What is Evolution

Evolution is the theory that

modern organisms have
descended from ancient
organisms.
Darwin is the man who came up
with the Theory of Evolution.
In 1831 he went to different
remote islands. The trip lasted for
5 years.
30 years later he actually
published a book on his theory of
Natural Selection.
 Diversity of Life
 10 million species of organisms
alive are today.
 It is estimated that 99.9% are now
extinct.
How many species have already
died out?
 Fitness- the combination of
physical traits and behavior is
what helps organisms survive and
reproduce in their environment.
Common descent- if you look back
far enough in time all species have
shared or have common ancestors.
 More Definitions
 Adaptation-successful adaptations
enable organisms to become better
suited to their environment.
James Hulton- In 1788 he proposed that
rocks, mountains, & valleys had been
changed gradually by rain, heat & cold.
Fossils-preserved remains of ancient
organisms.
 Definitions Again
Geological Time Scale-over 100
years ago, researchers noticed
that certain layers of rock often
appeared in the same vertical
order wherever they were found.
Relative Dating-used to determine
the age of fossils in different layers
of rock.
 Last of The Definitions
Radioactive decay- the break
down into a non-radioactive
element at a very steady rate.
Half-life- a half life is the length of
time required for half the
radioactive atoms in a sample to
decay.
 What are the definitions?
• Relative Dating?
• Radioactive Decay?
• Half-Life?
• Geological Time Scale?
• Fossils?
• James Hutton?
• Adaptations?
 The influence of Geology
Principle of geology by Lyell
Older earth, (big idea of the day)
Long period of time to evolve
Saw a volcano erupt , helped him
believe in geological phenomenon.
 Artificial Selection
♠ The intervention of humans
ensures that only individuals with
the more desirable traits produce
offspring.
 The Influence of
Farmers:Artificial Selection
☼Plant & animal breeders
☼Large corn plants vs. small
☼Some dairy breeds vs. others
☼Inherited variations
☼Farmers used variation to their
advantage
☼Breeding stock, only most & best
could mate.
 Influence of Malthus:
• Thomas Malthus (1766-1834)
• Observed that babies were born
faster than people were dying.
• Population Controls
What were the ideas that
shaped Darwin's theory of
Evolution?
 Malthusian Doctrine
Famine
Disease
War
 Overcrowd
Mature maple tree could produce
thousands of offspring.
Even if one survived in the same
spot it would overcrowd.
Mussels millions of eggs→
alligators→ snakes→ turtles→ only
certain offspring survive.
 Evolution by Natural selection
Wild animals show similar tendencies like
what domestic animals have.
Deer- competition amongst males to be a
suitor.
Taller plants will receive sunshine.
Plants that root deeply will get water.
Animals competition for food- bird nests
 Survival of The Fittest
Individuals whose characteristics
are well suited to their environment
survive.
Individuals whose characteristics
are not well suited to their
environment either die or leave
fewer offspring.
Rattlesnakes with no rattles
 Beginning in the 19th century in England
Peppered moth spend most of their time
resting on the bark of oak tree trunks.
Most of the oak trees in England were
light brown, speckled with green.
Most of the peppered moths at that time
were light brown too.
Some dark ones around, but few.
 Peppered Moths…
 Pollution from Industrial Revolution
stained London trees dark brown.
Suddenly scientists noticed the
population of dark moths
increased, and the light moths
population decreased.
WHY? Next slide
 Peppered Moths…
 Birds were the moths major
predator. Birds can not see ones
that blend in with tree trunks.
”Camouflage”
The dark moths reproduced.
Kettlewell- scientist who studied
peppered moths.
Genetics of Evolutionary Theory
Darwin did not Today we define
understand how fitness,
traits were passed adaptation,
on to each species, and
generation. process of
evolutionary
change in genetic
terms.
 Genetics
Mendel- working on genetic theory
same time as Darwin.
Genes- are the carriers of
inheritable characteristics, are also
source of random variation.
Meiosis- chromosomes are copied
& shuffled like cards dealt out to
gametes.
 Genetics continued…
 No organism can change its DNA,
because it wants to.
 Some physical traits passed on
by DNA are: widows peak
tongue shape
first finger
ear
 Whole Organism
In evolution the struggle for
existence depends on the entire
organism not individual genes.
Brown eyes for example may or
may not secure existence of
organism- Entire combination
 Population
 Populations- a collection of individuals
of the same species in a given area
whose members can breed with one
another.
Example: all fishes of a certain
species in a single pond can be one
population. Individuals in another
pond would be a different population.
 Gene Pool
Gene Pool-group of genes in that
population. Each gene contains a number
of alleles.
Alleles-certain gene at a given point on a
chromosome- for each trait-including for
recessive trait.
 Bla Bla
 Relative Frequency- the number of times
an allele occurs in the gene pool
compared with the numbers of times
other allele for the same gene occurs.
Evolution is any change in the relative
frequency of alleles in the gene pool of a
population
-eyes-still no red or pink?