Darwin – Descent with Modification

1. Darwin – Descent with Modification Ch 22

2. The Origin of Species Focused biologists’ attention on the great diversity of organisms Figure 22.1

3. Darwin made two major points in his book He presented evidence that the many species of organisms presently inhabiting the Earth are descendants of ancestral species He proposed a mechanism for the evolutionary process, natural selection

4. Concept 22.1: The Darwinian revolution challenged traditional views of a young Earth inhabited by unchanging species • In order to understand why Darwin’s ideas were revolutionary • We need to examine his views in the context of other Western ideas about Earth and its life

5. Linnaeus (classification) Hutton (gradual geologic change) Lamarck (species can change) Malthus (population limits) Cuvier (fossils, extinction) Lyell (modern geology) Darwin (evolution, nutural selection) Mendel (inheritance) Wallace (evolution, natural selection) American Revolution French Revolution U.S. Civil War 1800 1850 1900 1750 1795 Hutton proposes his theory of gradualism. 1798 Malthus publishes “Essay on the Principle of Population.” 1809 Lamarck publishes his theory of evolution. Lyell publishes Principles of Geology. 1830 Darwin travels around the world on HMS Beagle. 1831–1836 1837 Darwin begins his notebooks on the origin of species. 1844 Darwin writes his essay on the origin of species. 1858 Wallace sends his theory to Darwin. TheOrigin of Species is published. 1859 1865 Mendel publishes inheritance papers. Figure 22.2 • The historical context of Darwin’s life and ideas

6. The Scale of Nature and Classification of Species • The Greek philosopher Aristotle • Viewed species as fixed and unchanging • The Old Testament of the Bible • Holds that species were individually designed by God and therefore perfect • Carolus Linnaeus • Interpreted organismal adaptations as evidence that the Creator had designed each species for a specific purpose • Was a founder of taxonomy, classifying life’s diversity “for the greater glory of God”

7. Figure 22.3 Fossils, Cuvier, and Catastrophism • The study of fossils • Helped to lay the groundwork for Darwin’s ideas • Fossils are remains or traces of organisms from the past • Usually found in sedimentary rock, which appears in layers or strata

8. Paleontology, the study of fossils • Was largely developed by French scientist Georges Cuvier • Cuvier opposed the idea of gradual evolutionary change • And instead advocated catastrophism, speculating that each boundary between strata represents a catastrophe

9. Theories of Gradualism • Gradualism • Is the idea that profound change can take place through the cumulative effect of slow but continuous processes

10. Geologists Hutton and Lyell • Perceived that changes in Earth’s surface can result from slow continuous actions still operating today • Exerted a strong influence on Darwin’s thinking • Lyell – uniformitarianism – same geologic processes are operating today as in the past and at same rate

11. Figure 22.4 Lamarck’s Theory of Evolution • Lamarck hypothesized that species evolve • Through use and disuse and the inheritance of acquired traits • But the mechanisms he proposed are unsupported by evidence

12. Concept 22.2: In The Origin of Species, Darwin proposed that species change through natural selection • As the 19th century dawned • It was generally believed that species had remained unchanged since their creation, but a major change would challenge this thinking

13. England EUROPE NORTH AMERICA ATLANTIC OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN Galápagos Islands HMS Beagle in port AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA Darwin in 1840, after his return AUSTRALIA Cape of Good Hope Andes Tasmania Cape Horn New Zealand Tierra del Fuego Figure 22.5 • Darwin’s interest in the geographic distribution of species • Was kindled by the Beagle’s stop at the Galápagos Islands near the equator west of South America

14. Darwin’s Focus on Adaptation • As Darwin reassessed all that he had observed during the voyage of the Beagle • He began to perceive adaptation to the environment and the origin of new species as closely related processes

15. (a) Cactus eater. The long,sharp beak of the cactusground finch (Geospizascandens) helps it tearand eat cactus flowersand pulp. (c) Seed eater. The large groundfinch (Geospiza magnirostris)has a large beak adapted forcracking seeds that fall fromplants to the ground. Figure 22.6a–c (b) Insect eater. The green warbler finch (Certhidea olivacea) uses itsnarrow, pointed beak to grasp insects. • From studies made years after Darwin’s voyage • Biologists have concluded that this is indeed what happened to the Galápagos finches

16. Summary of Natural Selection • Natural selection is differential success in reproduction • That results from the interaction between individuals that vary in heritable traits and their environment • If an environment changes over time • Natural selection may result in adaptation to these new conditions

17. (a) A flower mantidin Malaysia (b) A stick mantidin Africa Figure 22.11 • Natural selection can produce an increase over time • In the adaptation of organisms to their environment

18. In 1844, Darwin wrote a long essay on the origin of species and natural selection • But he was reluctant to introduce his theory publicly, anticipating the uproar it would cause • In June 1858 Darwin received a manuscript from Alfred Russell Wallace • Who had developed a theory of natural selection similar to Darwin’s • Darwin quickly finished The Origin of Species • And published it the next year

19. Descent with Modification • The phrase descent with modification • Summarized Darwin’s perception of the unity of life • States that all organisms are related through descent from an ancestor that lived in the remote past

20. Sirenia (Manatees and relatives) Loxodonta africana (Africa) Elephas maximus (Asia) Loxodonta cyclotis (Africa) Hyracoidea (Hyraxes) Years ago Stegodon Mammut Mammuthus Deinotherium Platybelodon Millions of years ago Barytherium Moeritherium Figure 22.7 • In the Darwinian view, the history of life is like a tree • With multiple branchings from a common trunk to the tips of the youngest twigs that represent the diversity of living organisms

21. Natural Selection and Adaptation • Evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr • Has dissected the logic of Darwin’s theory into three inferences based on five observations

22. Figure 22.8 • Observation #1: For any species, population sizes would increase exponentially • If all individuals that are born reproduced successfully

23. Observation #2: Nonetheless, populations tend to be stable in size • Except for seasonal fluctuations • Observation #3: Resources are limited • Inference #1: Production of more individuals than the environment can support • Leads to a struggle for existence among individuals of a population, with only a fraction of their offspring surviving

24. Figure 22.9 • Observation #4: Members of a population vary extensively in their characteristics • No two individuals are exactly alike

25. Observation #5: Much of this variation is heritable • Inference #2: Survival depends in part on inherited traits • Individuals whose inherited traits give them a high probability of surviving and reproducing are likely to leave more offspring than other individuals

26. Inference #3: This unequal ability of individuals to survive and reproduce • Will lead to a gradual change in a population, with favorable characteristics accumulating over generations

27. Reznick and Endler transplanted guppies from pike-cichlid pools to killifish pools and measured the average age and size of guppies at maturity over an 11-year period (30 to 60 generations). EXPERIMENT Pools with killifish, but not guppies prior to transplant Experimental transplant of guppies Predator: Killifish; preys mainly on small guppies Guppies: Larger at sexual maturity than those in “pike-cichlid pools” Predator: Pike-cichlid; preys mainly on large guppies Guppies: Smaller at sexual maturity than those in “killifish pools” Figure 22.12 Differential Predation in Guppy Populations • Researchers have observed natural selection • Leading to adaptive evolution in guppy populations

28. RESULTS After 11 years, the average size and age at maturity of guppies in the transplanted populations increased compared to those of guppies in control populations. Control Population: Guppies from pools with pike-cichlids as predators 185.6 92.3 85.7 161.5 Weight of guppies at maturity (mg) Age of guppies at maturity (days) 58.2 48.5 76.1 67.5 Experimental Population: Guppies transplanted to pools with killifish as predators Males Females Males Females CONCLUSION Reznick and Endler concluded that the change in predator resulted in different variations in the population (larger size and faster maturation) being favored. Over a relatively short time, this altered selection pressure resulted in an observable evolutionary change in the experimental population.

29. The Evolution of Drug-Resistance • In humans, the use of drugs • Selects for pathogens that through chance mutations are resistant to the drugs’ effects • Natural selection is a cause of adaptive evolution • Drugs do not create resistant pathogens, they select for resistant individuals already in the population

31. The Fossil Record • The succession of forms observed in the fossil record • Is consistent with other inferences about the major branches of descent in the tree of life

32. Human Cat Bat Whale Figure 22.14 Anatomical Homologies • Homologous structures between organisms • Are anatomical resemblances that represent variations on a structural theme that was present in a common ancestor

33. Pharyngeal pouches Post-anal tail Chick embryo Human embryo Figure 22.15 • Comparative embryology • Reveals additional anatomical homologies not visible in adult organisms

34. Vestigial organs • Are some of the most intriguing homologous structures • Are remnants of structures that served important functions in the organism’s ancestors

35. Analogous structures • Similar solution to similar problems; but doesn’t show relatedness

36. Molecular Homologies • Biologists also observe homologies among organisms at the molecular level • Such as genes that are shared among organisms inherited from a common ancestor

37. Percent of Amino Acids That Are Identical to the Amino Acids in a Human Hemoglobin Polypeptide Species 100% Human Rhesus monkey 95% Mouse 87% Chicken 69% Frog 54% 14% Figure 22.16 Lamprey • Anatomical resemblances among species • Are generally reflected in their molecules, their genes, and their gene products

38. Homologies and the Tree of Life • The Darwinian concept of an evolutionary tree of life • Can explain the homologies that researchers have observed

39. NORTH AMERICA Sugar glider AUSTRALIA Flying squirrel Figure 22.17 Biogeography • Darwin’s observations of the geographic distribution of species, biogeography • Formed an important part of his theory of evolution • Some similar mammals that have adapted to similar environments • Have evolved independently from different ancestors

40. Summarizing • Evolution is a change in species over time • Heritable variations exist within a population • These variations can result in a differential reproductive success • Over generations, this can result in changes in the genetic composition of the population