EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

TOPIC OUTLINE OBJECTIVES:

Lesson 1: Theories on Evolution
Lesson 1.2: Evidences of Evolution
Lesson 2: Natural Selection
Lesson 3: Biodiversity
At the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
1. Define biodiversity and evolution;
2. Explain how biodiversity and evolution
affect life; and
3. Explain the role of natural selection in
evolution.

Do you ever wonder where these plants and animals come from? What were they like back
then? This module aims just to answer those questions and provide learners with an extensive
knowledge on plant and animal evolution and diversity, how our current organisms came to be,
how their predecessors lived, with an emphasis on evolutionary relationships between there
organisms.

LESSON 1.1: THEORIES OF EVOLUTION

Where did humankind come from? What is the origin of plants, animals and other
organisms? How do we adapt to our ever-changing environment?
There are many theories regarding our existence and our origin. Living things have had
changed over the centuries and this process is called Evolution. Many centuries ago, people
believed that organisms and species were unchanging and fixed. There are many theories on the
existence of the different forms of life.
Georges Cuvier, a vertebrae zoologist and
paleontologist propose the theory of
catastrophism. He believed in the idea that after
great natural calamities like floods and earthquake,
living things die and become extinct that God
created new life forms.
French zoologist, Jean Baptiste de
Lamarck proposed the Use and Disuse Theory,
Figure 1.1 Example of Use and Disuse
Theory
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

claiming that new organisms may have aquired characteristics in response to their environment.
Lamarck’s ideas about the relationship of environment and evolution helped spark
Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Charles Darwin defined evolution as "descent with modification," the idea that species
change over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor. Evolution happens on
large and small scales.
Macroevolution refers to large-scale changes that occur over extended time periods,
such as the formation of new species and groups. Microevolution refers to small-scale changes
that affect just one or a few genes and happen in populations over shorter timescales.

LESSON 1.2: EVIDENCES OF

EVOLUTION
Fossil records. Darwin collected remains
of organisms that lived long ago. Fossil are
usually found in the sedimentary layers.
Comparative anatomy. Seen mainly in the
biological structure of animals. Most have
similar structures but different functions.
Analogous features. Not all physical features that look alike are marks of common
ancestry. Instead, some physical similarities are
Figure 1.2 Homologous features
analogous: they evolved independently in
different organisms because the organisms lived in similar environments or experienced similar
selective pressures.
Homologous features. If two or more species share a unique physical feature, such as a
complex bone structure or a body plan, they may all have inherited this feature from a common
ancestor.
Direct observation. Changes have been
observed in species over time. These observable
changes show that evolution is an ongoing
process.
Biochemical evidence. At the most basic
level, all living organisms share:The same genetic
material (DNA), the same, or highly similar,
Figure 1.4 Observable color changes in genetic codes, the same basic process of gene
peppered moth
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

expression (transcription and translation), and the same molecular building blocks, such as
amino acids.
Biogeography. The geographic distribution of organisms on Earth follows patterns that are
best explained by evolution, in combination with the movement of tectonic plates over
geological time.

ACTIVITY: In the Beginning…

 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

At the end of this activity you are expected to:

1. Organize your family tree;
2. Explain the srelationship of species in your family tree; and
3. Trace ancestors from your own family tree.
You will need:
 Pictures of your family members
 Scissors
 Glue
 Coloring materials
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

Your tasks:
1. Prepare your materials: pictures, glue, scissors, and coloring materials.
2. Create your family tree by pasting the pictures on the correct branch. The bottom must
be the pictures of your grandparents. Your picture must be on the top of the tree.
3. Answer the guide questions below.
Guide Questions:
1. Who is the common ancestor in your family?
2. What traits do you have in common with your siblings? Why do you think so?
3. To whom do you look most similar? What evidence of evolution can be related to
similarities in appearance?

EVALUATION

1) Give one theory from the theories of evolution and explain.

2) Where does the strongest evidence for change over a long period of time
come from? Elaborate.
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

Natural selection is one of the basic mechanisms of evolution, along with mutation, migration, and
genetic drift.

Darwin's grand idea of evolution by natural selection is relatively simple but often misunderstood.
To find out how it works, imagine a population of beetles:

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, 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.
The surviving brown beetles have brown baby beetles because this trait
has a genetic basis.
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

4. End result:
The more advantageous trait, brown coloration, which allows the 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.

EVALUATION

1) What is the grand idea of evolution by natural selection according to

Darwin?

2) Explain the end result of the example used in the natural

Selection.
 EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY

Now you know how natural selection works, you will now learn how this could contribute in
biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variation of species in a particular community, ecosystem or
even an entire planet.
Biodiversity can be in three types: Ecosystem,
Genes, and Species.
Ecosystem Diversity. Ecosystem is
the collection of all plants and animals within a
certain area, each differing in species, physical
forms and functions. Some examples are, deserts,
tundra, forests and even large marine ecosystems.
These differ by their geographical area, such as
how Gobi desert and Sahara desert are from
different countries but still function similarly.

Figure 2.1 Ecosystem

Genetic Diversity. We all know
how humans differ from each other through genes,
found in the body cells. These carry the inherited
characteristics from parents then to their offspring.
These can also be passed from one generation to the
next generation.

Figure 2.2 DNA

Species Diversity. Species can be differentiated,

evidently by what kind of life form they are. They’re diverse
groups of individuals that can interbreed with each other. For
example, Dogs and Cats are distinct species, as well as Ants
and Elephants. Species Diversity refers to the abundance
and variety of species within a designated area. It’s different
from Species Richness as it is the number of living species in
that community.
Figure 2.3 Different species
EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – EVOLUTION & BIODIVERSITY