2 Macroevolution - The One Tree Of Life

Question 1

Everything originates from…

Answer 1

Single common point (origin)

(Carl Linnaeus - latin nomenclature naming system Genus-species)

Question 2

Biblical interpretation of time

Answer 2

22nd october 4004 BC (earth dates)

Question 3

4 main geological periods

Answer 3

Phanerzoic - visable life

Cenozoic - mammal dominated

Mesozoic - dinosaur dominated

Paleozoic - pre-dinosaur vertebrates

Question 4

Principle of faunal succession

Answer 4

repeated changes in fossils present through strata

Question 5

Index fossils

Answer 5

indicate a particular geological period (biostratigraphy)

Question 6

Phalenozoic vs Protonozoic

Answer 6

Phalenozoic - visable life (fossils can be found)

Protonozoic - before visable life (no fossils found)

Question 7

Gideon Mantell

Answer 7

Tilgate Quarry, and Iguanodon and idea of the Mesozoic

Question 8

Evolution

Answer 8

change over time / the fossil record is consistent with change overtime but without a mechanism that can drive change, interference is weak.

Question 9

Variation in living forms

Answer 9

within species and in domestication + similarity (and differences) between species

Question 10

Decent by modification

Answer 10

1. Too many individuals survive
2. Differential survival between individuals
3. Gradual change in traits in population = new species

Question 11

Artificial selection

Answer 11

can take a species to different phenotypes (breeds) if select individuals of one character type over another for breeding. If this selection occurred naturally it would cause spatial diversification or different species.

Question 12

Darwin applied gradualism to natural selection

Answer 12

small current differences in fitness between individuals (microevolution) large morphological changes (new species) overtime (macroevolution)

Question 13

Evidence for a single common origin

Answer 13

Conservation of molecules (all cells contain these molecules) - (DNA / RNA / proteins / amino acid set / glucose based energy source / ATP —> ADP as fuel of cell processes / core biochemicals - eg. Lipids)

Conservation of structures (cells / membranes / lipid bilayers / membrane spanning proteins / ribosomes built from rRNA and ribosomal proteins)

Conservation of processes (core genetic code / DNA —> RNA —> protein transfer of information / metabolism and enzymes that operate it / use of protein modification)

Question 14

Anthropocentric

Answer 14

regarding human kind as the central or most important element of existence as opposed to God or animals

Question 15

How do we estimate the tree of life

Answer 15

Anatomy, physiology based and DNA based

Related species have shared, derived traits (homologies)

Question 16

Problem with convergent evolution

Answer 16

Similar selection pressure in different taxa so same character / same function derived independently - convergent evolution - analogous features

Divergent evolution - different features evolving - homologous (they have 1 common ancestor so it’s the process of 2 species become more distantly related)

DNA provides many 1000s of characters —> overcome convergence

DNA might not always be able to be used as dead creators don’t retain their DNA (decomposition)

Question 17

Convergent evolution - pentadactyl limb

Answer 17

This would show we are related to reptiles as they also have this feature (pentadactyl limb is a shared feature of all tetrapods) —> however same characteristics can be developed from convergent evolution, same feature but derived independantly

(analogous trait - same feature derived due to similar environmental pressured)

Question 18

Dating radioisotopes

Answer 18

Recent biological material —> 14Cdecay —> 12C (t50 = 5740years) (known half life of C14 and compare it to how much C12 is there and you can find out what age certain rocks are)

Ancient rock material —> 40K—> 40Ar (t50 = 1,248 x 10^9)

Question 19

Dating radioisotopes for petrified fossils in sedimentary rock

Answer 19

Geological strata - deposits overtime

Surface - recent

Deep past - buried

Strata from which fossil recoded - age

Question 20

Molecular clock

Answer 20

DNA sequence divergence may also estimate time from common ancestor

Nucleotide and AA substitutions accumulate as time asses since common anscetory, presumed to occur ar a constant rate for a specific gene - calibrate by known events (fossils)

Question 21

Why estimate the tree of life

Answer 21

Tells us if particular lifestyles evolved repeatedly and the taxa they evolved out of

Tells us where pathogens emerge from (prevent repeats)

Tells us biological forms (eg. Trees) are analogous / not evolutionary groups

Question 22

Theistic views of biodiversity - Gap creationism

Answer 22

earth is old but diversity is not

Question 23

Theistic views of biodiversity - progressive creationism

Answer 23

mutation and selection exist and occasional interventions