BIOGEOGRAPHY& MACROECOLOGY BDC322 Frans M Weitz, Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, UWC Tel:

MODULE CONTENT  Continental drift and glaciations  Theories of biogeography  Origin of flowering plants vs. mammals  Cladistic biogeography  Macroecology

BIOGEOGRAPHY AND MACROECOLOGY BCB 322 WeekDayDateTypeTopicPracticals 1Mon06-SepLIntroductionCFNR Survey 1Tues07-SepLContinental Drift and Glaciations 1Wed08-SepLOrigin of the Angiosperms 1Thur09-SepPReport on CFNRReport writing 2Mon13-SepLMammalian vs flowering plant geographyCFNR & Lab (C4) 2Tues14-SepLOrigin of the Cape flora 2Wed15-SepLEndemism and Vicariance 2Thur16-SepPProjectCFNR 3Mon20-SepLPaper discussionProject CFNR 3Tues21-SepLPaper discussion 3Wed22-SepLTracking Family histories (1) 3Thur23-SepPSurveySir Lowry's Pass 4Mon27-SepLTracking Family histories (2)CFNR 4Tues28-SepLMolecular Methods and Biogeography (1) 4Wed29-SepLMolecular Methods and Biogeography (2) 4Thur30-SepPProjectCFNR 5Mon04-OctLTESTARC Worcester 5Tues05-OctLOrigin of Dinosaurs and mammals 5Wed06-OctLHominid evolution (1) 5Thur07-OctPProgress Report on ProjectReport 6Mon11-OctLHominid evolution (2)CFNR 6Tues12-OctLIsland biogeography 6Wed13-OctLLatitudinal gradients in diversityALL 6Thur14-OctPProjectCFNR 7Mon18-OctLBody Size and abundance 7Mon18-OctLProject PresentationsPresentations 7Tues19-OctLBody Size and extinction rates 7Wed20-OctLBody Size and extinction rates

THEORY 2. CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND GLACIATIONS: 1. INTRODUCTION: Overview; course specifics Plate tectonics; Geographical and climatic timelines 3. THE AGE OF THE ANGIOSPERMSGeological and, paleo-ecological evidence, Gondwanan families Theories on origin of Angiosperms 4. ORIGIN OF THE ANGIOSPERMS: 5. ORIGIN OF THE CAPE FLORA:Origin of the Cape flora using track analysis; Gondwanan, African and Boreal tracks. 6. PAPER DISCUSSIONPlant diversity of the Cape Region of Southen Africa (Goldblatt & Manning (1997) 7. TRACKING FAMILY HISTORIES (1): Plants, insects and Tetrapods a comparison Track analysis of Weevils 8. TRACKING FAMILY HISTORIES (2):

9. TRACKING FAMILY HISTORIES (3): :Track analysis of Hominids 10. MOLECULAR METHODS AND BIOGEOGRAPHY:Dating floras using molecular methods: Phylica 11. ORIGIN OF DINOSAURS AND MAMMALS:Different phases in the origin and diversification 12. ENDEMISM: Factors driving endemism with examples 13. ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY: Equilibrium theory, immigration and extinction 14. PAPER DISCUSSION ON ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY Anagenetic evolution in island plants 15. LATITUDINAL GRADIENTS AND DIVERSITY: Quadrupedal animal diversity and plant productivity

16. GLOBAL PATTERNS AND SEED SIZE:Paper discussion 17. BODY SIZE AND ABUNDANCE RELATIONSHIPS: Relationship between body size and population abundance (size) 18. BODY SIZE AND EXTINCTION RATES: Relationship between body size and extinction rates PRACTICAL REPORTS Cape Flats Nature Reserve, 9 September 2010, 5.30pm. (e- copy + hardcopy, 10 September 2010) Sir Lowry’s Pass, 27 September 2010 Karoo Botanical Garden, 7 October 2010

PRACTICAL PROJECT SYSTEMATIC STUDIES OF A SELECTED PLANT SPECIES FROM THE CAPE FLATS NATURE RESERVE: Select a plant species from the list provided and confirm your choice with me Then: Map the plant’s distribution in the Reserve using a GPS and a suitable application for mapping. Describe the plant’s habit, distribution, classification, habitat, morphology, reproductive biology (this may be from the literature), and anything else that you think is relevant. Literature consulted must be recent. Study the leaf epidermis focussing particularly on any special structural/functional features and illustrate these with suitable photographs. Also include measurements of epidermal structures, frequencies of stomata or any other structures. The final results to be presented as a full report + presentation under the following headings: Aims, Introduction and overview of literature (literature survey) Materials and methods Results, Discussion, Conclusion and references GPS co-ordinates (in decimal degrees) must be in Excel format and included as an appendage.

COURSE EVALUATION

SKILLS 1. ACCESS INFORMATION 2. READ SCIENTIFIC PAPERS 5. SCIENTIFIC METHOD 6. SCIENTIFIC REPORT WRITING 3. FIELD TECHNIQUES 4. LAB TECHNIQUES