entire theory program of the subject will be assessed. The grade obtained in this synthesis test will account for 50% of the final grade of the subject. The single assessment test will take place on the same day, time and place as the last continuous assessment test of the subject. The single assessment can be recovered on the day set for the recovery of the subject. The practical classes and the seminar will be assessedin the same way as the continuous assessment.


Bibliography

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY:

FLEAGLE JG.- Primate adaptation and evolution. Academic Press

BOYD R & SILK JB. Como evolucionaron los humanos. Ariel Ciencia

 

SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY:

It will be given during the course



Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PCAM) Field practices 141 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PCAM) Field practices 142 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 141 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 142 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 141 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 14 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed