While there is little doubt that the species is the lowest independent evolutionary unit, understanding the many
different species concepts is a difficult task, even for university students. In the present study, we propose a didactic
sequence that involves fieldwork, laboratory analyses, experimental cultures, and computational work in an integrated
strategy for the comprehension of the phenetic, ecological, biological, and phylogenetic species concepts.
This activity is based on the observation of the morphological, ecological, biological, and phylogenetic characteristics
of samples of two copepod crustaceans, Acartia tonsa Dana, 1849 and Acartia lilljeborgi Giesbrecht, 1889 (Copepoda,
Calanoida). These species were the focus of a simple practical that contributes to the effective comprehension of
the four species concepts mentioned above, using straightforward methods that can be standardized easily in the
laboratory and classroom. The practical activities developed for the didactic sequence presented here not only made
the classes more interesting and motivational, but also contributed to the more effective assimilation of the content,
as well as the more effective consolidation of the knowledge presented in the class. It is important to note that these
activities can be developed at different educational levels (i.e., undergraduate and graduate students), and can be
applied to other types of organism (e.g., amphibians, insects or other copepods), as long as their characteristics are
adequate for the systematic exploration of the four species concepts included here.
|
