Hybridization and Hybrid Zones

Hybridization and Hybrid Zones is a Natural Science course taught by Charles Ross.

This course requires prerequisites.

Course Description
Hybrids can be good (hybrid vigor) or bad (sterility). Either way, hybridization is rampant in nature, mixing genomes and leading to speciation in some cases. This class will look into the origin, history, and fate of hybrids and hybrid zones, and investigate the implications of hybridization to species, speciation, and conservation. We will read background and primary literature in this field to understand how hybridization is important in nature and how hybrid zones are useful for answering basic and applied questions about evolution and adaptation. Students will research specific applications of this discipline and present their findings in written and oral format. Some knowledge of biology, evolution, and genetics will be assumed for this class.