EVOLUTION
Evolution, or change over time, is the
process by which modern organisms have
descended from ancient organisms.
A scientific theory is a well-supported
testable explanation of phenomena that have
occurred in the natural world.
How do you think Darwin
came up with his theory?
Voyage of the Beagle
Voyage of Beagle
Dates: February 12th, 1831
Captain: Charles Darwin
Ship: H.M.S. Beagle
Destination: Voyage around the world.
Findings: evidence to propose a
revolutionary hypothesis about how life
changes over time
Darwin visited Argentina and Australia which had
similar grassland ecosystems.
those grasslands were inhabited by very different
animals.
neither Argentina nor Australia was home to the
sorts of animals that lived in European grasslands.
Darwin posed challenging questions.
Why were there no rabbits in Australia, despite the
presence of habitats that seemed perfect for them?
Why were there no kangaroos in England?
Darwin collected the preserved remains of
ancient organisms, called fossils.
Some of those fossils resembled organisms that
were still alive today.
Others looked completely unlike any creature he had
ever seen.
As Darwin studied fossils, new questions arose.
Why had so many of these species disappeared?
How were they related to living species?
Fossils
The smallest, lowest islands were hot,
dry, and nearly barren-Hood Island-sparse
vegetation
The higher islands had greater rainfall and
a different assortment of plants and
animals-Isabela- Island had rich
vegetation.
Darwin was fascinated in particular by the land
tortoises and marine iguanas in the Galápagos.
Giant tortoises varied in predictable ways from
one island to another.
The shape of a tortoise's shell could be used to
identify which island a particular tortoise
inhabited.
Land Tortoises
Darwin Finches
Blue-Footed Booby
Marine Iguanas
Animals found in the Galapagos
Darwin Observed that characteristics
of many plants and animals vary
greatly among the islands
Hypothesis: Separate species may
have arose from an original ancestor
James Hutton:
1795 Theory of
Geological change
Forces change
earth’s surface
shape
Changes are slow
Earth much older
than thousands of
years
Charles Lyell
Book: Principles of
Geography
Geographical features
can be built up or torn
down
Darwin thought if
earth changed over
time, what about life?
Lamarck
Tendency toward Perfection(Giraffe
necks)
Use and Disuse (bird’s using forearms)
Inheritance of Acquired Traits
Thomas Malthus-
19th century English
economist
If population grew
(more Babies born
than die)
Insufficient living
space
Food runs out
Darwin applied this
theory to animals
Russel Wallace wrote
an essay summarizing
evolutionary change
from his field work in
Malaysia
Gave Darwin the drive
to publish his findings
Natural variation--differences among
individuals of a species
Artificial selection- nature provides the
variation among different organisms, and
humans select those variations they find
useful.
The Struggle for Existence-members of
each species have to compete for food,
shelter, other life necessities
Survival of the Fittest-Some individuals
better suited for the environment
Over time, natural
selection results in
changes in inherited
characteristics of a
population. These
changes increase a
species fitness in its
environment
Descent with Modification-Each living organism has
descended, with changes from other species over time
Common Descent- were derived from common ancestors
The Fossil Record
Geographic Distribution of Living Things
Homologous Body Structures
Similarities in Early Development
The Fossil Record-
Layer show change
Geographic
Distribution of Living
Things
Homologous Body
Structures
Similarities in Early
Development
The Fossil Record
Geographic
Distribution of
Living Things-similar
environments have
similar types of
organisms
Homologous Body
Structures
Similarities in Early
Development
Homologous Structures-structures that
have different mature forms in different
organisms, but develop from the same
embryonic tissue
Vestigial organs-organs that serve
no useful function in an organism
i.e.) appendix, miniature legs, arms
Individuals in nature differ from one
another
Organisms in nature produce more offspring
than can survive, and many of those who do
not survive do not reproduce.
Because more organisms are produce than
can survive, each species must struggle for
resources
Each organism is unique, each has
advantages and disadvantages in the
struggle for existence
Individuals best suited for the environment
survive and reproduce most successful
Species change over time
Species alive today descended with modification
from species that lived in the past
All organisms on earth are united into a single
family tree of life by common descent
