Ecology Lecture Notes – Chapter 2

Evolution Concerns How Species Change over Time

 Darwin’s observations of mockingbirds and tortoises on the Galápagos Islands helped
convince him that species evolve. His theory of natural selection supposed that better
adapted species would acquire more resources and leave more offspring.
 There are many examples of natural selection in response to environmental changes. For
example, peppered moths have changed color over time in response to pollution.
 Mendel’s crosses of pea plants provided a genetic mechanism for evolution. The crosses
showed how species inherited factors from relatives and that these factors could be passed
down unchanged. The factors were coded for by units of DNA called genes. Genes exist in
two forms, or alleles, called dominant and recessive.

Gene and Chromosome Mutations Cause Novel Phenotypes

 Genetic variation may be caused by gene or chromosomal mutations.

The Hardy-Weinberg Equation Describes Allele and Genotype Frequencies in an Equilibrium

Population
 The Hardy-Weinberg equation predicts unchanging allele and genotype frequencies in a
large population that is not subject to natural selection where there is random mating, no
migration, and no new mutations.

Small Populations Cause the Loss of Genetic Diversity

 Small populations are threatened by a loss of genetic variability. This loss may be caused by
inbreeding, genetic drift, and limited mating.
 Small population sizes accelerate loss of genetic variation due to inbreeding and can
increase rates of population extinction.
 Genetic drift can result in a loss of genetic diversity from a population by chance alone. The
movement of a few individuals between populations can counteract the effects of genetic
drift. Effective population size can be reduced by harem mating structures