Evolution Types and Evidence Quiz

Types of Evolution

• Microevolution: Changes in gene frequency within a population from one generation to the next.
• Macroevolution: The descent of different species from a common ancestor over many generations.

Evidence of Evolution - Fossil Evidence

• Fossils are the preserved remains of animals or plants.
• Fossils are layered chronologically in rock layers, with deeper layers containing older fossils.
• The fossil record demonstrates how species have changed over time. Older fossils tend to be simpler, and more recent fossils can be more complex.

Evidence of Evolution - Anatomical & Embryological Evidence

• Homologous Structures: Structures with similar structural elements (shape, size, and number) but potentially different functions. This suggests a shared common ancestor. Examples include the human arm, cat leg, whale flipper, and bat wing.
• Analogous Structures: Structures that serve the same function but do not share a common evolutionary origin. Examples include insect and bird wings.
• Vestigial Structures: Structures that have no apparent function but may have been useful to ancestors. Examples in humans include the appendix, wisdom teeth, tailbone, and the remnants of certain muscles.

Evidence of Evolution - Embryological Evidence

• Embryos of vertebrates (like humans, chickens, and fish) have similar features in early development, like a short bony tail.
• Human embryos also have gill slits, even though we don't have gills as adults.
• These shared features suggest a common ancestry.

Evidence of Evolution - Biogeography Evidence

• Biogeography studies the geographic distribution of organisms.
• Similar habitats often select for similar traits in distantly related organisms. Example: Beavers (North America) and Capybaras (South America) are distantly related rodents but share similar body types.
• All modern camels descended from the same ancestral camels but now live in different parts of the world and share similarities.
• Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands evolved from a single ancestral bird that migrated from South America. Different finch species adapted to different food sources.
• Island biogeography involves adaptive radiation where one species evolves into many new species, often with unique adaptations for survival on isolated islands.
• Geographically close environments are often populated by related species.

Evidence of Evolution - DNA Evidence

• Closely related species have more similar DNA sequences.
• Cytochrome C, a protein found in almost all animals, implies a common evolutionary ancestor for these animals.
• Humans share DNA similarities with chimpanzees (98.8%), gorillas (98%), and other species. There are significant differences between humans and species like fruit flies and yeast. This suggests evolutionary relationships and divergence.