Biological Evolution and Adaptation Quiz

Earth's Timeline

• Earth formed 4.54 billion years ago (bya)
• Meteorite bombardment occurred from 4.54 to 3.8 bya
• Polymerization occurred 4 bya
• Volcanoes and molten rock appeared 5 bya
• UV light appeared 5 bya
• CO₂ and NO₂ were present 4 bya
• First protocells appeared 3.5 bya
• Bacteria appeared 3.2 bya
• Bacterial colonies appeared 2 bya
• Cyanobacteria appeared 2.5 bya
• First eukaryotes appeared 1.2 bya
• First vertebrates (sea invertebrates) appeared 700 mya
• Plants, amphibians, reptiles appeared 300 mya
• Fish, algae, fungi appeared 700 mya
• Dinosaurs, birds, insects appeared 240 mya
• Primates appeared 65 mya
• Humans appeared 1.5 mya

Earth's History

• The timeline is represented by a clock, with significant events marked.
• Earth formation is at 0:00
• Formation of life is at 4 am
• Oldest fossils discovered at 5:36 am
• Early life with abundant banded iron-formations from 6 am to 1:52 pm.
• Single-celled algae appeared at 2:08 pm
• Sexual reproduction started at 6:08 pm
• Land plants appeared at 9:52 pm
• Coal swamps occurred at 10:24 pm
• Dinosaurs appeared at 10:56 pm
• Mammals appeared at 11:39 pm
• Humans appeared at 11:58:43 pm

Inquiry Questions

• How has the Earth changed over time?
• Do organisms change? How? In what ways?
• Are changes in organisms passed on from generation to generation?

What is Evolution?

• Biological evolution is the scientific theory that states that living things have diverged from shared ancestors.
• Evolution is also the idea that the universe has a history and that change over time has taken place.
• Scientists have questions about evolution and often disagree on patterns and processes of evolution, but they do not question whether evolution has occurred.

Earth and Solar Systems

• There are diagrams showing the Earth-centered solar system and the Sun-centered solar system.

What is Evolution (Videos)

• There are links to YouTube videos about evolution, discussing 4 billion years of evolution in 6 minutes, a science career, and about what evolution is.

Changes During a Lifetime

• Development involves physical changes during an individual's lifetime, resulting from growth or aging.
• Cosmetic alterations and accidental scars are not inherited.
• Stages of development are depicted with newborns, adults, and advanced ages, highlighting visible differences.

Adaptations

• Adaptations, structural, behavioral and physiological processes, assist organisms in survival and reproduction.
• Penguin adaptations (structural, behavioral, physiological) are described, including short, stiff tails for balance, winter huddling for warmth, and dietary behaviours to conserve energy when food is scarce.

Other Behavioral Adaptations

• Other primates, such as monkeys, exhibit behaviors like swinging (commuting), grooming, socializing, exploring, examining unfamiliar food sources, and caring for their young.

Physiological Adaptations

• Male penguins can survive for 100 days without food.
• Penguins' resting heart rates slow down during dives for better oxygen conservation and extended foraging.

How do These Adaptations Arise in a Population?

• Adaptations arise from genetic variation in populations, which originate from mutations.
• Mutations create new gene versions (alleles), introducing new genetic information.
• Beneficial mutations enhance reproductive success and are often favored by the environment.

Evolution and Genetic Variation

• Mutations are the original source of genetic variation, providing a continuous supply of new genetic information.
• Mutations directly affect individuals and influence future generations when they are inherited.
• Mutations' impact depends on the environment.

Changes Between Generations

• Evolutionary change occurs when inheritable traits of a species differ, facilitated by favourable traits.
• Favourable characteristics are passed on to successive generations, leading to changes in the species.
• Neutral traits persist in the population at low frequencies.
• Harmful traits are lost over time in the population

Neutral Mutations

• A neutral mutation is one that does not benefit or harm the individual's chance of survival or reproduction.
• Lactase, an enzyme in milk digestion, experiences a genetic switch in some individuals allowing them to consume milk as adults.

Harmful Mutations

• Harmful mutations decrease the reproductive success of an organism.
• The HHT gene mutation potentially causes Huntington's disease.

Beneficial Mutations

• Beneficial mutations improve reproductive success, granting organisms an advantage.
• The sickle-cell allele provides resistance to malaria, increasing survival in malaria-prone regions.

Mutations and the Environment

• The impact of a mutation depends on the environment in which it is expressed..
• The same mutation can be harmful in one environment, neutral in another, and beneficial in a different environment.
• Examples of mutations’ diverse effects are provided, such as hemoglobin mutations affecting high-altitude survival.

Life After Chernobyl

• On April 26, 1986, a reactor explosion occurred due to flawed design and inexperienced workers at Chernobyl.
• The explosion resulted in acute radiation sickness (ARS), causing deaths.
• Radiation is most damaging to rapidly dividing cells, leading to common symptoms like vomiting and hair loss.
• 237 people suffered acute radiation sickness, with 28 deaths within 4 months of high radiation exposure. 7000 cases of thyroid cancer were recorded.