EVIDENCES OF EVOLUTION
What is evolution ?
In biology, evolution is the change in the
characteristics of a species over several
generations and relies on the process of
natural selection.
The theory of evolution is based on the
idea that all species? are related and
gradually change over time.
What is natural selection ?
Organisms best suited to the environment
reproduce more successfully
Over generations, favorable traits
increase in the population; unfavorable
traits decrease
Evidence of
common
ancestry among
species comes
from many
sources.
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Evidences of evolution :
Comparative Embryology
Fossil record
Biogeography
Comparative anatomy
Biochemistry/ DNA
Comparative Embryology
is the branch of embryology that compares and
contrasts embryos of different species.
It is used to show how all animals are related.
Many things are compared (such as whether or not the
organism has a notochord or gill arches).
Many components go into comparative embryology, and
much information about the developmental similarities
between species can be taken from its study, from
which many conclusions can be drawn.
Embryology
Vertebrates
all share gill
slits and a
tail in their
early
embryo
stage; Share
a common
ancestor
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Ernst Haeckel, a biologist, artist, and philosopher born in Prussia
in the 1830s, played a key role in spreading Darwinism in
Germany. He was also deeply fascinated by embryology and
illustrated some of the most remarkable comparisons of vertebrate
embryos in his day
The evidence was illustrated in a series of
drawings by biologist Ernst Haeckel that
depicted the growth of embryos from various
classes of vertebrates (animals with
backbones).
The pictures show that the embryos start out
looking virtually identical, but as they develop,
their appearances diverge until they take the
form of their particular class.
Fossil record
Fossils are the preserved remains or
traces of animals, plants, and other
organisms from the past.
Fossils are important evidence for
evolution because they show that life
on earth was once different from
life found on earth today.
Fossil Evidence
Earth is Millions of
years old!
Fossils in older
layers are more
primitive than
those in the
upper layers.
Extinct Fossils
resemble modern
animals.
This shows a
common
ancestry.
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Fossils show a progression of
evolution.
Fossils, along with the comparative
anatomy of present-day organisms,
constitute the morphological, or
anatomical, record. By comparing the
anatomies of both modern and extinct
species, paleontologists can infer the
lineages of those species.
This approach is most successful for
organisms that had hard body parts,
such as shells, bones or teeth. The
resulting fossil record tells the story of
the past and shows the evolution of
form over millions of years.
In the 17th century, Nicholas Steno shook the world of
science, noting the similarity between shark teeth and
the rocks commonly known as "tongue stones." This
was our first understanding that fossils were a record of
past life.
Two centuries later, Mary Ann Mantell picked up a tooth,
which her husband Gideon thought to be of a large
iguana, but it turned out to be the tooth of a dinosaur,
Iguanodon. This discovery sent the powerful message
that many fossils represented forms of life that are no
longer with us today.
Biogeography
Study and comparison of fossils and
living organisms and where they are
located (geographical distribution)
Animals on islands look like others on
the closest land mass rather than far
away distances
Other evidence in support of evolution comes from biogeography, which is how species are
distributed across Earth. This is what first suggested to Charles Darwin that species evolve from
a common ancestor. Darwin observed the animals of the Galapagos Islands and noticed that they
were very similar to the animals on the South American mainland but very dissimilar to animals
on other islands that had similar environments.
dissimilar to animals on other islands that had similar environments.
From this, he concluded that the animals on the Galapagos had migrated from South America
and after a long period of time became new species as the populations adapted to their new
environment. This also helps explain why there are no polar bears in the Antarctic and no
penguins in the Arctic despite both places being very icy and cold.
From this, he concluded that the animals on
the Galapagos had migrated from South
America and after a long period of time
became new species as the populations
adapted to their new environment. This also
helps explain why there are no polar bears in
the Antarctic and no penguins in the Arctic
despite both places being very icy and cold
The patterns of biogeography are the result of the interaction
between the two great engines of our planet: evolution and
plate tectonics.... Because it faces such wide-ranging
questions, biogeography must draw upon an extensive range of
other disciplines. Explaining biodiversity, for example, involves
the understanding of climate patterns over the face of the Earth,
and the way in which the productivity of photosynthetic plants
differs with climate and latitude.
Comparative anatomy
Homologous structure
Analogous structure
Vestigial structure
Homologous structure :
Same structure, but different functions
Originated from a common or shared
ancestors
Example: human and cat arms
Homologous Structures
ARM LEG Flipper Wing
graspin walking swimmi flight
g ng
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Homologous structures are parts of the body that are
SIMILAR IN STRUCTURE to other species'
comparative parts.
Scientists say these similarities are evidence that life
on earth SHARE A COMMON ANCIENT ANCESTOR
from which many or all other species have evolved
over time.
Evidence of this common ancestry can be seen in the
structure and development of these homologous
structures, even if their function is different.
Analogous structure :
Same functions, but different structures
Find a similar solutions to same problem
Example: bird and bee wings
Both organisms can hover to feed on
flowers, but there is no anatomical or
embryological similarity between the
wings
Their wings evolved independently
and differently
Analogous structures DO NOT
show common ancestry!
Vestigial structures :
Functionless structure that occurs
in present day organisms, but had
function in an ancient species
Examples : tailbone and appendix
in humans , pelvic bones in
whales and snakes
Vestigial structures are remnants
of organs or structures that had a
function in an early ancestor.
Examples include ostrich
wings, human appendix, and
wisdom teeth, whale and
snake pelvis/hind legs
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Pythons have tiny
femurs (leg bone)
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Biochemistry/ DNA
In organisms amino acids, amino
acids sequences are very similar, but
not exact.
Example: Hemoglobin
The more similar the homologous
proteins in different species, the more
closely related
AKA Biochemical
Evidence
Two closely-related
organisms will have
similar DNA, RNA, and
protein (amino acid)
sequences.
This also gives
evidence of a common
ancestor.
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Common ancestry can be seen
in the complex metabollic
molecules that many different
organisms share
Comparison of DNA or RNA of
different species produce bio
chemical evidence for evolution
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