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UC MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY

Understanding Evolution

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Natural selection and adaptation slide set.

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Time: 2 minutes

This set of five PowerPoint slides featuring personal response questions (i.e., multiple choice questions that can be used with "clicker" technology) can be incorporated into lectures on natural selection and adaptation in order to actively engage students in thinking about evolution.

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• Teaching tips
• Teaching background
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Evolution results from natural selection acting upon genetic variation within a population.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] Organisms cannot intentionally produce adaptive mutations in response to environmental influences.
• [Mechanisms of evolution: Grades 13-16] An individual's fitness (or relative fitness) is the contribution that individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation relative to other individuals in the population.

There are no NGSS/DCI concepts currently linked to this resource.

With increased experience, the instructor will be able to develop new personal response questions, optimizing them for particular applications and topics. To learn more about how personal response questions and other types of active learning activities can be easily incorporated into lecture (and for more downloadable slides!), visit our guide to active learning in the undergraduate classroom .

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Natural selection.

Natural selection is the process through which species adapt to their environments. It is the engine that drives evolution.

On the Origin of Species

English naturalist Charles Darwin wrote the definitive book outlining his idea of natural selection, On the Origin of Species. The book chronicled his studies in South America and Pacific islands. Published in 1859, the book became a best seller.

Photograph by Ian Forsyth via Getty Images

English naturalist Charles Darwin developed the idea of natural selection after a five-year voyage to study plants, animals, and fossils in South America and on islands in the Pacific. In 1859, he brought the idea of natural selection to the attention of the world in his best-selling book, On the Origin of Species .

Natural selection is the process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change. Individuals in a population are naturally variable, meaning that they are all different in some ways. This variation means that some individuals have traits better suited to the environment than others. Individuals with adaptive traits — traits that give them some advantage—are more likely to survive and reproduce. These individuals then pass the adaptive traits on to their offspring. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population. Through this process of natural selection , favorable traits are transmitted through generations .

Natural selection can lead to speciation , where one species gives rise to a new and distinctly different species . It is one of the processes that drives evolution and helps to explain the diversity of life on Earth.

Darwin chose the name natural selection to contrast with “artificial selection,” or selective breeding that is controlled by humans. He pointed to the pastime of pigeon breeding, a popular hobby in his day, as an example of artificial selection. By choosing which pigeons mated with others, hobbyists created distinct pigeon breeds, with fancy feathers or acrobatic flight, that were different from wild pigeons.

Darwin and other scientists of his day argued that a process much like artificial selection happened in nature, without any human intervention. He argued that natural selection explained how a wide variety of life forms developed over time from a single common ancestor.

Darwin did not know that genes existed, but he could see that many traits are heritable—passed from parents to offspring.

Mutations are changes in the structure of the molecules that make up genes , called DNA . The mutation of genes is an important source of genetic variation within a population. Mutations can be random (for example, when replicating cells make an error while copying DNA ), or happen as a result of exposure to something in the environment, like harmful chemicals or radiation.

Mutations can be harmful, neutral, or sometimes helpful, resulting in a new, advantageous trait. When mutations occur in germ cells (eggs and sperm), they can be passed on to offspring.

If the environment changes rapidly, some species may not be able to adapt fast enough through natural selection . Through studying the fossil record, we know that many of the organisms that once lived on Earth are now extinct. Dinosaurs are one example. An invasive species , a disease organism, a catastrophic environmental change, or a highly successful predator can all contribute to the extinction of species .

Today, human actions such as overhunting and the destruction of habitats are the main cause of extinctions. Extinctions seem to be occurring at a much faster rate today than they did in the past, as shown in the fossil record.

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AP®︎/College Biology

Course: ap®︎/college biology   >   unit 7, introduction to evolution and natural selection.

• Natural selection and the owl butterfly
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Evolution and Natural Selection Thesis Defense

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From tiny microorganisms to complex animals like us, all living beings on Earth have evolved over millions of years through a process of natural selection, which essentially means that certain traits or characteristics that aid in an organism's survival are more likely to be passed down to future generations. Slidesgo has been evolving all this time too, and our current templates and many features are a proof of it! Download this green template and prepare the presentation that you'll bring to your thesis defense. It's customizable and has illustrations of plants.

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Evolution and Natural Selection

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Natural Selection, Speciation, and Evolution

Oct 20, 2014

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Natural Selection, Speciation, and Evolution. Textbook Reference Chapter 14 & 15. Lamarck’s Early Theory on Evolution. Based on 3 ideas 1. Desire (will) to change 2. Use and Disuse 3. Passing on acquired traits (weight lifting) Brought idea of evolution to forefront

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Presentation Transcript

Natural Selection, Speciation, and Evolution Textbook Reference Chapter 14 & 15

Lamarck’s Early Theory on Evolution • Based on 3 ideas 1. Desire (will) to change 2. Use and Disuse 3. Passing on acquired traits (weight lifting) • Brought idea of evolution to forefront • Knew nothing of genes or genetics

Charles Darwin • Observations aboard Beagle • Led to his theory of evolution - change in species over time - modern organisms descend from ancient - change in allele frequency in gene pool • Darwin’s mechanism: NATURAL SELECTION • Wrote On the Origin of Species

Influences that Shaped Darwin’s Theory • Charles Lyell, geologist - Earth very old, changed over time • Farmers, artificial selection - choose organisms with desireable traits to produce offspring • Thomas Malthus, economist - Malthusian Doctrine

Evidence for Evolution • Contrasting theories over mechanism for evolution, typically not evolution itself • Evidence of Change: 1.Fossil Record 2. Embryonic Development 3. Anatomical Structures 4. Biochemical Similarities • All pieces support Darwin’s idea of descent from a common ancestor

Evolution by Natural Selection • Darwin’s observations: 1 - wild species show variations 2 - high birthrates & shortage of necessities, causes competition 3 - individuals whose characteristics are well-suited to their environment survive and reproduce, survival of the fittest 4- larger portion of each new generation will have favorable variation 5– over long periods of time, small changes accumulate, population has adapted and natural selection took place The environment selects which characteristics are advantageous Video Clip

Peppered Moths: Natural Selection in Action • Two varieties, population mainly light colored prior to the Industrial Revolution • Soot from burning coal coated trunks • Dark moths now “fit” the best, better suited to survive, birds can’t spot the moths • Relative frequency of alleles for color changed in the gene pool for the population • H.B.D. Kettlewell tested the theory

How do Genes Fit In? • Darwin did not know about genes and genetics • Genes: 1. Responsible for variations 2. Genetic variations arise by mutations 3. Not controlled; no goal in mind • Phenotypic/Genotypic variation 1. Raw material for natural selection 2. One genotype proves to be advantageous example, sickle cell carrier

Modern Evolutionary Theory • Today we define evolutionary fitness as the success an organism has in passing on its genes to the next generation • An adaptation is any genetically controlled trait that increases an organism’s fitness • Think about the weight lifter- big muscles won’t be inherited but gene for the potential to develop large muscles could be

How do new species evolve?

Speciation • Species- individuals that can breed and produce fertile offspring.(share common gene pool) • Niche- habitat and role/job of organism, no 2 can occupy same niche, choices: adapt, move, or go extinct. • Speciation occurs when populations are separated by some barrier • Natural selection can work differently in each group • Groups cannot interbreed develop reproductive isolation • Each group will become fit to the environment they are in • Overtime, two populations cannot breed, new species • Example, Darwin’s finches underwent adaptive radiation

Adaptive Radiation

Darwin’s Finches on the Galapagos Islands Islands isolated populations of finches; natural selection occurred independently in each group Relative frequency for certain traits changed in isolated populations

Divergent One species gives rise to many species Also known as adaptive radiation Many species with common ancestor Many homologous structures Convergent vs. Divergent Evolution

Convergent vs. Divergent Evolution Convergent • Similar looking species that do not have a common ancestor • Similar behavior and appearance • Many analogous structures Video Clip

Evolutionary Theory Continues to Evolve • Gene pools can change in absence of natural selection by: 1. Genetic Drift- allele becomes common by chance 2. Genetic drift implies not all characteristics contribute to fitness • Gene pools can remain unchanged for long periods of time ex. Horseshoe crab, living fossil • Gradual evolutionary change, theory of gradualism • Punctuated equilibrium,long stable periods with spurts of change

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