1. (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)

2. 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)

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. Look at color coding of bone structures!

7. 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

8. Flightless bird
Eyeless Cave Fish

9. 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

11. 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