Evolution

Change in allele frequency over time.

Evolution
n

A scientific theory
n

Well supported testable explanation of

phenomena that have occurred in the natural
world.

The change in allele frequencies over time.

Charles Darwin
n

Person credited with our understanding of

evolution.

Took a voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle

Made observations and collected evidence

that led him to propose a hypothesis about
how life changes over time.

Section 15-1

Figure 151 Darwins Voyage

Collection of Evidence
n

Each time the ship stopped, Darwin went

ashore to collect plant and animal
specimens.
He studied his large collection of
specimens and kept a journal with his
thoughts and observations.
During his travels Darwin started to believe
that he was coming across a scientific
explanation for the diversity of life on
Earth.

Darwins Observations
n

Great Diversity

Patterns of Diversity
n

Plants and animals seemed to be suited for

whatever environment they inhabited.
n

Why do some organisms live in one place but not

in another? (ie. Why no rabbits in Australia? No
kangaroos in England?)

Darwins Observations
n

Living Organisms and Fossils

n
n

Fossils = preserved remains of ancient

organisms
Fossils resembled live organisms
Why had those species disappeared?
n Is there a relationship between fossils and living
organisms?
n

The Galapagos Islands

n
n
n

West of South America

Although the islands were close together,
they had very different climates.
Darwin studied a variety of Galapagos
organisms
n
n
n
n

Finches
Tortoises
Marine Iguanas
Variety of Plant Species

Giant Tortoises of the

Galpagos Islands

Section 15-1

Pinta

Pinta Island

Tower

Marchena

Intermediate shell
Fernandina

James
Santa Cruz

Isabela

Santa Fe

Hood Island
Floreana

Isabela Island
Dome-shaped shell

Hood

Saddle-backed shell

Darwins Reflections on His

Findings
n

Darwin observed that the characteristics of

many animals and plants varied among the
different Galapagos Islands.

He began to wonder if these organisms on

the different islands had once been a single
species.

Key Concept Questions

n

What is evolution?

What was Charles Darwins contribution to

science?

What pattern did Darwin observe among

organisms of the Galapagos Islands?

Why did Darwin think the organisms of the

Galapagos Islands were related?

On the Origin of Species

n

Darwins book where he published his

ideas regarding Earths biodiversity and
how life changes over time.

Natural Variation &

Artificial Selection
n

Natural Variation= differences among

individuals of a species

In artificial selection humans select the

natural variations that they found to be
useful.

Evolution by Natural Selection

n

individuals that are better suited to their

environment survive and reproduce
successfully

Evolution by Natural Selection

n

Struggle for Existence

n

Members of each species compete for

necessary resources
Food
n Space
n Etc.
n

Those that are faster, better camouflaged, or

better protected are more likely to survive

Evolution by Natural Selection

n

Survival of the Fittest

n
n
n

Fitness = the ability of an organism to survive

and reproduce
Adaptation = inherited characteristics that
increase an organisms fitness
Those that are best able to survive and
reproduce are the fittest, hence Survival of
the Fittest

Evolution by Natural Selection

n

Descent with Modification

n
n

Each living species has descended, with

changes from another species overtime.
Having a common ancestor is known as the
descent
principle of common descent.

Key Concept Questions

n

What is natural variation?

n

n
n
n
n

How did we observe natural variation in our

Survival of the Fittest lab? in this classroom?

How are artificial selection and natural selection

different?
Does natural selection act on an individual or a
population?
What makes an organism fit?
Can an organism be fit in one environment and
unfit in another? Explain.
n

Provide evidence from lab

Evidence of Evolution
n

Darwin argued that living things had been

evolving on Earth for millions of years.
n
n
n
n
n
n

The Fossil Record

Geographic Distribution of Living Things
Homologous Structures
Vestigial Organs & Structures
Similarities in Early Development
(embryology)
Similar Biochemistry

Concept Map
Evidence of
Evolution

includes

The fossil record

Geographic
distribution of
living species

Homologous
body structures

Similarities
in early
development

which is composed of

which indicates

which implies

which implies

Physical
remains of
organisms

Common
ancestral
species

Similar genes

Similar genes

The Fossil Record

n

Darwin argued that

the fossil record was
a detailed record of
evolution.
n

Each layer of rock

showed different
fossils, some of
which showed
similar structures

Section 17-1

Figure 17-2 Formation of a Fossil

Water carries small rock

particles to lakes and seas.

Go to
Section:

Dead organisms are buried

by layers of sediment, which
forms new rock.

The preserved remains

may later be discovered
and studied.

The Fossil Record

n

Relative Dating
n

Method of determining the age of a fossil by

comparing its position in the layers of rock to
fossils in other layers
Uses index fossils

Index Fossils
n
n

Distinctive fossil used to compare the relative

ages of fossils
Usually present in particular strata (layers of
sedimentary rock)

The Fossil Record

n

Radioactive Dating
n

Dating technique where the age of a fossil is

determined by calculating the amount of
radioactive isotopes (usually carbon 14) still
in the remains

Geographic Distribution
of Living Species

Section 15-3

Beaver

Beaver
Muskrat
NORTH
AMERICA

Muskrat

Beaver and
Muskrat
Coypu
Capybara

Capybara

SOUTH
AMERICA

Coypu

Coypu and
Capybara

Homologous Structures
n

Structures that have different mature forms

in different organisms but develop from the
same embryonic tissues.
n

Provide strong evidence that organisms with

backbones have descended, with
modifications, from a common ancestor.

Section 15-3

Homologous Body Structures

Turtle

Alligator

Typical primitive fish

Bird

Mammals

Homologous Body Structures

Homologous Body Structures

Homologous Structures in Plants

Vestigial Organs
n

Why would an organism have organs with

little or no function?

Some organs or structures in many animals

are so reduced in size that they are just
vestiges, or traces, of homologous
structures in other species
n

Ex. Appendix

Vestigial Organs

Similarities in Early Development

n

The early stages (embryos) of many

animals with backbones are so similar that
they can be hard to tell apart.

What do these similarities mean?

Comparative Embryology

Comparative Embryology

Similar Biochemistry
n

Similarities in DNA and RNA Sequences

Similar Protein Structures

Key Concept Questions

n
n
n
n

What are the various forms of evidence for

evolution?
How can fossils be formed?
What are the limitations of studying
fossils?
What do similarities in early development
suggest?

Summary of Darwins Theory

n
n

n
n

Natural Variation (some variation

inherited)
Organisms produce more offspring than
can survive, and many that do survive
dont reproduce.
Competition for limited resources
Each organism is unique, thus each has
different advantages and disadvantages.

Summary of Darwins Theory

n
n

n
n

Survival of the Fittest

Species change over time. Natural
selection causes changes in characteristics
of a species. New species arise and others
disappear.
Descent with modifications
All organisms on Earth are united to a
single tree of common descent.

Section 18-3

Cladogram of Six Kingdoms

and Three Domains

DOMAIN
ARCHAEA
DOMAIN
EUKARYA

Kingdoms
DOMAIN
BACTERIA

Go to
Section:

Eubacteria
Archaebacteria
Protista
Plantae
Fungi
Animalia

Patterns of Evolution
n

Macroevolution = large scale changes that

occur over long periods of time.

Patterns of Evolution
n

Mass Extinctions
n

Causes
Change of sea level
n Eruptions of many volcanoes
n Asteroids hitting the planet
n

The fossil record indicates that over 99% of

species that have once lived are now
extinct.

Patterns of Evolution
n

Adaptive Radiation
n

When one species evolves into several

different species that live in different ways.
n

Ex. Dinosaurs were the result of adaptive radiation

of reptiles.

Adaptive
Radiation

Adaptive Radiation

Patterns of Evolution
n

Convergent Evolution
n

The process by which unrelated organisms

come to resemble one another.
n

Ex. Penguins and Dolphins

Patterns of Evolution
n

Coevolution
n

The process by which two species evolve in

response to changes in each other over time
n

Ex. Hummingbird and some plants with flowers

Coevolution

Coevolution

Flowchart
Section 17-4
Species

that are

Unrelated

form

Related

in

under

under

in

in

Interrelationshiops

Similar
environments

Intense
environmental
pressure

Small
populations

Different
environments

can undergo

can undergo

can undergo

can undergo

can undergo

Coevolution

Convergent
evolution

Extinction

Punctuated
equilibrium

Adaptive
radiation

Go to
Section:

Key Concept Questions

n

Describe Adaptive Radiation.

n
n

How was this seen in the Galapagos Finches?

What was the driving force behind this
radiation?

Compare and contrast coevolution and

convergent evolution.

Evolution of Populations
n

Gene Pools
n

Combined genetic information of all the

members of a particular population.

Genetic Variation
n
n

Mutations
Genetic Shuffling (result of sexual reproduction)

Genetic Drift
n

Genetic Drift can occur when a small group

of individuals colonizes a new habitat.
n

Can cause a new population that is

genetically different than parent population

Founder Effect = new population resulting

from the migration of a small group of
organisms

Section 16-2

Sample of
Original Population

Descendants
Founding Population A

Founding Population B

Section 16-2

Sample of
Original Population

Descendants
Founding Population A

Founding Population B

Section 16-2

Sample of
Original Population

Descendants
Founding Population A

Founding Population B

Bottleneck Effect
n

A population of organism begins in large

numbers, but some event causes many of
the organisms to die, leaving a new
population of fewer organisms.
n
n

Less genetic diversity

Changes in allele frequency (in comparison to
the original population)

The Process of Speciation

n

Speciation = formation of a new species

Usually due to isolation

n
n
n

Behavioral isolation
Geographic isolation
Temporal isolation

As new species evolve, populations become

reproductively isolated from each other.
n

Reproductive isolation = when individuals of two

populations cannot interbreed and produce fertile
offspring

Behavioral Isolation
n

Occurs when two populations are capable

of interbreeding but have differences in
courtship rituals or other behaviors.
n

Common in birds

Geographic Isolation
n

Occurs when two populations are separated

by a geographic barrier, such as
n
n
n

Rivers
Mountains
Large bodies of water
Ex. Abert Squirrel and Kaibab Squirrel of the
Grand Canyon

Temporal Isolation
n

Occurs when two or more populations

reproduce at different times
n

Occurs in orchids

Section 16-3
Reproductive Isolation
results from
Isolating mechanisms
which include
Behavioral isolation

Geographic isolation

Temporal isolation

produced by

produced by

produced by

Behavioral differences

Physical separation

Different mating times

which result in
Independently
evolving populations
which result in
Formation of
new species

Key Concept Questions

n
n
n
n

What are the sources of genetic variation?

What is the bottleneck effect?
What is behavioral isolation?
What can cause geographic isolation?