Pop Goes The Weasel: Weasel Flavored Popcorn…it’s actually not as Good as it sounds. Ancient Roam...do NOT set your phone On this setting! Major $$$$$! Evolution #9 Gratuitous Beatle Reference Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict. Gratuitious Pink Floyd Reference Campbell’s Cream of Ammonite and Primordial Soup Ummm! It’s…well…OLD

What did Darwin observe about finches in the Galapagos Islands?

They had different beaks depending upon where they lived and what they ate.

Define evolution.

Evolution is the gradual change of a species over time.

Is a mule a species? Splain

Nope…nah…no way…nuhh uhh. A mule isn’t fertile. Members of a species by definition must be able to mate and have fertile offspring. That means their babies have to be able to have babies. Mules can’t do that. Sorry mules 

What do genes have to do with evolution?

Only genetically inheritable traits are impacted by natural selection thus they are also involved in the process of evolution.

Explain how a new species can arise from geographic isolation?

Geographic isolation can separate a group of individuals from the rest of the species. If the environment is different enough in the their new home range, the traits that are helpful to survival will be different than they were in the old location. So…these “new” traits will accumulate and eventually the group may be different enough so that they can no longer breed with the other group and produce fertile offspring…ipso facto…new species This is called allopatric speciation…in case you’re interested. Actually it’s called that even if you’re not interested.

You move to Colorado to train for the Olympics. Training at high altitude develops your heart muscle, and…You make it! Congrats! So, you meet and get married to another athlete who has trained to develop awesome-super blood pumping capacity. You two have a kid, soooo goodbye fun and freedom. Hellloooo diapers full-o-poop and whining Here’s the question: does your kid have super well-developed lung capacity? Explain.

Nope. Sorry. Why? Well…you trained to develop your heart…that’s not an inheritable trait. That lazy little rugrat is gonna have to get outa da crib and work out if it wants to have a big ole athletic heart muscle.

Choose an organism and a habit. Use the four mechanisms of natural selection to explain why these organisms don’t overpopulate their environment.

Butterfly Fish/Coral Reef Overproduction: more fish are born than can survive Variation: there are slight genetic differences among the individuals…some differences are beneficial to survival. Competition: The fish compete for resources (food, space, mates) Selection: Better adapted individuals survive and those traits that help them out are passed on to their offspring. These beneficial traits accumulate. Not all of the individuals can compete and this keeps the population in check.

What are five types/pieces of information that biologists use to determine the evolutionary relationships among organisms?

-Fossils -Body structure -Early development morphology -DNA -Proteins

What is the difference between punctuated equilibria and gradualism?

Punctuated Equilibria: A type of evolution that occurs rapidly in short bursts of time. Gradualism: A type of evolution that occurs slowly over a long period of time.

What are homologous structures? Extra: What are analogous structures?

Homologous structures: Similar body parts (structures) that related species have inherited from a common ancestor. Like…a whale flipper, a bat wing, and your hand. Analogous Structures: Body parts that perform the same function but are not physiologically similar. Like…a fly wing, a bird wing, and a flying fish “wing.”

Why do evolutionary biologists think that related species have similar body structures and development patterns?

The organism has inherited many of the same genes from a common ancestor.

1.What does this cladogram show? 2. Are turtles more closely related to lamprey or salamanders? How do you know? 3. Name two common traits of wolves and grouper.

1.It shows how scientists think that groups of organisms are related. 2. Salamanders…they are closer together on the diagram thus they share more common traits. 3. Jawbones and a Vertebral Column.

Explain the process of Natural Selection ?

The process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment (having beneficial traits) are more likely to survive to reproduce. This means that these beneficial traits are more likely to accumulate in their offspring. By the same token, traits that are not helpful tend to disappear over time.

What is overproduction?

When a species produces more offspring than can survive.

Genetic (genotype and phenotype) difference between members of the same species is called________

Variation

How does natural selection lead to evolution?

Some traits are helpful and give certain individuals a survival advantage. These beneficial traits accumulate because the members of a species that have these traits have a greater chance of successfully reproducing thus passing their genetic info. to their offspring.

What is a species?

A species refers to a group of genetically similar organisms (with similar traits) that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

What is an adaptation?

An adaptation is an inherited characteristic that improves an organisms chance for survival.

What are the four factors that effect natural selection?

1. Overproduction 2. Variation (genetic) 3. Competition for limiting factors (food, water, space, mates, sunlight, etc.) 4. Selection (aka Successful Reproduction)

Can natural selection occur without variation (support your answer)?

No. Without genetic variation, all individuals within a species would have a equal chance of survival.

1.If the half-life of an isotope is 8 days, how long will it take for ¾ of a sample to decay? 2. Would you use Carbon-14 to try to find the age of a fossil from the cretaceous period? Explain.

Part 1: 16 days For instance: You start with 100 grams. After 8 days=50 grams After 16 days=25 grams (3/4 of what you started with has decayed). Part II: No…the half life of C14 is 5,730 years…too short. You’d want something like Uranium 235; it has a longer half life.

1. Most of what we know about extinct organisms is based upon________ 2. In which type of rock do you find fossils.

1.The fossil record. 2. Sedimentary

Whatz up with those peppered moths (they sound delicious)?

Well…once upon a time in England during the industrial revolution, there a species of moths called peppered moths. These generally light-colored moths were camouflaged against the tree bark upon which they hung out. Because of genetic variation, some moths were lighter and some darker. The dark ones were usually eaten cuz they were easier to spot. Gradually, soot from the emerging industrial processes started to darken the tree bark. Moths that were lighter in color began to be more easily seen by predators, and the darker colored moths were now better camouflaged (it used to be the opposite). This illustrates how a once beneficial trait can become a detriment as the environment changes.

How old is the Earth?

4.5 Billion Years Old According to solar system debris that have been subjected to radiometric dating using: U-235 to Pb-207 and U-238 to Pb-206

During which geologic time period did life first occur?

Possible Fossil Stromatolites date to… 3.5 BYA, but definite evidence exists from 2.7 BYA, which would be… Precambrian Time (that’s pretty much all geologic time before the Cambrian Period)