1. Points re: “Spandrels” Spandrels (p.581) Dr. Pangloss (p.583) First target? (p.583) Natural selection can’t drive extinction (p.584) Only brake upon perfection? (p.585) Tyrannosaurus? (p.587) Bluebirds? (p.588) G&L other possibilities? (p.590) “Baupläne”? (p.593) In ecology too… OEB 192 – 11.09.07

2. What is adaptation? Noun vs. verb (vs. acclimation) Noun: “…[A] feature is an adaptation for some function if it has become prevalent or is maintained in a population… because of natural selection for that function” (Futuyma, p.355) “… the good fit of organisms to their environment” (Gould & Lewontin, 1979)

3. How study adaptations? A. B. vs.

4. How study adaptations?

5. Are mutations random & independent of selection? Luria & Delbrück experiment (1943)

6. Joshua & Esther Lederberg (1952) Are mutations random & independent of selection?

7. Darwin and natural selection Two major tenets (Darwin, 1859) : –“[A]ll species, living and extinct have descended without interruption from one (or a few) original forms of life”

8. Monday (9/12): Phylogeny and the tree of life (pages 222-232, 253-264)