Competencies and objectives

 

Course context for academic year 2024-25

The ecology and adaptation of current primates is key to understand the mechanisms of evolution and diversification of fossil forms. The course will allow the student to explore the concepts, lines of research, methods and techniques of analysis in Primatology and acquire the necessary skills to understand the origin of the first primates, models of radiation and biodiversity in the context of current phylogeny, ecological adaptations and diet, life cycles, sexual dimorphism, morpho-functional anatomy, as well as cognitive abilities and reproductive biology. Currently, many primate species are in danger of extinction. Knowing the evolution of today's primates and the methods of study will help to preserve our evolutionary legacy and understand the keys to our species.

 

 

Course content (verified by ANECA in official undergraduate and Master’s degrees) for academic year 2024-25

General Competences (CG)

  • CG1 : Be able to work efficiently in a team in their professional or research work, acquiring the ability to participate in research projects and scientific or technological collaborations.
  • CG2 : To be able to make quick and effective decisions in complex situations in their professional or research work, through the development of new and innovative work methodologies adapted to the scientific/research, technological or professional field in which they carry out their activity.
  • CG3 : Be able to access the necessary information in the specific field of the subject (databases, scientific articles, etc.) and have sufficient criteria for its interpretation and use.
  • CG4 : Apply critical reasoning and argumentation based on rational criteria.
  • CG5 : To apply science from a social and economic point of view, promoting the transfer of knowledge to society.
  • CG6 : Ability to prepare, write and present reports and projects in public in a clear and coherent manner, to defend them with rigour and tolerance and to respond satisfactorily to any criticism that may arise from their presentation.

 

Specific Competences (CE)

  • CE1 : To have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the nature of biodiversity and its ecosystemic relationships both now and in the past.
  • CE12 : To know and understand in depth the regional geology of Spain and peripheral areas, and in particular of the Valencian Community, knowing in detail the main palaeontological landmarks represented in the deposits of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa.
  • CE13 : To know and handle with dexterity the field, laboratory and laboratory techniques for the extraction, preparation, cataloguing, digital reconstructions, study and dissemination of microfossils and macrofossils.
  • CE15 : Know and understand the causes of climate change and the proxies (diatom studies, foraminifera, tree growth rings, ice cores, current climate data, etc.) used to characterise past climates.
  • CE19 : To prepare, in a clear and concise manner, all types of reports related to palaeontological topics at an official or professional level (reports, subsidies, heritage impact reports, research projects, etc.).
  • CE2 : To understand the nature of the fossil record in relation to the sedimentary process, the biostratinomic and phosildiagenetic phases of the process and the mechanisms of fossilisation.
  • CE23 : Be able to apply the research experience acquired to initiate the development of the research phase of a PhD programme on biodiversity-related topics.
  • CE24 : To develop experimental skills in the handling of laboratory material and equipment in palaeontology.
  • CE3 : To know and understand the palaeodiversity of living beings, their ecosystemic relationships and the palaeogeographical distribution achieved by the main groups of living beings throughout the Earth's history.
  • CE4 : To know, understand and draw conclusions, applicable to the present time, about the crises of biological diversity, its causes and consequences within the framework of actualism.
  • CE5 : To understand in depth the historical nature of the evolutionary process, both in its aspects of unrepeatability and contingency, and in those linked to the fulfilment of laws of nature of all kinds and, therefore, of necessity.
  • CE6 : To know and understand past biological events, as well as the zonations, in time and space, of biota in order to establish the relative stratigraphic position of sedimentary rocks from different geographical areas.
  • CE8 : To be able to interpret environmental and ecological variables of the past from the study of trace organisms in the fossil record.

 

Transversal Competences

  • CT1 : Be able to access information tools in other areas of knowledge and use them appropriately.
  • CT2 : Be able to assess the need to complete their scientific, historical, language, computer, literary, ethical, social and human training in general, by attending conferences or courses and/or carrying out complementary activities, self-evaluating the contribution that these activities make to their overall training.
  • CT3 : Projecting intellectual curiosity and encouraging responsibility for one's own learning.
  • CT4 : To assume an ethical commitment and sensitivity towards environmental problems, natural and cultural heritage.
  • CT5 : Ability to communicate and disseminate scientific ideas.

 

Basic Competences

  • CB10 : Students possess the learning skills that will enable them to continue studying in a largely self-directed or autonomous way.
  • CB6 : Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity for originality in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
  • CB7 : Students should be able to apply their acquired knowledge and problem-solving skills in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
  • CB8 : That students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgements based on incomplete or limited information, including reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements.
  • CB9 : Students are able to communicate their conclusions and the ultimate knowledge and rationale behind them to specialist and non-specialist audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.

 

 

 

Learning outcomes (Training objectives)

  • The ecology and adaptation of present-day primates is key to understanding the mechanisms of evolution and diversification of fossil forms.
  • Explore the concepts, lines of research, methods and techniques of analysis in Primatology and acquire the necessary skills to understand the origin of the first primates, models of radiation and biodiversity in the context of current phylogeny, ecological adaptations and diet, life cycles, morpho-functional anatomy, as well as cognitive capacities and reproductive biology. Currently, many primate species are in danger of extinction.
  • Knowledge of current primate evolution and study methods will enable the student to acquire skills and competences to study and conserve our evolutionary legacy and understand the keys to our species.
  • Among the learning outcomes, the specific competences will enable students to understand the evolutionary processes and speciation of primates, explore the variation of ecological and selective factors as a response to the biodiversity of the current phylogeny of primates, provide the methodological and technical tools necessary to learn about field and laboratory studies and analyse morphogenetic and anatomical-functional variability, as well as sociobiological and cognitive models, establish a theoretical-practical framework for the conservation and study of primates.
  • To know the origin, evolution and systematics of the first hominins from the different sites and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, with special emphasis on anatomical adaptations, cranial capacity, changes in the types of dentition, bipedation, etc.
  • To know the origin of humanity (genus Homo), hypotheses about the possible environments of origin, the diagnostic characters of the group, synapomorphies, modifications of the cranial and postcranial skeleton, social organisation, dispersions, types of technological manifestations throughout the evolution of the group, etc.
  • To know the palaeontological record of hominids from the Pleistocene to the present day, highlighting the different hypotheses about their evolution, and placing special emphasis on the record of the Iberian sites of the Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos karst complex as well as the Guadix-Baza basin (Orce, Venta Micena, Fuente Nueva, Barranco León).

 

 

Specific objectives stated by the academic staff for academic year 2024-25

-To understand the concepts, lines of research, methods and techniques of analysis in Primatology.
-To understand the evolution and speciation of current primates, biodiversity and phylogenetic models.
-To acquire skills and competences to study and conserve our evolutionary legacy and to understand the keys to the evolution of our species.
-To know the methodological tools and techniques necessary for field and laboratory studies.
-To know how to analyze phylogenetic and anatomical-functional variability (cranial and postcranial skeleton), as well as sociobiological and cognitive models.
-To establish a theoretical framework to explore the paleontological record of the origin, evolution and systematics of early hominins as well as the evolution of adaptations and anatomical changes in the brain, dentition and bipedalism.

 

 

General

Code: 38374
Lecturer responsible:
Romero Rameta, Alejandro
Credits ECTS: 3,00
Theoretical credits: 0,80
Practical credits: 0,40
Distance-base hours: 1,80

Departments involved

  • Dept: BIOTECHNOLOGY
    Area: CELLULAR BIOLOGY
    Theoretical credits: 0,8
    Practical credits: 0,4
    This Dept. is responsible for the course.
    This Dept. is responsible for the final mark record.

Study programmes where this course is taught