Malthas
He wrote an essay on the principle of population
the factors that limited population growth leads to competition for food.
more offspring are produced than can survive
bigger population = fewer resources
Wallace
struggle of existence
inferiors killed off and superior would survive (fittest survive)
natural selection of inherited traits leads to new species
lyell
geologist
earth is much older than 8,000 years because of the sediments that came from the erosion of mountains
small changes over time
E. Darwin
different species come from common ancestor
“E conchis omnia” : everything comes from shells
acquire new traits and pass down improvements
Lamarck
traits could be acquired by waning or needing them then they would be passed down
“inheritance of acquired traits”
species could change in response to environment
C. Darwin
theory of Natural Selection
the endless variation that will flourish or fade away (disease, hunger, predation, climate etc)
Fossil record
Fossil records show evolution because we can seen how species have changed through time since their remains have been preserved in layers of rock. Sometimes there’s “holes” in the fossil record which means there’s a missing like between two species.
Analogous Structures
Two unrelated structures with the same purpose that’s often related to convergent evolution.
Vestigial Structures
Body parts that have been reduced or are incompletely developed. They have little to no function but likely were once a key part of an ancient ancestor.
Homologous Structures
Similar structures that serve different purposes, often related to divergent evolution.
Biography
It’s the study of the distribution of life forms over geographical areas. From this we can see patterns as a result of tectonic plates and evolution. Fossil records show were each species once lived.
DNA Similarities
The more closely related species are, the more common their DNA is. We can use the sequence of amino acids in proteins and nucleotides sequences of DNA to see differences and similarities.
Artificial Selection (Evidence)
It’s a form of selective breeding where humans select desirable traits that suit our needs.
Ring Species
When a specie is separated by a large geographical barrier, it can cause new species to form because of the different environments. They take different evolutionary paths and are unable to interbreed when reunited.
Comparative Embryology
Study of embryos to identify similarities and differences between species during their development. We can see that they all look very similar early on in life.
Hox Genes
All vertebrates and some invertebrates have a similar set of genes. They are regulatory genes help to lay out basic body forms during development and much of the complexity of multicellular body parts began with one gene replication.
Resistence
Humans have unintentionally selected for drug resistant bacteria through the overuse of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria can grow and spread their resistance to others. This is a form of microevolution and is called a “biological arms race” because we need to develop stronger antibiotics to combat stronger bacteria.
Natural Selection
Random variation in individuals are selected by nature in a non-random way.
Selective Pressures
Result of abiotic or biotic factors that put pressure on a populaion.
Only source of new allele:
Mutations
What does variation within a species create?
A range of successful or unsuccessful genes.
Adaptation
Process that helps an organism survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
Behavioural Adaptation
Change affecting how an organism naturally or normally behaves. It can be identified by stimulus response. (reaction to change)
Physiological Adaptation
Involving a physical change that can’t be seen in their appearance
Structural Adaptation
Involves a visible, physical cahnge.
What does the Hardy-Weinberg equation do?
It quantifies evolution by measuring the frequency of alleles in a population to see if a population is in equilibrium.
5 Hardy-Weinberg Principles
Population is Large
Equal/random Mating Opportunities
No Mutations
No Migration
No Natural Selection
Genetic Drift
Breaks “Population is Large” rule because in a small population, chance plays a higher role. It is change in genetic makeup of a population resulting from chance. It leads to the fixation of alleles, reduces genetic diversity and exaggerates differences by removing variation.
Bottleneck Effect
Form of genetic drift where something occurs and wipes out part of the population. The frequencies of the new population are different from those of the old. They do NOT move geographically.
Founder Effect
Form of genetic drift where part of a population MIGRATES. The frequencies of the new population are different from those of the old.
Gene Flow
Breaks “No Migration” rule. Organisms migrate, leaving their population and moving to a new one, which alters the allele frequency of both. It reduces differences between populations by introducing new variations.
Sexual Selection
Breaks “Equal Mating Opportunities”. This is when certain traits influence the mating success of an individual (not environment), through secual dimorphism. It produces traits that are a compromise between selective pressures.
Females choosing mates that are the most colourful, best song, mating ritual etc.
Male vs. Male competitions where males possess physical features which lets them establish control of and defend territory against other males.
Sexual Dimorphism
Physical and behavioural differences between males and females.
Patterns of Selection
Breaks “No Natural Selection” and “No Mutations” rule. When environmental conditions make patterns in the selection process.
Stabilizing
Directional
Disruptive
Cumulative
Stabilizing Selection
Once species become adapted to their environment for a long time, selective pressures prevent them from changing. It exaggerates types ost favoured by the environment.
Graph: middle & narrow
Directional Selection
An environmental change tiggers it because there are new forces of selection. It favours individuals with a more extreme variation of a trait.
Graph: Move to one side
Disruptive Selection
An environmental change tiggers it because there are new forces of selection. It favours individuals with variations at opposite extremes.
Graph: Higher at each sides and dips in middle
Cumulative Selection
Beneficial mutations that are slowly accumulated.
Artificial Selection (Mechanisms)
Breaks “Equal/random Mating Opportunities” rule. Humans choose who breeds with who and which genes are passed down.
Microevolution
Evolution occuring at the species level (within).
Macroevolution
The formation of a new species.
Species
Can interbreed and produce a fertile offspring.
Allopatric Speciation
When a species is geographically separated and the selective pressures are different, resulting in a new species.
Sympatric Speciation
When a species is reproductively isolated but there’s NO geographical separation.
Prezygotic: Before fertilization. Mating is prevented because of different niches, different mating seasons, wrong mating behaviors or wrong reproductive structures.
Postzygotic: After fertilization. prevents interbreeding due to different numbers of chromosomes. Offspring is unlikely to be born, but if it is, it’s a hybrid who is unlikely to survive long and is infertile.
Derived Characteristic
An uncommon trait or characteristic that is not shared among two groups. (a trait that is present in a particular species or group of organisms but not in their common ancestor because the species has evolved)
Mass Extinction
A pathway of evolution where a significant amount of earth’s biodiversity is wiped out in a relatively short period of time.
Rate of Evolution: Gradualism
Theory that states large evolutionary change in species is attributed to the accumulation of many small changes. Because of this there should be many “transitional forms” but there’s not, which people believe is due to holes in the fossil record.
Rate of Evolution: Punctuated Equilibrium
A theory that attributes large evolutionary change to relatively rapid bursts of change followed by long periods of little to no change. Says speciation occurs in small isolated populations which means there are rarely transitional forms.
Divergent Pathways
Two or more species evolve from a common ancestor and have increasingly different traits resulting from selective pressures and genetic drift. Leads to homologous structures.
Rapid Divergence (adaptive radiation)
Divergent evolution in rapid succession or simultaneously.
Convergent Pathways
Two or more distantly related species become similar in response to similar pressures. Leads to analogous features.
Coevolution
Two unrelated organisms act as selective agents to each other. (cause each other to evolve)
Altruism
A form of coevolution where the behaviour of one organism benefits another at a cost to itself.
Kin Selection
Behaviour that enhances the success of closely related individuals, thereby enhancing the first ones fitness indirectly because they share more genetic material.