BIO120 - Lecture 1

Theory of Evolution

Central Unifying concept of biology, Affects other areas of knowledge, One of the most influential concepts of Western thought

Biological evolution

A change in inherited attributes of populations across generations

Biodiversity & Adaptation are both

Products of evolution

Biodiversity

The diversity of life on Earth & the number and kinds of living organisms in a given area

Adaptation (Verb)

The evolutionary process that leads to the origin and maintenance of certain traits

Adaptation (Noun)

Any trait that makes an organism better able to survive or reproduce in a given environment

Major areas of evolutionary study

Evolutionary history & Evolutionary mechanisms

Microevolution

Evolutionary patterns and processes observed within species

Macroevolution

Evolutionary patterns and processes observed among species

Goal of evolutionary history (1)

Determine the evolutionary relationships of organisms in terms of common ancestry

Goal or evolutionary history (2)

Identify and understand long-term patterns in evolution

Evolutionary history in practice

Using comparative data from sub-disciplines of systematics, biogeography, paleontology, morphology, development, and molecular biology

Goal of evolutionary mechanisms (1)

Determine the particular processes responsible for evolutionary change (e.g., natural selection)

Goal of evolutionary mechanisms (2)

Identify the major forces of evolution

Evolutionary Mechanisms in Practice (1)

Uses experimental, theoretical, and comparative studies of the genetics and ecology of populations

Evolutionary Mechanisms in Practice (2)

Focuses primarily on the population level

Observational approach

Describe and quantify

Theoretical approach

develop models: verbal, graphical, mathematical, computational

Comparative approach

Obtain the same data from many species

Experimental Approach

Manipulate a system to address a specific hypothesis; requires an experimental design and statistical analysis

Why is evolution relevant?

Children’s questions, Medicine, Agriculture, Environment, Understanding Life on Earth