Variation and The Theory

of Evolution
By:
Fadzilah Awang-Kanak

References
Sumber Genetik Tumbuhan by Zakri
A. Hamid (Scientific Advisor to Prime
Minister)
An Essay on the Principe of
Population by Thomas Malthus.
The Origin of Species by well you
know who
Any books will do the more the
better (read: the pening you are)

Change
.Change is constant. How we
experience change that's up to
us.
Greys Anatomy Season 7 (With You I am Born Again)

What is Variation?
Differences between organisms of
the same species.
Changes that can be inherited
(Darwin).
The Mechanism: Gene Mutation (But
Darwin didnt know this, he had no
solid idea the mechanism of his idea)
and Environment.

Countinous
Individuals in a population show
gradation in characteristic.
With 2 extremes
E.g. Height, Weight.
Can be influenced by environment
and genetic factors.
Quantitative data

Discontinuous
Individuals in a population shoe no
gradation from one extreme
characteristic to another.
There is a limited number of distinct
forms for that particular
characteristic within the population.
E. g. Blood Type, finger prints.. Etc
Caused by genetic factors.
Qualitative

Importance of variation?
1. Adaption in the ever changing
environment.
2. To survive in the extreme
condition.
3. Diversify life (enhancing
biodiversity)
What happen if there is no variation?

Source of Variation
Sexual reproduction
- Random fertilization between male
and female gametes will lead to
genetic variation in offspring.
-Random assortment of
Hybridization (Human intervention)
Environmental factors

Evolution before DarwinLamrackism

Lamarck described a mechanism
inheritance of acquired
characteristics could drive
evolution.
Lamarck studied the mollusk
collections, contained both fossil and
recent specimen.
He found similarity between fossil
and living mollusk.

Lamarckism
2 causes of evolutionary changes;
1) A complexifying force
An endowment which provides for the
acquisition of ever greater complexity
(perfection). (A natural tendency to
perfection)
2) An adaptive force
A capacity to react to special conditions
in the environment.

To perfection

Example:
Giraffe feed on leaves on treetops
Over the time the neck is elongated
The offspring has longer neck
Giraffe has long neck

Darwinism
Evolution as the explanation for lifes
unity and diversity
Darwinian concept of natural
selection as the cause of adaptive
evolution

Descent with modification

All organisms related through descent from
some unknown ancestor that live in remote
past.
The descendants of past ancestor,
accumulated diverse modifications or
adaptations that fit them (Descent with
modification) EVOLUTION
Evolution : Genetically controlled changes in
physiology, anatomy and behaviour that occur
to a clad over a time (Neo Darwinian).

Natural selection
that individuals having any
advantages however slight, over
others, would have the best chance of
surviving and procreating their kind.
Preservation of favorable variations and
the rejection of injurious variation =
Natural selection.
The Origin of Species,
Darwin.

Natural selection
Is a mechanism of Evolution
Nature selected the best adapted varieties
to survive and to reproduce.
Darwin believed environment didnt
produce variation. Variation is already
there (but he didnt know the mechanism).
The nature selected the best variation that
suitable to survive in the environment.
The survival of the fittest

Natural selection
Define as: Differential
reproductive success among
phenotypes.
Biological and environmental factor
act as agent of selection
How does environment affect the
evolution trait? Modes of selection

Modes of Selection
1) Directional selection
-) Occurs when one extreme form of character is
favoured.
-) Example: Industrial melanism Biston betularia
2) Disruptive selection
-) Occurs when both extreme are favoured over
intermediate.
3) Stabilizing selection
-) Occurs when intermediates are favoured.
- Common in nature.

Sexual selection
One sex (usually female) choose among the
available male.
Male with the most impressive masculine will
attract the females.
Suggesting they posses better trait, genes, that
can be inherited to the offspring.
Alpha male silver back gorillas.
Thus, the gene from Alpha male is more keen to
be passed to next generation.
Read: Homosexual behaviour in animal
kingdom.

Darwin vs. Lamarck

Lamarck believed environment
produced variation, only then it is
inherited.
Darwin believed variation existed,
but the environment choose the best
variation.

Speciation
Evolutionary process of the formation
of a new species from existing
species.
Caused by reproductive isolating
mechanisms:
1) Prezygotic Barrier (habitat
isolation, temporal isolation,
behavioural isolation)
2) Postzygotic Barrier (mechanical
isolation, gametic isolation).

Formation of new species

Isolation
Hybridization
Genetic drift
Adaptive radiation

Modes of speciation
1) Sympatric speciation
- Non geographical
-Species diverge while living in same
habitat
2) Allopatric speciation
- Population splits into two
geographical isolated populations
e.g. Mountain
- the isolated populations evolved
independently

Hybridization
Offspring that are produced when
two genetically different parents
mate.
Happens often in botany e.g.
Orchids. Naturally or not.
Sometimes happen in animal. E.g.
Fish, Mule.
Difficulty to identify species e.g.
Orchids. (by biological species
concept, Orchids can be swapped

Genetic drift
The evolutionary mechanism, a
change in a populations allele
frequencies due to chance
May reduce or increase the genetic
variability
Two types:
1) Bottleneck effect
2) Founder effect

Bottleneck effect
Disaster such as forest fire,
earthquake, flood (habitat
disturbance) could reduce population
size (Habitat disturbance).
The surviving population do not
represent the original gene pool.
Bottleneck effect reduces overall
genetic variability

Founder effect
Genetic drift is also likely whenever a
few individuals from larger population
colonize isolated island.
The smaller the sample size the less
the genetic make up of the colonists
will represent the gene pool of the
larger population they left.
E.g. Pitcairn Island NZ (The Bounty),
Tristan da cunha

Adaptive radiation
The formation of a number of diverse
species from a ancestral one is called
adaptive radiation.
This process occurs when a single
species invades different habitat and
are exposed to different selection
pressures.
E. g. Darwins finches
Divergent evolution

Evidence of Evolution
Homologous structure structure of
two taxa that is derived from nearest
common ancestor.
Structure that can be modified to
preform different function.
Product of divergent evolution
(process of species become more
and more dissimilar)
Example: Fore limbs

Homologous Structure

 Analogous structure similar

structure due to function not because
derived from same common
ancestor.
Product of convergent evolution
(Process of not related taxa not
monophyletic, independently
evolve similar traits)
E.g. Wings.

Analogous Structure

Homework: Summary Darwins

Theory of Evolution
Variation
Inheritance
Natural Selection

Evolution happens.
Because God allows it to
happen.