CHAPTER

4 Evolution

Evolution ™
U.V. rays
H 2 O  → H 2 + O2
™ Evolutionary biology is the study of history of life forms
NH3
on earth ™ + O2  CO2 + H2O + other contents
CH4
™ Stellar distances are measured in light years
™ Big ban explosion (Singular huge explosion) Origin of Life
↓Resulted in ™ Life appeared 500 million years after the formation of earth,
i.e., almost 4 billion years ago.
Parameters Origin of Universe  eading to
→ Origin of Earth Probably originated 3 billion
Time scale 20 billion years ago 4.5 billion years ago years ago
Feature Comrises cluster of Occurred in solar Would have possibly originated
galaxies (stars, clouds of system of Milkyway ™ First non-cellular from giant molecules (RNA,
gas, dust) galaxy forms of life protein, polysaccharides, etc.)
Events after expansion of universe: These capsules reproduced their
™ Temperature declined molecules
™ H2 + H3 formed Possibly originated
™ Gases condensed ™ First cellular forms of life 2 million years ago
™ Galaxies formed Arose in aquatic
Events after expandion of universe: environment
™ No atmosphere existed on early earth. ™ This version of Biogenesis i.e., the first form of life arose
™ Water vapours, methane, carbon dioxide and ammonia slowly through evolutionary forces from non-living molecules
released form molten mass covered the surface. is accepted by majority.

Theories for Origin of Life

Theory Proponents Signicance
Special creation Conventional religious literature ™ All living organisms that we see today were created
™ Diversity was always the same since creation and
will be the same in future also
™ Earth is 4000 years old
Cosmozoic Panspermia Early Greek thinkers, Astronomers ™ Life came from outerspace
™ Units of life called spores were transferred to
different planets including earth
Spontaneous generation – ™ Life came out from decaying and rotting matter like
straw, mud etc.
™ Disapproved by Louis Pasteur
Theory of Biogenesis Louis Pasteur ™ Life comes only from pre-existing life
Air ™ He showed that in pre-sterlised flasks, life did not
come from “killed yeast”

Killed
yeast
Pre-stenlised flasks

No life Life
Oparin-Haldane hypothesis or Chemical Evolution ™ Formation of life was precede by chemical evolution
i.e., formation of diverse organic molecules from
Electrodes
inorganic constituents.
Spark ™ First from of life could have come from pre-existing
discharge non-living organic molecules (e.g. RNA, proteins,
CH4 Simulate lightening
(energy sources) etc.)
NH3
H2 O ™ This hypothesis was proved by Miller’s experiment,
Vacuum H2 Gases 1953, S.L. Miller (American scientist)
800°C
Simulate ™ In similar experiments, other observed formation of
reducing
atmosphere Closed sugars, nitrogen bases, pigments and fats.
flask

Amino acids
Boiling water

Evidences of Evolution
1. Palaeontological evidences (Evidences from fossils):
 Fossils are remains of hard parts of life forms found in rocks.
 Age of fossils is determined by radioactive-dating method.
 Fossils of different life forms in different sedimentary layers indicates the geological period in which they existed (epochs,
periods, eras).
2. Embryological evidences:
 Proposed by Ernst Heckel.
 Based upon the observations of certain features during embryonic stage common to all vertebrates that are absent in adults e.g.,
embryos of all vertebrates develop a row of vestigial gill slits functional only fish and not found in another adult vertebrates.
 It was disproved by Karl Ernst von Baer. He noted that embryos never pass through the adult stages of other animals.
3. Morphological and anatomical evidences
Parameters Homologous organs Analogous organs
Common ancestory Yes No

Anatomical structures Similar but developed along different directions Not similar but resulted in selection of similar
due to adaptations to different needs. adaptive features in different groups of organisms,
thus, evolving for the same function.
Function performed Different Similar
Type of evolution Divergent Convergent

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Examples of Evolution by Anthropogenic Action
Parameters Before industrialization (1850s) After industrialization (1920s)

Figure

Tree trunks White, covered by lichens Became dark due to deposition of soot and
smoke
White moths More Less
Melanised moths Less White winged moths
Predators feed on Melanised moths White winged moths
™ Lichens do not grow in polluted area (pollution indicator).
™ Agent of natural selection: Predator/birds.
™ Moths that were able to camouflage themselves (i.e., hide in the background) survived but no variant is completely wiped out

A Brief Account of Evolution

Land reptiles were dinosaurs which disappeared 65 mya
Form of life Appeared around Climatic change
Reason
1st non cellular form 3 bya Evolved in birds
Some land reptiles went back to water to evolve fish like reptiles e.g.,
1st cellular forms 2000 mya
Ichthyosaurus (200 mya)
Invertebrates 350 mya
Sea weeds and few plants 320 mya Modern day descendants of reptiles e.g., Turtles, Tortoises, Crocodiles

Possibly Possibly
Lobbed fin fish evolved into Amphibians Reptiles Mammals (Arose from ancestral
evolved into
(Coelocanth) Frogs,  Lay thick shelled extinct reptiles)
 Primarily aquatic salamanders eggs which do not  Viviparous i.e., protect young ones
 1938, fish caught in  Aquatic and dry up in sun inside mothers body
South Africa was earlier land  More intelligent in sensing and avoiding
thought to be extinct danger

 Restricted Distribution of Pouched Mammals in Australia due to continental drift.

14 NEET (XII) Module-2 Zoology PW

Origin and Evolution of Man

Human Years back Cranial Specific features

ancestors capacity
Hair and walked
Dryopithecus 100 cc More ape-like like
15 mya Gorillas and
Ramapithecus 150-300 cc More man-like
chimpanzees
 Few fossils of man-like bones
Australopithecus 2 mya 500 cc
have been discovered in Ethiopia
and Tanzania.
 3-4 mya, man-like primates
walked in East African
grasslands.
 They were probably not taller
than 4 feet but walked upright.
 Evidence shows they hunted
with stone weapons but
essentially ate fruit.
Homo habilis – 650 cc –  First human-like being,
800 cc the homind
 Probably did not eat meat
Homo erectus 1.5 mya 900 cc  Fossils discovered in
Java in 1891
 Probably ate meat
Neanderthal man 1,00,000- 1400 cc  Lived in near East and
40,000 Central Asia
years back  Used hides to protect
their body and buried
their dead
Homo spiens 75,000- –  Arose in Africa and moved
10,000 across continents and developed
years ago into distinct races
(ice age)

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