SHS

General Biology 2
Activity Sheet
Quarter 3 – MELC 5
Week 3
Patterns of Descent

REGION VI-WESTERN VISAYAS

General Biology 2
Activity Sheet No. 5 - Patterns of Descent
First Edition, 2021

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By the Department of Education
Region 6 – Western Visayas

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MARY CHERRY LYNN M. DALIPE

Division of Aklan Management Team:

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Samuel J. Malayo
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Mahnnie Q. Tolentino

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Introductory Message
Welcome to Biology 2!

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of

the Schools Division of Guimaras and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western
Visayas through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD).
This is developed to guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and
responsible adults) in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to
12 Basic Education Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials

aimed to guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and
time using the contextualized resources in the community. This will also
assist the learners in acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and
attitudes for productivity and employment.

For learning facilitator:

The General Biology 2 Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the teaching-
learning activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)
with minimal or no face-to-face encounter between you and learner. This will be
made available to the learners with the references/links to ease the independent
learning.

For the learner:

The General Biology 2 Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue

learning even if you are not in school. This learning material provides you with
meaningful and engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner,
carefully read and understand the instructions then perform the activities and
answer the assessments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed
schedule.
Name of Learner:_________________________________________________________
Grade and Section:__________________________ Date: ______________________

BIOLOGY 2 LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET `NO. 5

Patterns of Descent

I. Learning Competency with Code

Show patterns of descent with modification from common ancestors to produce the
organismal diversity observed today. (STEM_BIO11/12-IIIc-g-10)

II. Background Information for Learners

While most of you are confused about the descent of modification, this
concept was actually realized in the mid-nineteenth century through observation by
the two naturalists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. Darwin is considered
to be the “Father of Natural Selection” but the actual concept was actually developed
both by Darwin and Wallace. Both of them observed similar patterns in other
organisms and they independently developed the same explanation for how and why
such changes occur. Darwin called it a natural selection, also known as the
“survival of the fittest”, it is the proliferation of individuals with favorable traits and
is evident on the survival of the species due to environmental change that can be
passed on to the next generation.

Darwin himself used the phrase “descent with modification” but was
reformed to the word “evolution” through time. The discovery of the descent with
modification did not stop with their works in fact, the search for evidences continue
to strengthen the “Theory of Evolution”. The theory of evolution is based on the
idea that all species are related and gradually change over time.

Genetic differences are heritable and can be passed on to the next

generation and in other way it can be altered depending on the environmental factors
creating a modified characteristic different from its ancestors. Descent with
modification suggest that each species has descended with changes from other
species over time and that all species living and extinct share a common ancestor. It
is a predictable and a long-term outcome of several principles taken from nature.
The passing on of traits from parent to their offspring is called heredity and gene as
its basic unit. Gene is a blueprint that holds the information in making an organism.
The passing of gene is not always exact. In a sexual reproduction for example, genes
of one parent are combined to another parent organism. This is why there are no
organisms seen to have an exact copy of genes or ambiguos features with their
parents. In other words, evolution gave the idea that nobody looks exactly like his
parents.

Small changes in every generation over billions of years have led to new
species branching from one common ancestor creating a “tree of life”. These changes
occur in the DNA inside a gene. Factors leading to these changes could be due to
adaptation, natural selection or survival of the fittest, genetic drift, mutation and
recombination as discussed in your previous learning activity. In each case, the
offspring in the population will have slightly different genes than the parents. These
are the reasons for the organismal diversity.

Most species came from one common ancestor that diverge or converge
through time affecting physical transition. It can undergo various kinds of natural

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selection and may engage in several patterns of evolution. Environmental factors can
have several effects on how species are exposed to them. This could lead to the two
main types of evolutional patterns: convergent and divergent evolution as sshown in
the figure below.

Figure 1. (A)divergent
evolution (B)convergent evolution

Divergent evolution occurs when closely related species diverge to

form new species from a common ancestor. This type of evolution contributed to the
current diversity of species on earth. This evolutional pattern may occur in response
to changes in environmental conditions, competition, predation, or when a new niche
is become available. Through divergent evolution, organisms may develop
homologous structures. These are anatomically similar, which are present in the
common ancestor and persist within the diverged organisms, although have evolved
dissimilar functions.

Example is the Darwin’s finches in

Figure 2. Darwin’sfinches in the Galapagos Islands
showing divergent evolution.
the Galapagos Islands, with several
species matching with their unique beak
shape ( see Figure 2). The species on the
islands had a graded beak sizes and
shapes with very small differences
between the most similar. From it, he
concluded that the varied beaks evolved to
help the birds acquire a specific type of
food. In his search, he found out that the
variation in their finches was used for a
different type of food available in their
environment.

Convergent evolution takes place when two different species started to share
the same traits because they are in the same environment. Species can converge in
sympatry. An example of convergent evolution is the similar nature of wings of
insects, birds and bats.
A butterfly species in Figure 3, is
an example of species that adapted to
change. The alteration of butterfly
wings’ color as seen in the illustration
evolve to help them protect themselves
from predators. Beyond butterflies, it
is possible that this type of speciation
has been part of the species
convergence They evolve after one has
become aposematic (warningly colored)
because it is toxic or poisonous.

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 Figure 3. Modification of butterfly wings,showing a
convergent evolution.
Today, it is clearly understood that
organisms descended from ancestral species. The organisms that you see now could
be a way different before or could be from the same ancestors but have changed
through time because of the above-mentioned environmental factors.

To understand it better, unfold this mechanism as you go on with this learning

activity.

III. Activity Proper

Activity 1

Theory of Descent with Modification

1. How does the descent of modification occur? What are the environmental
factors involve?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Provided with the evidences below, choose which of these represents descent with
modification.

A.)

B.)

3. Based on your choice, explain why it is considered as a descent with

modification? Provide one theory or evidence to support your answer.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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 Activity 2

Patterns of Descent with Modification

From Common Ancestors

1. Dog is a common pet found at home. Using this species create a diagram to show
patterns of descent with modification of dog from its common ancestor. You can
use the internet or book for your reference. Answers could be in a form of
drawing or word. Arrows can be use in indicating the modification. (Please see
example below)

Example: The descent of modification or evolution of cat.

2. What pattern of evolution this species represents? Explain your answer.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

IV. Reflection

If you have a power to modify a part of yourself, what would it be? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

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 5
Tiamson, M. E.(2019).General Biology 2.Vibal Publishing.
Biology 2.OpenStaxCollege.
Rye, C., Wise, R., Jurukovski, V.,DeSain, J., Choi, J., Avissar,Y. (2019). General
February 1,2021
https://www.thoughtco.com/descent-with-modification-129878 retrieved on
altered versions of ancestral features. Retrieved on Janusry 31, 2021.
htm#:~:text=In descent with modification, new species descend from, but are
http://faculty.valenciacollege.edu/glindbeck/BSC1011C/22Descent.
VI. Links and/or Other References
Activity 1 (Answers may vary)
1. Small changes in every generation billion of years have led to new species branching from
one common ancestor creating a “tree of life”. These changes occur in the DNA inside a
gene. Factors leading to these changes could be due to adaptation, natural selection or
survival of the fittest, genetic drift, mutation and recombination. These are the reason for
the organismal diversity.
2. The difference in weight in example number 1 came about because of the environmental
factors like a low supply of food and not because of the change in gene frequency. The
small body size was not genetically determined, since physical appearance may change if
they have a normal food supply. The change in color in illustration number 2 definitely
depicts a descent with modification called evolution. It is generally different from the
population in number 2 because most of them turned to brown from a 90% colored green
population. A theory that can support this change is the theory of evolution, based on
the idea, all species are related and gradually change over time triggered by some
environmentao factors.
Activity 2 1-2. Anwers may vary depending on the illustration presented. The pattern of
descent with modification is also dependent on the illustration.
Reflection (answers may vary)
V. Answer Key