evolution
change in genes of a species over time
process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms
Linnaeus
classification system for organisms grouped by similarities: reflects evolutionary relationships
rejected that organisms don’t change over time
Buffon
species share ancestors rather than separately
suggested Earth older: most believed 6000 years old
Erasmus Darwin
living things descended from common ancestor
more-complex forms developed from less-complex
Lamarck
environment change cause behavior change, led to use or disuse of structure, these changes passed on
idea: the inheritance of acquired characteristics - wrong
Cuvier
species could become extinct
fossils in deep layers of rock different from fossils in upper
proposed catastrophism
catastrophism
natural disasters shape landforms & cause mass extinctions
Hutton
gradualism
earth older than believed
gradualism
changes in landforms due to slow changes over long period
Lyell
Principles of Geology
theory of uniformitarianism
influenced Darwin
uniformitarianism
prevailing geologic change theory: geological processes are constant and ongoing
Wallace
1858: writes to Darwin about natural selection
1859: Darwin “The Origin of the Species” acknowledges him
natural selection principles
variation, overproduction, adaptation, descent w modification
differential survival
some in population have phenotypic advantage
selective pressure
changing environment favor some phenotypes over others
radiometric dating
estimate age of fossils use decay of unstable isotopes
half-life
amount of time it takes for half of the isotope to decay
relative dating
estimates time which organism lived: compares fossil placement in rock layers: scientists infer order species existed
index fossils
determine relative rock layer age: existed during specific time, large geographic areas: include fusulinids & trilobites
comparative biochemistry
2 closely-related organisms will have similar DNA sequence: molecular evidence
hox/homebox genes
control development of specific structures
found in many organisms
protein comparisons/molecular fingerprinting: similarities among cell types of different organisms
single gene traits
fewer phenotypes: limited, 2 alleles
change allele frequencies: evolution
polygenic trait
many genotypes/phenotypes, distribution curve
directional selection
moves frequency of an allele in one direction
stabilizing selection
2 opposing forces affect frequency of an allele
disruptive selection
population splits into two subgroups
5 factors to evolution
gene flow, mutation, sexual selection, genetic drift, natural selection
gene flow
join new populations/reproduce, keep neighboring populations similar, low gene flow: increases chance 2 populations evolve differently
genetic drift
loss genetic diversity/harmful alleles common, small pop
bottleneck: event drastically reduces population size
founder: colonize habitat: carry diff allele than larger pop
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
large pop, no migration, no mutation, random mating, no natural selection
reproductive isolation
diff pop can’t mate successfully, no gene flow, genetic differences add over generations, leads to speciation
speciation
rise of 2 or more species from 1 existing species
isolation types
behavioral: diff courtship/mating behaviors
geographic: physical barriers
temporal: diff timing of reproductive periods
convergent evolution
evolution toward similar traits in unrelated species
divergent evolution
evolution toward different traits in closely related species
coevolution
2 or more species evolve in response to changes in each other
beneficial/competitive relationships: evolutionary arms race
background extinction
continuous at low rate: same as speciation
affects few species in small area
caused by local changes in environment
mass extinction
rare, destroy many species: global level
caused by catastrophic events - 5 in last 600 million years
punctuated equilibrium
speciation episodes suddenly in geologic time, followed by long periods of little evolutionary change
revised Darwin’s idea: species arose: gradual transformations
adaptive radiation
many species evolve from 1
ancestral species diversifies into many descendants: adapted to wide range of environments
Cenozoic
65 mya – present: primate evolution, mammal diversification, flowering plants
Mesozoic
248-65 mya: evolution reptiles, “Age of the Reptiles”, ferns, mammals, ended with dinosaur extinction
Paleozoic
544-248 mya: all animal phyla develop: “Cambrian explosion”, early land plants develop, ended: mass extinction
early earth
began forming 4.6 bya: not suitable for life, very hot, little O2
cooled 3.8 bya: oceans formed
Miller-Urey experiment
simulation of early earth’s conditions
organic compounds made by passing electrical current to stimulate lightning, through closed system: held gas mixture
meteorite hypothesis
amino acids arrived on Earth through meteorite impact
iron-sulfide bubbles hypothesis
biomolecules formed in compartments on ocean floor
lipid membrane hypothesis
lipid spheres form around organic molecules: cell membrane
RNA
1st genetic material, ribozymes: self replicate
DNA: needs enzymes to replicate
cyanobacteria
oldest known fossils, prokaryotic cells, add O2 to \n atmosphere, deposited minerals
endosymbiosis
relationship: 1 organism lives within body of another mitochondria/chloroplasts: developed: forming eukaryotes
sexual reproduction evolution
increased diversity/variation: advantage, led evolution of multicellular life
multicellularity
more complex organisms: 100 million yrs after sexual reproduction began: evolution occur quickly.
organisms more fit: better competitors
pseudogenes
like vestigial structures: no longer function carried w/ DNA, change as passed through generations: figure evolutionary relationships, similarities: reflect common ancestor
protein comparisons
similarities among cell types revealed by comparing proteins: molecular finger-printing, unique set of proteins found types, computers search databases look for homologous sequences