Biological Diversity

BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

• Explain how populations of organisms have changed and
continue to change over time
• Describe how the present system of classification of
organisms is based on evolutionary relationships
• Appreciate the importance of biological diversity.
How do new species arise? Were they there to
begin with, and not just discovered? Or was it
a product of something else?
 dynamic process
 Every act of predation, mutation, and migration
is in accordance to a species’ fundamental need –
to survive.
Biological evolution is genetic change in a population from one
generation to another. The speed and direction of change is variable with
different species lines and at different times. Continuous evolution over
many generations can result in the development of new varieties and
species. Likewise, failure to evolve in response to environmental changes
can, and often does, lead to extinction. The result of the massive amount
of evidence for biological evolution accumulated over the last two
centuries can safely conclude that evolution has occurred and continues
to occur. All life forms, including humans, evolved from earlier species,
and all still living species of organisms continue to evolve today.
The Nature of Earth and
Evolution
 The coming and going of different eras, the changing
atmospheric conditions, and the change in geographical
landmass over an extended period of time forced
organisms to change. Different changes took place such
as diet, habitat, or competition
 To compensate for these changes, organisms have
undergone adaptation, which is a crucial role in the
dynamic nature of evolution.
 In humans, our behaviour in shifting from a nomadic to
a territorial lifestyle gave way to artificial selection or
selective breeding in certain species.
Factors Affecting Evolutionary
Changes
Evolution interplays many
different factors:
 geographical
 climatic conditions
 symbiotic relationships
 migrating patterns.
Theories on Evolution
1.Theory of Descent with Modification
 implies that all existing organisms originated

from a singular or several simple life forms
that have continuously adapted to changes in the
environment. It seeks to explain that biodiversity
arose from these organisms continuously gaining
new features in relation to changes, thus
branching out and forming a new species.
The tree is read as the top most organism being the
most recent while the bottom most being the earliest.
Notice that certain characteristics are always passed
down such as the presence of paired fins, or jaws.
2.Theory of Natural Selection
 Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

proposed the Theory of Natural Selection
independently which is strikingly similar.
Darwin worked hard for decades to gather
data to support this theory, thus, most of the
credits have been given to him. Darwin's
theory of evolution is based on key facts and
the inferences drawn from them.
2.Theory of Natural Selection
 states that only species with ideal or superior

characteristics are able to survive the
changing environment and thus replicate.
 This characteristic is then passed on to

succeeding generations until various changes
to this characteristic occur, creating a new
dominant trait.
Mechanisms for Evolution
1.Divergent evolution
 the process where isolated populations of a
species branch out due to geographical barriers
or migration patterns. Many species have
differentiated due to change in geographical
conditions or natural selection.
 Example: The presence of grizzly bears and
polar bears; the latter equipped for winter
conditions while the former hibernates during
winter.
2.Convergent evolution
 process where members of two varying species

involve similar characteristics due to similar
environments.
 species-independent type of evolution
 demonstrated by the ability for numerous

invertebrates such as spiders, weaver ants, and
silk moths to produce silk to capture prey.
3.Coevolution
 process where the survival of two species is

dependent on each other.
 They are based on symbiotic relationships

such as commensalism, predation, and
mutualism.
 Hummingbirds and certain types of flowers

have evolved this way.
Theories Accounting for the
Rate of Evolution
Gradualism
 the concept of evolutionary changes occurring
at slow and gradual rate over several
generations
 most common example of this is the evolution
of humans
 The changes in the physiological and physical
characteristics of humans were not drastic but
took millions of years.
Punctuated equilibrium
 On the stable genome over successive
generations until a sudden
environmental change occurs.
 One example are the Tyrannosaurus
rex or T. rex.
 When the dinosaurs were forced to
evacuate to smaller areas, a small
population were separated.
How Evolution Is Used
in System of
Classification of
Organisms
Phylogenetics
 deals with the evolutionary history of an
organism
 able to understand how organisms are
related to one another by studying the
pieces of evidence such as heritable
characteristics in the DNA sequences
and structural features of certain
organisms.
Carl Woose
came up with the three-
domain scheme by
comparing the sequences
of ribosomes found in the
organisms. These
evolutionary relationships
can then be represented
in a diagram known as an
evolutionary tree, or a
phylogenetic tree.
A phylogenetic tree is read from bottom
to top, with the bottom-most being the
oldest organism while the top most
being relatively newer species.
 Shows how each organism was able to
differentiate and evolve from their
“ancestral chordates”. Each arrow that
branches out from a node represents a
group of organisms. Every time an
organism is able to differentiate, a new
branch is created.
Example
There are several species of organisms in
the order Carnivora. We can say that the
striped skunk and the European otter are
from the same family, but each have
different genus. Furthermore, since the
family of cats, skunks and otters, and
wolves and dogs all branched from a
single point, we can say that they have a
common ancestor. The common
characteristics these animals share is that
they are carnivores.
THANK
YOU!
RESOURCES
- Quipper Philippines.(2018). Earth and Life
Science. Retrieved July 8, 2020, from
https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations
/547ff99cd2b76d0002001cbd/curriculum#c
urriculum
THE DATA AND IMAGES ARE OWNED BY THEIR

RESPECTIVE WRITERS/PUBLISHERS. WE DON’T’ CLAIM
THIS AS OUR OWN AND JUST PRESENTED IT FOR
CLASS WORK.

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BIOLOGICAL

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 implies that all existing organisms originated

 Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

 states that only species with ideal or superior

 This characteristic is then passed on to

 process where members of two varying species

 species-independent type of evolution

 demonstrated by the ability for numerous

 process where the survival of two species is

 They are based on symbiotic relationships

 Hummingbirds and certain types of flowers

THE DATA AND IMAGES ARE OWNED BY THEIR

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