Systematics and Biodiversity will equip students with a foundational understanding on species diversification, phylogenetic relationships and the biological classification of organisms. This module will explore key diagnostic characteristics of similarities and differences in organisms ranging from prokaryotes such as archaea and eubacteria to eukaryotes such as protozoa, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. Students will learn the rules of binomial nomenclature in taxonomy.
At the end of the course, students will gain competence in distinguishing different taxonomic groupings. For instance, students will be able to differentiate between archaea and eubacteria prokaryotes, identify clades of protozoans based on morphological traits and distinguish clades of metazoans based on characteristic differences in symmetry, tissue organisation, coelomic, and embryonic development.