ED 214 Ecology and Education

First Output

Name: Liberty M. Jimenez

Class Session: Cluster B
Name of Faculty: Prof. VIRGILIO ERICSON BAPTISTA

1. What are some evidences of natural selection?

Some types of evidences of natural selection such as fossils and similarities between related living
organisms, were used by Darwin to develop his theory of natural selection, and are still used today.
Others, such as DNA testing, were not available in Darwin's time, but are used by scientists today to
learn more about evolution.

2. Does natural selection act on genotypes or phenotypes? Is it a random process? Does it act for
the good of the species?

Natural selection acts on the phenotype of an individual. On the other hand, natural selection does
not act on the underlying genotype of an individual. It is not a random process. The genetic variation
on which natural selection acts may occur randomly, but natural selection itself is not random at all.
Natural selection acts for the good of the species. The fittest organisms in a population are those that
are strongest, healthiest, fastest, and/or largest. Natural selection is about survival of the very fittest
individuals in a population. Natural selection produces organisms perfectly suited to their
environments.

3. What are the most important discoveries in evolutionary biology?

The most important discoveries in evolutionary biology are the Copernican Revolution that is
consisted in displacing the Earth from its previously accepted locus as the center of the universe and
moving it to a subordinate place as just one more planet revolving around the sun. In congruous
manner, and the Darwinian Revolution is viewed as consisting of the displacement of humans from
their exalted position as the center of life on earth, with all other species created for the service of
humankind.

4. What are the notable mechanisms of evolution?

Mechanisms of Evolution:
a. No mutation -No new alleles are generated by mutation, nor are genes duplicated or deleted.
b. Random mating - Organisms mate randomly with each other, with no preference for particular
genotypes.
c. No gene flow- Neither individuals nor their gametes (e.g., windborne pollen) enter or exit the
population.
d. Very large population size- The population should be effectively infinite in size.
e. No natural selection- All alleles confer equal fitness (make organisms equally likely to survive
and reproduce).

5. Why might a particular behavior depend on the ecology of an organism?

 Animals can respond to environmental change in 3 key ways: disperse, adjust through phenotypic
plasticity, or adapt through genetic changes. In the context of anthropogenic change, plasticity is
important because opportunities for dispersal and adaptation are often limited. Dispersal between
patches, for instance, may not be possible due to physical barriers to movement—a problem that is
likely to worsen with the continued destruction and fragmentation of habitats. Similarly, human-
mediated changes are often so rapid that evolutionary processes may simply be unable to keep pace
with the changes that are taking place. For many animals, a change in behavior is very often the first
response to other organisms’ conditions. Such behavioral modifications can potentially improve an
organism’s prospects of surviving and reproducing in a changing world.

6. You observe a bird bouncing up and down in a complicated behavior while on a

nature walks. You would like to understand why it is doing that behavior. Present three
hypotheses that will explain such behavior.

Hypothesis:
a. The bird is catching its prey.
b. The bird is ready for mating.
c. The birds ancestors run and jump.

7. Signals like stimuli cause behavioral changes. Signals may be pheromone, visual, auditory or
territorial. Explain your reasoning on which signal would be most effect in the following
animals:
a. a male tiger defending his territory from other males.

Territorial- The larger area contains more than enough food, water and shelter resources, but
is larger to accommodate more females' territories.

b. a male fruit fly courting a female

Pheromone- the male fruit flies lay down an odorant, or pheromone, that not only attracts
females to lay eggs nearby, but also guides males and females searching for food.

c. a peacock spreading its tail to attract mate

Visual- the peacock spreads out his tail feathers to display his colors and eyespots fully for her
to see.
8. Describe a laboratory experiment that you can apply in your class to study a behavioral trait.
I will apply Field experiments that are done in the everyday or real-life environment of my students.
The experimenter still manipulates the independent variable, but in a real-life setting.