Week 4 - Biology And Indivuality

Question 1

Phsyics and chem explain

Evolution by natural selection explain.

Answer 1

How

Why

Question 2

Darwanina evolution

Answer 2

Genes pass on, natural slection.

- speciation (divergence) of isolated populations turn into new species

Question 3

Darwin’s initial theory, evolution is defined by 3 processes:

Answer 3

• Vertical inheritance of genes (from parent to offspring)
• Speciation = divergence
• Increasing complexity

Question 4

MODERN EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

3 processes:

Answer 4

1. Vertical inheritance of genes
   • Genes can also be acquired horizontally during the lifespan, through a process called horizontal / lateral gene transfer
2. Speciation = divergence
   • Many instances of convergent evolution, where populations separately evolve the same physiology or behavior and become more similar, rather than less (evolution of the eye, carcinisation, etc.)
3. Increasing complexity
   • Species often evolve decreased complexity when the complexity is expensive and unnecessary (ex. cave fish losing their eyes)

Question 5

WHAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL?

Answer 5

Darwinian evolution, an individual is easy to define genetically:

• but HGT complicates this defitnion

Question 6

• Genes themselves are regulated by the

Answer 6

physical, chemical and biological environment of the organism,
and their expression can change in response

Question 7

Genetic mociasm

Answer 7

Different cells have different genotypes in same individual

Question 8

When Darwin published “___” in 1859, the big challenge of biology seemed to be: how
do we explain where species come from?

Answer 8

On the Origin of Species

Question 9

THE ENLICHENMENT

Answer 9

Cyanobacteria (photobiont) + fungus (mycobiont)

Question 10

The wood-wide web”

Answer 10

(Suzanne Simard). Everything is interconnected and we exist thorugh these interactions with eachothe rand the world

Question 11

Convergent evoltuion

Answer 11

• did not occur for primates
• carcinisatio. (Borradaile)
• trees (a pattern of phenotypes thats strategic and is used by mnay unrelated slecies) —-> tree growth habit

Question 12

Timothy Morton:

Answer 12

“The punchline of (‘The Origin of Species’) is that there are no species and there is no origin!”

Question 13

Gilbert et al. (2012) survey the literature in biology and ecology and identify six different criteria that
people have used for identifying an “individual” organism

Answer 13

Anatomically, physiologically, embryologically, immunologically, genetically, or evolutionarily

Question 14

Gilbert et al. (2012):
• Morton (2010):
• Sheldrake (2020):

Answer 14

Gilbert et al. (2012): “All… conceptions of individuality are called into question by evidence of all-pervading symbiosis.”
• Morton (2010): “All organisms are monstrous kluges made up of other lifeforms, and there’s no real coherency.”
• Sheldrake (2020): “To talk about individuals (makes) no sense anymore… We are ecosystems that span boundaries and transgress categories.”