populations of organisms have changed and continue to change over time, showing patterns of descent with modification from common ancestors to produce the organismal diversity observed today. How do new species arise? Were they there to begin with, and not just discovered? Or was it a product of something else? Evolution is a dynamic process. It is on- going and constantly active. Every act of predation, mutation, and migration is in accordance to a species’ fundamental need – to survive. As evolution arose, biodiversity, which is defined as the variability of organisms that came into existence, came along with it. The Nature of Earth and Evolution
Just as evolution is a dynamic process, the environment
of Earth is continuously changing. 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. Factors Affecting Evolutionary Changes Evolution interplays many different factors such as geographical and climatic conditions, symbiotic relationships, and migrating patterns. Theories on Evolution There are two theories that explain how the evolution of organisms took place. They are the theory of descent with modification and the theory of natural selection. Theory of Descent with Modification This theory 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. Consider this evolutionary tree of fishes. 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. Furthermore, the new descendant is better equipped with new traits for survival. Theory of Natural Selection This theory 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 With these two theories, come the different ways and methods in which organisms carry out evolution. Divergent evolution is 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. The presence of grizzly bears and polar bears is a clear example of divergent evolution; the latter equipped for winter conditions while the former hibernates during winter. Convergent evolution is the process where members of two varying species involve similar characteristics due to similar environments. This is a species- independent type of evolution, as demonstrated by the ability for numerous invertebrates such as spiders, weaver ants, and silk moths to produce silk to capture prey. Coevolution is the 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. The nectar of these flowers have the nutrients that are suited for the hummingbird’s diet while these birds freely pollinate the plant. Theories Accounting for the Rate of Evolution There has been an on-going debate of how fast the process of evolution occurs. They are based on two theories: gradualism and punctuated equilibrium. Gradualism is based on the concept of evolutionary changes occurring at slow and gradual rate over several generations. The 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 is based 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. Being under pressure and separated from a larger gene pool, this led to a rapid evolution. Both proposed theories are valid. However, there is a lack of substantial evidence to support either claim. In general, an area is more prone to environmental damage if it has low biodiversity. How does having a large biodiversity protect an area from environmental damage? Any Questions?