Mechanisms of Evolution

Genetic Variation
 No two persons are exactly similar. Hence, no two persons have the same codes of
DNA. This is because as an individual, you carry a unique set of genes. The differences
between the genes of each individual and the differences between genes of the different
populations are termed GENETIC VARIATION
Gene Frequency
 The number of times at which the common gene appears in everyone within a
population
 Refers to how common a specific gene is in a group of species within a specific area.
Evolution
 The change in the genetic materials of organisms, it is a change manifested in their
traits.
 Any change in the gene frequency of a species or population

MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTION
- What causes a change in gene frequency?
Gene and the DNA don’t change overnight and don’t change with no cause
- There are various mechanisms that bring forth changes to the gene frequency
1. Artificial Selection
2. Natural Selection
3. Gene Flow/Migration
4. Genetic Drift
5. Non-random Mating
6. Recombination
7. Mutation
Artificial Selection
 This is also termed as selective breeding.
 It is when humans selectively choose to breed animals and plants with specific traits that
they deemed beneficial for different purposes.
Examples are the modern chicken; as time passed by, the gene frequency of the original traits
of chicken, which are smaller have evolved into bigger sizes to suit the needs for better market
value for these goods.

Natural Selection
 It is the process which is also known as “Survival of the Fittest.”
 Nature or the environment dictates which among the organism will survive, this organism
has a certain variety of traits or characteristics that will be passed on to the next
generation.
Natural selection is a major reason for this, green beetles are easily spotted by birds that
may feed on them. Since salagubang usually lives on logs and warm dark areas or part of a
tree, over the course of time those with green colors became scarce after being easily eaten
by prey such as birds
Gene Flow or Migration
 This occurs when a group or individual species migrated from one place to another
affecting the gene pool of the place that they left and the place where they arrive.
An example of gene flow is when a brown beetle migrated to the population of green beetle
because of certain reasons, when this brown beetle interbreeds with a green beetle the
gene of their offspring will be different from the rest of the original population. As time goes
by, continuous interbreeding will result in hybrids offspring and will in turn make the gene
frequency of the said population significantly different from before

Genetic Drift

 It is a result of an incident or accident which may have brought significant and palpable
change to the gene frequency or common traits in a given population.
 Catastrophic events such as floods, volcanic eruptions, and a pandemic or epidemic
may greatly affect the gene pool of a given population, especially if the population is
small enough to be impacted by some “chance” events.
Genetic Drift – Bottleneck Effect

The original population is once filled with more variety of genes from different unique individuals;
but the bottleneck hinders some other individuals to survive or continue reproducing, leaving
only the chance survivors to reproduce and pass on their traits
Non-Random Mating
 It occurs when some species choose a partner with preferred characteristics.
 Some male species with less preferred traits may not be able to reproduce and pass
their genes on the next generation. This event may also happen in male to female
circumstances, wherein some male species choose or look for specific traits in a female.
Recombination

 Recombination or gene shuffling is life’s way of bringing variety in similarity. It occurs

during meiosis, the cell replication process used for reproduction.
 Recombination is also the reason behind gene variation between siblings and twins and
makes genetic diversity possible.

Mutation

 A Mutation occurs when an insertion, deletion, or any change in the codes of the DNA
takes place.
 Internal factors happen when the DNA fails to copy or duplicate the DNA correctly
 External factors are usually caused by radiation which may result in the breaking of the
DNA.