(Supported by 5 branches of science) Evidence of Evolution EQ: What evidence convinced Darwin that species could change over time? TEK 7ACDE (Supported by 5 branches of science)
Evidence of Evolution The Fossil Record (Paleontology) Geographic Distribution of Living Things (Geography) Body Structures (Anatomy) Similarities in Early Development (Embryology) Similarities in Genes and Proteins (Biochemistry)
Evidence for Evolution - Paleontology The Fossil Record-Layers of ground show change Similarities between current and ancient species Older fossils, less like modern species Fossil record not complete because most organisms don’t form fossils Gaps filled in as more discovered (Transitional Fossils)
Evidence of Evolution - Geography Geographic Distribution of Living Things- similar environments have similar types of organisms Beaver Muskrat Beaver and Muskrat Coypu Capybara Coypu and Capybara
Evidence of Evolution - Anatomy Homologous Structures - structures that have different mature forms in different organisms, but develop from the same embryonic tissue similar characteristics resulting from common ancestry
Look at color coding of bone structures!
Evidence for Evolution – Anatomy continued… Vestigial organs - organs that serve little or no useful function in an organism remnants of structures that had important functions in ancestors shrink/get smaller over many generations examples: snakes: pelvic bone/hindlimbs ostrich: wings human: appendix
Flightless bird Eyeless Cave Fish
Evidence of Evolution - Embryology Compare anatomy of embryos Similarities of development or structures that are not obvious in adult Embryos of vertebrates are similar in appearance early in development, but may grow into different structures in adult Evolution from common ancestor
Evidence of Evolution - Biochemistry The more similar the DNA and amino acid sequence in proteins, the more likely it is they diverged from common ancestor Provides evidence when species are so closely related they do not appear to be different …or… when species are so diverse that they share few similar structures