Evolution

• Evolution is defined as a genetic change in the

characteristics of a species over many generations,
resulting in the formation of new species.
• Generation: time between the birth of an individual
and when that individual produces their own
offspring.
• Natural selection is the process by which evolution
occurs.
Evidence for Evolution

• The theory of evolution is supported by a lot of

evidence
• Fossils
• Comparative anatomy
• DNA and protein structure
• Distribution of current species
• Embryology
Fossils

• Fossils are very important as they provide scientists

with evidence about how the earth has changed over
the last 4.5 billion years
• Fossils are the preserved evidence in rocks or soils of
organisms that once existed.
• A fossil can be the whole body of an organism, part of
it, or traces such as burrows, foot tracks, or
impressions.
Fossils

• Fossil records allow scientists

to build a sequence of
evolution of particular plants
and animals
The fossil record

• The fossil record is incomplete

• It is a list showing all the species that have been
found as fossils
• This is because some species are soft bodied, so they
decay too quickly or get squashed under pressure.
• Land organisms with soft bodies are unlikely to form
fossils
Fossil Formation
Not all dead plants and animals will be fossilized
– it takes specific conditions in order to create a
fossil.

Most dead organisms are decayed by micro-

organisms and no trace of their existence is left.

For a fossil to form, it generally requires:

• A quick burial (covered by sediment)
• The presence of hard body parts (such as
shells)
• An absence of decay organisms (bacteria
and fungi)
• a long period of no disturbance

• How Do Fossils Form Biology for All FuseSchool.mp4

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID7qhn1ipmw
Fossil Formation

Optimal Conditions for Fossil Formation:

- Die in water, not on land.

Your remains are more likely to be buried by
sediment and less likely to be destroyed by
scavengers or erosion.

- Choose a low energy environment like a lake

or swamp.
Your remains are less likely to be destroyed by
mechanical processes.
Fossil Formation
The finer the sediment
(e.g. mud) the better.

This excludes oxygen

and slows bacterial
decay, enabling soft
tissues to be preserved.
Fossil
Formation
Dinosaurs, crabs, shellfish,
mammals and trees are more
common as they are composed
of hard parts like skeletons,
teeth, wood and shells.

Being quickly covered by

sediment will stop a dead
organism from being eaten and
will slow or sometimes stop
decay from happening.

These conditions usually occur

at the bottom of an ocean or
lake.
Fossil
Formation
• Fossils are found in
sedimentary rock only.

• The heat and pressure

needed to form igneous
and metamorphic rocks
destroy any traces of
organisms within them.
Fossils
• Early fossils are fairly simple
organisms and later ones are
increasingly complex.

• New alleles and genes develop

from existing genes by mutation.

• It seems very unlikely that

complex organisms would
develop first and become
simpler (with fewer genes).
Fossils
• The fossil record shows
that there is an
increasing number of
species that have lived
on Earth.

• The increasing number

of species (increased
biodiversity) supports
the theory of evolution.
Fossils
• Fossils showing transitional forms
have also been found.

• For example there are transitional

forms that show a group of small
dinosaurs had feathers.

• Their fossils suggest that one

group of dinosaurs were in the
process of changing from
dinosaurs to birds.
Fossil Dating Activity
From the video:
• What's an anatomical detail that some dinosaurs share
with birds (that no other animal does)?
• True or false: dinosaurs used feathers to fly.
• What's the use of a peacock's tail feathers?
• What does Zimmer mean by accident of physics?
• Approximately how long did it take from the time the
first feather evolved until the first animal took flight?
Comparative Anatomy
• Comparative anatomy compares
the structures of organisms of
both living species and fossils.

• Homologous structures fit into

this category.

• Homologous structures such

as pentadactyl limbs are
structures that are similar
because they evolved from the
same ancestor
Homologous Structures
• A homologous structure does not necessarily have the
same function in all the groups that share it, but they
must have the same basic structure.

• For instance – humans, whales and bats all have 5

digits (fingers and toes) on the end of their limbs.
• In humans, the function of our digits is to grip things
and get traction when walking.
• The 5 digits at the end of a whale’s flipper is used to
propel itself through the water.
• The 5 digits that make up each of a bat’s wings, allow
them to fly.

• The human hand, whale flipper and bat wing are

HOMOLOGOUS structures, despite their different
functions.
Analogous Structures
• Not all similar structures are homologous structures.

• For example: dolphins and sharks have similar

streamlined bodies and similar dorsal fins on their
backs.

• However, these are not homologous structures

because different genes are involved in their
inheritance.

• Why have they evolved like this?

Analogous structures

A DOLPHIN (MAMMAL) AND A THEY ARE DIFFERENT ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES

SHARK (FISH) HAVE THE SAME GENETICALLY, SO THEIR ARE STRUCTURES IN
ENVIRONMENTAL SELECTION SIMILARITIES ARE CALLED ORGANISMS THAT PERFORM
PRESSURES ANALOGOUS STRUCTURES THE SAME FUNCTION BUT
ARE STRUCTURALLY
DIFFERENT
How do fossils and comparative
anatomy provide evidence for
evolution?

Recap
3. DNA and Protein
Structure

• All living cells have the same DNA

structure and genetic code.
• Proteins from genes are made from the
same set of amino acids.
• DNA comparisons between species
show significant similarities, even in
organisms like bacteria and humans.

• Guess: How similar is the human

cytochrome C gene (responsible for cell
energy release) to fungi? or moths?
 • Organisms that seem to be
closely related, on the basis
of comparative anatomy,
DNA and show more genes in
common than those that are
Protein less alike
Structure • 96% of genes between
chimpanzees and
humans are alike!
4. Distribution of Current Species
• When studying the distribution of a species, it is clear that many unique
species occur on isolated islands.
• With evolution, you would expect to find unusual species on particular
islands because isolation is necessary before speciation can occur.
• For instance, Australia has been isolated for approximately 40 million years and
has most of the worlds marsupials and the only two monotremes.
5. Embryology
• Embryology is the
study of the
development, structure
and function of
embryos
• Comparison of
vertebrate embryos
show striking
similarities in the early
stages of their
development
Summary – the five pieces of
evidence for evolution
• Fossils:

• Comparative anatomy:

• DNA and protein structures:

• Distribution of species:

• Embryology:
Online Interactive
• https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/evol
ution/evidence/