Evolution by Natural Selection

AP Biology

2006-2007

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."

-- Theodosius Dobzhansky
March 1973 Geneticist, Columbia University (1900-1975)

AP Biology

2006-2007

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Late 18th century, early 19th
century

First biologist to propose

evolution

Proposed inheritance of acquired

traitscalled Lemarkianism

Believed that organisms have an

inborn urge to better themselves and become more fit for their environment

Jean-Baptiste Lemarck Organisms adapted to

their environments
through acquired traits change in their life time

Use & Disuse

organisms lost parts because they did not use them like the missing eyes & digestive system of the tapeworm Perfection with Use & Need the constant use of an organ leads that organ to increase in size like neck of the giraffe

transmit acquired characteristics to next generation

Charles Lyell

Demonstrated that Earth was very old and had changed over time in slow but continuous cycles of erosion and uplift Proposed uniformitarianism (rates and processes of change are constant)

Formation of Sedimentary Rock

Thomas Malthus

Late 18th century, early 19th century economist Observed that there are natural controls that maintained population size
death, disease and famine are inevitable

Identified that individuals experience a constant struggle for survival

Carolus Linnaeus

Father of taxonomy

believed in:
The fixity of species That each species had:

An ideal structure and function, and A place in the scala naturae (scale of
complexity) Gave us a binomial system of nomenclature (naming)
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Georges Cuvier:

Late 18th century, early 19th century

First to use comparative anatomy to develop a system of classification

Founded Paleontology Proposed Catastrophism
Local catastrophes in past had caused later strata to

have a new mix of fossils

After each catastrophe, the region was repopulated

by species from surrounding areas

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Charles Darwin at 31

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Charles Darwin 1809-1882 British naturalist Proposed the idea

of evolution by natural selection Collected clear evidence to support his ideas

Voyage of the HMS Beagle Travels around the world

1831-1836 makes many observations of natural world

Robert Fitzroy

main mission of the Beagle was to chart

South American coastline

Voyage of the HMS Beagle

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Patterns of Diversity
Darwin visited Argentina and Australia which
had similar grassland ecosystems.

those grasslands were inhabited by very different animals. neither Argentina nor Australia was home to the sorts of animals that lived in European grasslands.

Patterns of Diversity
Darwin posed challenging questions.

Why were there no rabbits in Australia, despite the presence of habitats that seemed perfect for them?

Why were there no kangaroos in England?

Living Organisms and Fossils

Darwin collected the preserved remains of
ancient organisms, called fossils.

Some of those fossils resembled organisms that were still alive today.
Others looked unlike any living creature

As Darwin studied fossils, new questions

arose. Why had so many of these species disappeared? How were they related to living species?

Voyage of the HMS Beagle Stopped in Galapagos Islands

Galapagos
Of relatively recent volcanic origin most of animal species on the Galpagos live nowhere else in world, but they resemble species living on South American mainland.

500 miles west of mainland

The Galapagos Islands

The smallest, lowest islands were

hot, dry, and nearly barren with sparse vegetation

The higher islands had greater

rainfall and a different assortment of plants and animals rich vegetation.

The Galapagos Island

Darwin was fascinated by the land tortoises
marine iguanas and birds in the Galpagos.

Giant tortoises varied in predictable ways from

one island to another.

The shape of a tortoise's shell could be used to

identify which island a particular tortoise inhabited.

Endemic Galapagos Species

Galapago s Tortoise

Animals

Interesting Galapagos Species

Blue Footed Booby

Red Footed Booby

Masked Booby

Endemic Galapagos Species

The Flightless Cormorant

Endemic Galapagos Species

Galapagos Penguin

Endemic Galapagos Species

Black Marine Iguana

The Birds of Galapagos

22 of the 29 species of birds on the Galapagos are endemic

found only on these islands

collected specimens of all

One particular group of

small birds

There were woodpeckerlike, there were warblerlike, & some finch-like

Darwins finches
Darwin was amazed
to find out they were all finches

14 species but only one species on South American mainland

500 miles away

all the birds had to originally come from mainland species

Why were the finches so different now?

Leaf-browser? Wren?

Darwins finches Differences in beaks

associated with eating different foods adaptations to foods available on islands

Warbler finch Cactus finch Woodpecker finch Small insectivorous tree finch Large insectivorous tree finch Cactus eater Insect eaters Sharp-beaked finch Small ground finch

Medium ground finch

Seed eaters
Vegetarian tree finch Bud eater

Large ground finch

Darwins finches Darwins conclusions

small populations of original South American finches reached islands

variation in beaks enabled some to obtain food

successfully in the different environments

over many generations, the populations of finches changed anatomically & behaviorally
accumulation of advantageous traits

emergence of different species

Darwins finches Finches with beak

differences that allowed them to
successfully compete successfully feed successfully reproduce

pass successful

traits onto their offspring

In historical context
Darwin did not originate the idea of evolution Geologic theories of Earths age & history cleared the path for evolutionary biologists

immeasurable time

A Reluctant Revolutionary Returned to England in 1836

wrote papers describing his collections & observations draft of his theory of species formation in 1844

instructed his wife to

publish this essay upon his death reluctant to publish but didnt want ideas to die with him

And then came the letter.

Then, in 1858, Darwin received a letter that changed everything
Alfred Russel Wallace A naturalist working in the East Indies Boat sank on the voyage home, lost all evidence

Wrote short paper with a new theory.

asked Darwin to evaluate his theory and pass it along for publication.

Voyage: 1831-1836

November 24, 1859, Darwin published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection

Darwins Theory of Evolution Geological observations consistent

with those of Lyell Biogeographical observations:
The study of the geographic distribution of life forms on earth Darwin saw similar species in similar habitats; Reasoned related species could be modified according to the environment

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Darwins Contribution
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Darwins Observations and Insights

Inherited Variation Artificial Selection

Descent with Modification by Natural

Selection

Inherited Variation

Variation between members of a species, no 2 members are exactly the same Differences passed from parent to offspring It is now known that observable differences are due to variation at the DNA level

Artificial Selection
Darwin observed plant
and animal breeders select and breed organisms with desirable characteristics to produce offspring with those characteristics Nature provides the variation; but humans select (choose) breeding pairs based on specific characteristics/traits

Darwin believed that there was a similar process in nature Natural Selection
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Natural Selection
Five critical points: 1. Variation

2. High birth rates

3. Struggle for existence 4. Survival of the fittest 5. Descent with modification

Variation
Organisms vary and
this variation is passed onto offspring

Variation may be
1) genetic: variation in the DNA sequence (genotype)
2) physical: variation in their outward appearance (phenotype)

High birth rates

Also known as
overproduction of offspring

In most organisms,
more offspring are produced than can actually survive, reproduce and live to maturity

Struggle for Existence

Also known as
competition for resources

There are more

organisms present than the environment can support, so there is competition for food, space and other resources

Survival of the Fittest

Some organisms are
better suited to compete, survive and reproduce

Organisms that are not

able to compete or survive, die off without leaving offspring

Survival of the Fittest

The ability of an organism to survive and
reproduce in its environment is called Fitness

Fitness is the result of adaptations

Adaptation: inherited characteristic that increases
the organisms chance for survival

Organisms that are better adapted will live,

reproduce and have offspring (offspring inherit adaptations from parent)

Adaptations

Survival of the Fittest

Some organisms are
better suited to compete, survive and reproduce
High fitness

Organisms that are not

able to compete or survive, die off without leaving
Low fitness

Descent with Modification

Darwin proposed that over long periods of time,
that is over numerous generations, natural selection produces organisms that have different structures, establish different niches or occupy different habitats

When an organism is significantly different from

the original, it becomes a new species

The theory implies that all living organisms are

related to one another and were derived from common ancestors

Descent with Modification Also known as Evolution

Evolution Process by which modern organisms have descended form ancient organisms, occurs over a long period of time
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 Say in a species of blob.there exists blobs of all shapes and sizes (variation)

Blobs eat the little purple organisms that live underground and on the surface.
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During a particularly hot year, food became less abundant (competition), blobs that had the ability to dig into the soil to get food had a better chance of survival.

Many blobs died that year.

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The ones that survived mated and passed their genes to the next generation. (reproduction)

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The next generation had more blobs with the pointed noses. That is NATURAL SELECTION.

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1. Variation 2. High birth rates 3. Struggle for Existence (Competition) 4. Survival of the fittest 5. Reproduction

Evolution

Darwins observations and insights led

him to propose that evolution occurs by natural selection