Mechanisms of Evolution ESCC

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Mechanisms of Evolution

Evolution
● means is that a population is
changing in its genetic makeup over
generations

● In nature, populations are usually


evolving

● Microevolution: change in allele


frequencies that occurs over time within
a population

● Macroevolution; evolution on a scale


at or above the level of species; how
new species form
Microevolution is a change
in allele frequencies over
time.

For example, if a greater %


of people are blue-eyed
than in the past, this would
be microevolution
Genes and Alleles
Gene = a region of DNA that
encodes some type of
characteristic

● Gene for hair type

Allele = the specific version


of the gene

● Curly hair
● Straight hair
Genes and Alleles

● The flowers have a gene that controls


flower color
● The alleles are:
○ (W) - purple
○ (w) - white
What does it look like when a population is not
evolving?
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium = frequencies of
alleles, or gene versions, and genotypes, or sets
of alleles, in that population stay the same over
generations

● This is an equation that describes a


population that is not evolving

● If a population is not in equilibrium, that


means it is evolving

● The equation can thus be used to


measure if, and how much, a population is
evolving
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

The gene pool of these 3 flowers


is:

Each gene (W) = 3


has (at least) (w) = 3
2 alleles
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
● Formula describes a population that is not evolving

● Conditions for equilibrium


○ No mutation p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 p = freq of A
○ Random mating AA Aa aa
○ No gene flow
○ Infinite population p + q =1 q = freq of a
○ No natural selection

● In a population, some genes may satisfy equilibrium but others will not
● In other words - some genes in a real population are always evolving
Mechanisms of Evolution
● Aka violations of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

● Mutation: source of all new genetic variation


● Non-random mating: survival of the sexiest
● Gene flow: organisms or gametes moving in or out of a population can bring
new alleles bring alleles in different proportions
● Small populations/genetic drift: changes in allele frequency due to chance
● Natural selection: fitness = ability to survive and reproduce
○ This is the only mechanism that results in adaptation
Mutation is the original source of all genetic variation

Caused by 1. Copying errors and

2. External influences (like UV radiation)


Mutation
A mutation could cause parents with genes for bright green coloration to have
offspring with a gene for brown coloration. That would make genes for brown
coloration more frequent in the population than they were before the mutation.
Nonrandom Mating

● Aka sexual selection

● Survival of the sexiest - some version of a trait gives an individual an


advantage over others in attracting mates

● Distinct male and female phenotypes (sexual dimorphism) is one outcome of


sexual selection
If females prefer elaborate tails. They
will select males with alleles for
elaborate tails.

Thus alleles that cause elaborate


tails in males will become more
prevalent in the population
Sexual Selection
It's clear why sexual selection is
so powerful when you consider
what happens to the genes of an
individual who lives to a ripe old
age but never got to mate: no
offspring means no genes in the
next generation, which means that
all those genes for living to a ripe
old age don't get passed on to
anyone! That individual's fitness is
zero.
Gene Flow

The movement of alleles from one population to another


Gene Flow/Migration

Some individuals from a population of


brown beetles might have joined a
population of green beetles. That would
make genes for brown coloration more
frequent in the green beetle population
than they were before the brown beetles
migrated into it.
Genetic Drift

● allele frequencies of a population change over generations due to chance


(sampling error).
● Effects tend to be stronger in small populations
Genetic Drift

Imagine that in one generation, two brown


beetles happened to have four offspring
survive to reproduce. Several green beetles
were killed when someone stepped on them
and had no offspring. The next generation
would have a few more brown beetles than
the previous generation — but just by
chance. These chance changes from
generation to generation are known as
genetic drift.

Genetic Drift can strongly affect small populations


“The Amish make up only about 10
percent of the population in Geagua
County in Ohio, but they're half of
the special needs cases.”

CBS News
Genetic drift -
Founder Effect
Inbreeding: results in homozygosity

● Increases chances of offspring being affected by recessive traits


● Occurs when one allele (or a combination of alleles) makes an organism more
or less fit
● Fitness: ability to survive and reproduce in a given environment
Natural selection
● Causes populations to adapt, or become better suited to the environment
over time
● The other mechanisms of evolution cause changes, but not adaptation

Imagine that green beetles are


easier for birds to spot (and hence,
eat). Brown beetles are a little more
likely to survive to produce
offspring. They pass their genes for
brown coloration on to their
offspring. So in the next generation,
brown beetles are more common
than in the previous generation.
Natural Selection - How it Works
1.
1. There is variation in traits.
For example, some beetles are green and some are brown.

2. There is differential reproduction.


Since the environment can't support unlimited population growth, 2.
not all individuals get to reproduce to their full potential. In this
example, green beetles tend to get eaten by birds and survive to
reproduce less often than brown beetles do.

3. There is heredity.
3.
The surviving brown beetles have brown baby beetles because this
trait has a genetic basis.

4. End result:
The more advantageous trait, brown coloration, which allows the 4.
beetle to have more offspring, becomes more common in the
population. If this process continues, eventually, all individuals in
the population will be brown.

If you have variation, differential reproduction, and heredity, you will have
evolution by natural selection as an outcome. It is as simple as that.
Quick Review - Pear Deck Questions Begin
What ultimately is the source of all new genetic
variation?
A: mutation,

B: sexual selection,

C: gene flow,

D: genetic drift,

E: natural selection
Which mechanism of evolution results in an increased
prevalence of gray mice over time due to their superior
camouflage?
Male fiddler crabs have a huge claw. It is costly to have, but
the ladies love it. They use the claw to attract mates. Over
time, alleles for big claws have become predominant in male
fiddler crabs. What is the mechanism of evolution?

A: mutation,
B: sexual selection,
C: gene flow,
D: genetic drift,
E: natural selection
During the robot apocalypse, robots destroy their masters
then leave the planet earth. The only population spared, by
chance, happens to be a redhead convention. Henceforth all
humans will have red hair. What is the mechanism of
evolution?
A: mutation,
B: sexual selection,
C: gene flow,
D: genetic drift,
E: natural selection
In this example, immigration results in an increase in
the frequency of brown genes. What is the
mechanism of evolution?
A: mutation,

B: sexual selection,

C: gene flow,

D: genetic drift,

E: natural selection
Natural
Selection
Patterns
Human birth weight
shows stabilizing
selection.

Both extremes
increase the risk of
infant mortality.
Speciation
So... allele frequencies change over
time in all living things.

This is caused by: 1) Mutation,


2)Sexual Selection, 3)Gene Flow,
4)Genetic Drift, 5)Natural Selection

But how do we get new species?

Genetic Change +
Reproductive Isolation Speciation
+ Time

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