1. Warm-Up (2/2)
On the piece of white paper from the back, answer the following question.
Name
Date
Period
Describe how primitive Fleenitians, a hairless, slimy population of minions, evolved into modern Fleenzaurs, which are furry mammals.

2. 1A.1a: According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, competition for limited resources results in differential survival. Individuals with more favorable phenotypes are more likely to survive and produce more offspring, thus passing traits to subsequent generations.
1A.1b: Evolutionary fitness is measured by reproductive success.
1A.2a: Environments change and act as selective mechanism on populations.
Illustrative example: the peppered moth
1A.2d: Humans impact variation in other species.
Illustrative example: artificial selection
4A.6g: Many adaptations of organisms are related to obtaining and using energy and matter in a particular environment.

3. Critical Thinking Question #1
Explain two pieces of evidence scientists could analyze to determine that your description for Fleenzaurian evolution is correct.

4. Natural Selection
Phenotypes of living species match demands of environment.
Charles Darwin, 1859

5. Natural Selection
Favorable changes of phenotype are promoted – “selected for”
Orange beetles are going to have more babies than green beetles.

6. “Survival of the Fittest”
Natural Selection
sexiest!
“Survival of the Fittest”
“Evolutionary fitness” = “Reproductive fitness”

7. Natural Selection
Changing environments act as selective mechanisms on evolution.
Industrial Revolution
Case in point: the peppered moth, 19th century England
Pre-Industrial Revolution
Post-Industrial Revolution

8. Natural Selection Humans impact variation in other species. time
Artificial selection

9. Critical Thinking Question #2
The peppered moth is naturally preyed upon by the Magpie, a type of bird native to England. The Magpie contains a type photoreceptor neuron in its eye called a contra cell which detects differences in low contrast: for example, the difference between two dark-colored objects. The average number of contra cells per eye was determined over the course of 50 years following the start of the Industrial Revolution in England. The results of this experiment are listed in the table below.
Explain the natural selection of high numbers of contra cells among Magpies following the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Year
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
Avg. No. contra cells (x103)
0.052
0.072
0.090
0.113
0.139

10. Closure
On the piece of white paper from the back, answer the following question:
Name
Date
Period
Explain three scientific methods which provide evidence for biological evolution.
Scale 1 – 10