5.1-2 Evolution

5.
1 Evolution
 What is evolution ?
 What’s the evidence for evolution?
 What is speciation?
 Who wrote “The origin of the species”?
1
https://lau-z.wikispaces.com/IB+Biology+Resources Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. Biology: Oxford IB Diploma Programme. 2014 ed. N.p..
5.1 Define Evolution
 Evolution
 the process of gradual change in the heritable
characteristics of a population.
 ‘heritable’
 changes must be passed on genetically from one
generation to the next
 ‘population’
 changes do not affect just one individual
 ‘gradual’
 The change doesn’t occur suddenly
2
5.1 Outline Evidence for Evolution
Evidence for Evolution provided by:
1. Fossil Record
2. 2. Selective Breeding of Domesticated
Animals
3. Homologous Structures
4. Patterns of variation
https://youtu.be/lIEoO5KdPvg
3
Fossil Record
 Analysis of layers of rocks through
radioisotope dating
 The sequence in which fossils appear
matches the sequence in which they evolved
 Life 500 million years ago was very different
from life today
 Fish fossils have been found in rocks 500
million years old or younger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Cru41w5uI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe45GegJUvM
4
Fossil Record
 Although most of the top predators today are
mammals (orca whales, lions, tigers & bears)
… none of them existed at the time of dinosaurs
or before!
 Most living organisms today have no identical

form in the fossil record.
5
Fossil record, conclusion
 1 possible conclusion drawn from observing
fossils is that :
Life on Earth is continually changing.
 Most of the changes have been over huge

timescales (hundreds of thousands or millions
of years)!!!
6
Selective Breeding of Domesticated
Animals (Artificial Selection)
 It showed that selection can cause evolution
 Selective breeding gives a good record of
recent changes in heritable characteristics
 Selective Breeding:
 Choose males and females with most
desirable genetic characteristics
 Breed them to get offspring with those specific
characteristics
7
Evidence from selective breeding
 After selective breeding from dozens to hundreds of
generations….. certain varieties of animals have unique
combinations of characteristics that didn’t exist before.
 This demonstrates that evolution is happening due to

an accumulation of small changes over time.
 Note: Artificial selection (selective breeding) is NOT the

same as what happens in nature. It shows that
selection can cause evolution but not that evolution
occurred naturally.
8
Homologous and analogous
structures
 Analogous structures  similar function
and similar appearance but different origin
(convergent evolution)
 (e.g. tail fins of whales and fish; insect and
bird wings).
 Homologous structures  same origin,
different function and appearance (adaptive
radiation)
 (e.g. the pentadactyl limb of terrestrial
vertebrates).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MacfZPA95Ig 9
The pentadactyl limb
Lizard © Chereka Keaton Frog
Bat Human 10
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

Evidence from homologous
Structures
 Five-fingered (pentadactyl) limb found in
animals such as humans, whales, and bats.
 ‘penta’ = five
 ‘dactyl’ = fingers
 Although the shape and number of bones may
vary, the general format is the same, even
though the functions of the limbs may be very
different
 Homologous structures provide evidence
that such organisms have common ancestors
11
The pentadactyl limb
http://e08595.medialib.glogster.com
12
Speciation
 When two populations of a species stay
separeted and do not interbreed, they can
diverge into separate species  speciation
 The characteristics of the two populations
gradually diverged.
 Typical example of speciation: migration to an
island
13
Evidence from patterns of variation
 Species can gradually diverge over long
periods of time  there is no sudden switch
from being two populations of one species to
being two separate species
 Continuous variation across the geographical
range of related populations matches the
concept of gradual divergence.
14
Mechanism for Evolution
 Industrial melanism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etsjB-6u-6w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOcdkVqwCjc
 Natural Selection as the mechanism for evolution
 Charle Darwin  “The origin of the species” 1859
 Natural Selection accomplished by:
 Overproduction of offspring
 Presence of natural variation
15
5.2 Overproduction of offspring!!!
 Different species have different breeding rate
 Animals & plants produce far more offspring
than could ever survive. (More offspring than
the environment can support)
 Plants often produce thousands more seeds
than necessary to propagate the species
 Fish and turtles lay thousands of eggs but only
a few survive to adulthood
 Competition for resources within a population
16
5.2 Overproduction of offspring!!!
 Too many offspring, not enough resources!

 Supply and demand
 High demand for water, space, nutrients,
sunlight, but limited supply.
 Consequence? Competition for resources to
stay alive.
 The STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL
 Ex: Struggling to survive the IB Programme…
17
5.2 The members of a species show variation
 Example of No Variation within a species:

 Organisms like bacteria reproduce by making
a copy of their genetic info and then splitting
into two.
 Result: 2nd generation identical to the 1st
 Future generations identical or show very little
change
 Little chance for DNA modification
18
5.2 The members of a species show variation
 Variation is closely related to how successful

an organism is
 Fish with slightly different shaped mouth may
feed better from coral reef than other fish
unable to access
 Plants producing different shaped flower may
better attract insects for pollination
19
What are the causes of
variation?
20
Causes of variation
 Mutations in DNA
 Sexual Reproduction promotes variation in
species  combination of alleles from two
individuals
 Meiosis  crossing over and independent
orientation of bivalents  gametes are
different from the parent cell
21
5.2 Explain how natural selection
leads to evolution
 Greater survival and reproductive success

of individuals with favorable heritable
variations (a.k.a. Natural Selection)
 can LEAD to …
 … change in the characteristics of a

population (a.k.a. Evolution)
22
5.2 Adaptation
 Adaptations: characteristics that make an

individual suited to its environment and way
of life
 These characteristics develop over time and
thus the species evolves
 These characteristics do not develop during a
lifetime of one individual
 Characteristics that develop during a lifetime of
one individual: acquired characteristics 
they are not inheritable
23
Natural selection  Evolution
 Step 1: Overproduction of offspring
 Natural variation of offspring due to genetic
differences (body size, pigmentation, resistance to disease)
 Useful variations allow individual better chance of
survival (hiding from predators, feeling danger, finding food)
 Harmful variations make survival difficult (wrong
camouflage, heavy bones for birds, having such a large body
size when not enough food to survive)
24
 Step 2a: Individuals with genetic
characteristics that are POORLY adapted for
environment
 Tend to be LESS successful at accessing
resources
 And thus have LESS chance of surviving to
maturity
25
 Step 2b: Individuals with genetic characteristics that are
WELL-adapted for environment
 Tend to be MORE successful at accessing resources
 And thus have BETTER chance of surviving to maturity
 Since they survive to adulthood, these successful
organisms have a better chance to reproduce and pass on
their genetic characteristics to the next generation.
 Step 3: Inheritance of characteristics: THE GENE
POOL HAS CHANGED! Over many generations,
accumulation of changes in the heritable
characteristics of a population results in evolution.
26
 Natural selection increases the frequency of
characteristics that make individuals better
adapted and decreases the frequency of
other characteristics, leading to changes
within the species.
27
5.2 Explain examples of evolution in
response to environmental change
 Examples could include:
 Antibiotic Resistance to Bacteria
 The changes in size and shape of the beaks of
Galapagos finches
 Pesticide resistance
 Industrial melanism
(http://peppermoths.weebly.com/)
28
Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
 Biotic = Living
 Antibiotics: medications that kill or inhibit the
growth of bacteria
 Given to patients suffering from bacterial
infections
 Overuse of antibiotics can lead to the
production of resistant strains of bacteria
29
Antibiotics Resistance scenario
1. Yo’nique gets sick from bacterial infection
(tuberculosis).
2. Dr. Wahoo gives her antibiotic to kill bacteria
3. Yo’nique gets “better” because most of the bacteria
are destroyed. Awww yee-uah!
4. But WAIT!!! By a modification of its genetic makeup,
one little bacterium is resistant to the antibiotic! OH
NO!!!
5. The bacterium is not killed by the antibiotic! It later
multiplies in the Yo’nique’s body to make her icky
sicky again!! 
30
Antibiotics Resistance scenario (cont’d)
6. Yo’nique goes back to the hospital, and the same
incompetent Dr. Wahoo gives her the SAME antibiotic!
7. Well, because the new strain of bacteria is resistant to
that same antibiotic, she doesn’t get any better. 
8. So Yo’nique has to go back to the hospital, and Dr.
Wahoo realizes his mistake. Hoping Yo’nique won’t
realize it too and sue, he prescribes a different
antibiotic.
9. Yo’nique doesn’t get better and unfortunately dies of a
upper respiratory infection.  Sniff.
10. Dr. Wahoo is sued for malpractice by Yo’nique’s family.
31
Pesticide Resistance Scenario
 Pesticides: chemicals that kill animals that are regarded as
pests.
1. Pesticides are applied to the field and kill the majority of the
mice that were eating Farmer Billy Joe Bob’s crops.
2. Due to natural variations, a few mice are slightly different and
unaffected by the poison.
3. Resistant mice survive and reproduce, making a new
population of “mighty mice” – some or all of the members
possess the genetic resistance.
4. Seeing more mice eating his crops, Billy Joe Bob puts out
more poison. This time fewer mice die.
5. To kill the resistant “mighty mice”, a new pesticide must be
used. But Farmer Billy Joe Bob doesn’t realize this, and
instead the mighty mice become superheroes and fight crime.
6. Mighty Mice chillax with Hamtaro, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles, Thundercats, and Picachu.
32
Question 1:
(a) Explain briefly Darwin’s theory of evolution.
(4 marks)
(b) Outline two modern examples where

evolution can be observed. (2 marks)
(c) State two ways in which the remains of past

living organisms have been preserved. (2 marks)
(Total 8 marks)
33
https://lau-z.wikispaces.com/IB+Biology+Resources
(a) Explain briefly Darwin’s theory of
evolution.
 parents produce more offspring than survive;
 there is competition among members of a species for
survival /
struggle for existence;
 species show variation;
certain variations will give a selective advantage /
survival of fittest;
 depending on the environment;
these variations will be passed on to the next
generation;
 leading to change in allele frequency;
4 max
34
(b) Outline two modern examples
where evolution can be observed.
 change of beak shape in Galapagos finches;
 resistance to pesticides / antibiotics;
 melanism in ladybirds (ladybugs).
2 max
35
(c) State two ways in which the remains of
past living organisms have been preserved
 fossils;
 prints / moulds;
 preserved in amber / tar / peat / petrification;
 frozen in ice
2 max
36
Question 2:
Explain the evidence for evolution provided by
the pentadactyl limb. (2 marks)
37
Q2: Explain the evidence for evolution
provided by the pentadactyl limb.
 vertebrates (nearly all) have pentadactyl
limbs / homologous structures;
 the structure in all is very similar (in spite of

different uses);
 likely to have evolved from a common

ancestor;
2 max
38

5.1-2 Evolution

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5.1-2 Evolution

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5.

 Most living organisms today have no identical

 Most of the changes have been over huge

 This demonstrates that evolution is happening due to

 Note: Artificial selection (selective breeding) is NOT the

Lizard © Chereka Keaton Frog

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 Too many offspring, not enough resources!

 Example of No Variation within a species:

 Variation is closely related to how successful

 Greater survival and reproductive success

 … change in the characteristics of a

 Adaptations: characteristics that make an

(b) Outline two modern examples where

(c) State two ways in which the remains of past

 the structure in all is very similar (in spite of

 likely to have evolved from a common

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