Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

1. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Organisms Change Over Time

2. Common Descent with Modification • Darwin proposed that organisms descended from common ancestors • Idea that organisms change with time, diverging from a common form • Caused evolution of new species

3. Natural Selection • Driving force for evolution • During the struggle for resources, strongest survive & reproduce • Idea that at least some of the differences between individuals, which impact their survival and fertility, are inheritable .

4. Origin of Species Darwin Presents His Case

5. Publication of “On The Origin of Species” • Upon His Return To England, Darwin Developed His Observations Into The Theory of Evolution • But He Did Not Publish For 25 Years – Why?

6. Publication of “On The Origin of Species” • Darwin Knew That His Theory Would Be Extremely Controversial And Would Be Attacked • His Theory Challenged Established Religious & Scientific Beliefs, Particularly About The Creation Of Man

7. Publication of “On The Origin of Species” • He Refused To Publish Until He Received An Essay From Alfred Wallace • Fellow Naturalist • Independently Developed The Same Theory • After 25 Years, Someone Else Had Come To The Same Conclusions From Their Observations Of Nature

8. Wallace’s Contribution • Alfred Russel Wallace Independently came to same Conclusion as Darwin that species changed over time because of their struggle for existence • When Darwin read Wallace’s essay, he knew he had to publish his findings

9. Publication of “On The Origin of Species” • Darwin Presented Wallace’s Essay & Some Of His Work At A Scientific Conference of the Linnaean Society in July of 1858 • Then He Started On his book “Origin of Species” • It Took Darwin 18 Months To Complete The Book

10. Natural Variation and Artificial Selection • Abandoned The Idea That Species Were Perfect & Unchanging • Observed Significant Variation in All Species Observed • Observed Farmers Use Variation To Improve Crops & Livestock • Called Selective Breeding

11. Natural Variation and Artificial Selection • Natural Variation • Differences Among Individuals Of A Species • Artificial Selection • Selective Breeding To Enhance Desired Traits Among Stock or Crops

12. Natural Variation and Artificial Selection Key Concept: In Artificial Selection, Nature Provided The Variation Among Different Organisms, And Humans Selected Those Variations That They Found Useful

14. Origin of Species Concepts and Controversy

15. Evolution By Natural Selection Concepts • The Struggle for Existence (compete for food, mates, space, water, etc.) • Survival of the Fittest (strongest able to survive and reproduce) • Descent with Modification (new species arise from common ancestor replacing less fit species)

16. Survival of the Fittest • Fitness • Ability of an Individual To Survive & Reproduce • Adaptation • Inherited Characteristic That Increases an Organisms Chance for Survival

17. Survival of the Fittest • Adaptations Can Be: • Physical • Speed, Camouflage, Claws, Quills, etc. • Behavioral • Solitary, Herds, Packs, Activity, etc.

18. Survival of the Fittest • Fitness Is Central To The Process Of Evolution • Individuals With Low Fitness • Die • Produce Few Offspring Survival of the Fittest AKA Natural Selection

19. Survival of the Fittest Key Concept Over Time, Natural Selection Results In Changes In The Inherited Characteristics Of A Population. These Changes Increase A Species Fitness In Its Environment

20. Natural Selection • Cannot Be Seen Directly • It Can Only Be Observed As Changes In A Population Over Many Successive Generations • Radiation • Fossil Record

21. Descent With Modification • Takes Place Over Long Periods of Time • Natural Selection Can Be Observed As Changes In • Body Structures • Ecological Niches • Habitats

22. Descent With Modification • Species Today Look Different From Their Ancestors • Each Living Species Has • Descended • With Changes • From Other Species • Over Time

23. Descent With Modification

24. Descent With Modification • Implies • All Living Organisms Are Related • Single Tree of Life • DNA, Body Structures, Energy Sources • Common Descent • All Species, Living & Extinct, Were Derived From Common Ancestors

25. Major Problem in Darwin’s Theory • No mechanism to explain natural selection • How could favorable variations be transmitted to later generations? • With the rediscovery of Mendel’s work in the first half of the 20th century, the missing link in evolutionary theory was found .

26. Opposition to Evolution • The upheaval surrounding evolution began with Darwin’s publication of On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection • The debate continues nearly 150 years later

27. Theory of Evolution Today Supporting Evidence

28. Homologous Structures

29. Evidence for Evolution - Comparative Embryology Similarities In Embryonic Development

30. Similarities in DNA Sequence

31. Evolution of pesticide resistance in response to selection

32. Evolution of drug-resistance in HIV Evidence for Evolution – Evolution Observed

33. Evidence for Evolution – Evolution Observed Selection against small guppies results in an increase in average size

34. Evolutionary Time Scales Macroevolution:Long time scale events that create and destroy species.

35. Evolutionary Time Scales Microevolution: Short time scale events (generation-to-generation) that change the genotypes and phenotypes of populations

36. Evidence of Evolution Key Concept Darwin Argued That Living Things Have Been Evolving On Earth For Millions of Years. Evidence For This Process Could Be Found In: • The Fossil Record • The Geographical Distribution of Living Species • Homologous Structures of Living Organisms • Similarities In Early Development

37. Fossil Record • Earth is Billions of Years Old • Fossils In Different Layers of Rock (sedimentary Rock Strata) Showed Evidence Of Gradual Change Over Time

38. Geographic Distribution of Living Species • Different Animals On Different Continents But Similar Adaptations To Shared Environments

39. Homologous Body Structures • Scientists Noticed Animals With Backbones (Vertebrates) Had Similar Bone Structure • May Differ In Form or Function • Limb Bones Develop In Similar Patterns • Arms, Wings, Legs, Flippers

40. Homologous Body Structures • Structures That Have Different Mature Forms But Develop From The Same Embryonic Tissues • Strong Evidence That All Four-Limbed Animals With Backbones Descended, With Modification, From A Common Ancestor • Help Scientist Group Animals

41. Homologous Body Structures

42. Homologous Body Structures • Not All Serve Important Functions • Vestigial Organs • Appendix In Man • Legs On Skinks

43. Similarities In Early Development • Embryonic Structures Of Different Species Show Significant Similarities • Embryo – early stages of vertebrate development

44. Human Fetus – 5 weeks

45. Chicken Turtle Rat

46. Review

47. Darwin's Theory • Individual Organisms In Nature Differ From One Another. Some Of This Variation Is Inherited • Organisms In Nature Produce More Offspring Than Can Survive, And Many Of These Offspring Do No Reproduce

48. Darwin's Theory • Because More Organisms Are Produced Than Can Survive, Members Of Each Species Must Compete For Limited Resources • Because Each Organism Is Unique, Each Has Different Advantages & Disadvantages In The Struggle For Existence

49. Darwin's Theory • Individuals Best Suited To Their Environment Survive & Reproduce Successfully – Passing Their Traits To Their Offspring. • Species Change Over Time. Over Long Periods, Natural Selection Causes Changes That May Eventually Lead To New Species

50. Darwin's Theory • Species Alive Today Have Descended With Modifications From Species That Lived In The Past • All Organisms On Earth Are United Into A Single Tree Of Life By Common Descent