MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTION

Transcription

1 MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTION DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION: A DARWINIAN VIEW OF LIFE FRAMEWORK This chapter describes Darwin's formulation of evolution-descent from a common ancestor modified by the mechanism of natural selection, resulting in the evolution of species adapted to their environments. The scientific and philosophical climate of Darwin's day was quite inhospitable to the implications of evolution, but most biologists accepted the theory of evolution quite rapidly. Only later was natural selection recognized as a mechanism of evolution. Evidence for evolution is drawn from homologies (structural, developmental, and molecular), biogeography, and the fossil record. CHAPTER REVIEW Charles Darwin presented the first convincing case for evolution in his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, published in Darwin made two major claims: The species present on Earth today descended from ancestral species, and natural selection is the mechanism for evolution. Natural selection leads to evolutionary adaptation, as individuals with beneficial heritable traits leave more offspring, and the frequency of such traits in a population increases over generations. Evolution may be defined as the changes in a population's genetic composition over time. The Historical Context for Evolutionary Theory Western culture resisted evolutionary views of life ( ) Darwin's book challenged both the prevailing scientific views and the world view that had been held for centuries in Western culture. The Scale of Nature and Natural Theology The Greek philosopher Plato believed in two worlds, an ideal and eternal real world and the illusory world perceived by the senses. Aristotle believed that allliving forms could be arranged on a "scale of nature" of increasing complexity in which each group of organisms was permanent and perfect. The Judeo-Christian account of creation embedded the idea of the fixity of species in Western thought. Biology in the 1700s was dominated by natural theology, the study of nature to reveal the Creator's plan. One of the goals of natural theology was to classify the species that God had created. Linnaeus developed both a binomial system for naming organisms according to their genus and species, and a hierarchy of classification groupings. Taxonomy, the branch of biology that names and classifies organisms, originated in the work of Linnaeus. Cuvier, Fossils, and Catastrophism Fossils are remnants or impressions of organisms laid down in rock, 169

2 170 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution usually sedimentary rocks formed through the compression of layers of sand and mud into superimposed layers called strata. Fossils from strata of different ages reveal that a succession of organisms has existed on Earth. Cuvier may be considered the father of paleontology, the study of fossils. Advocating catastrophism, he maintained that the differences he observed in the fossils found in different strata were the result of local catastrophic events such as floods or drought and were not indicative of evolution. Theories of geologic gradualism helped clear the path for evolutionary biologists ( ) Gradualism, the idea that immense change is the cumulative result of slow but continuous processes, was proposed by Hutton in 1795 to explain the geologic state of the Earth. Lyell, a contemporary of Darwin, extended gradualism to a theory of uniformitarianism, proposing that the rates and effects of geologic processes have remained the same through Earth's history. Darwin took two ideas from the observations of Hutton and Lyell: The Earth must be very old if geologic change is slow and gradual, and very slow processes can produce substantial change. Lamarck placed fossils in an evolutionary context (431) Lamarck published a theory of evolution in He explained the mechanism of evolution with two principles: The use or disuse of body parts leads to their development or deterioration, and acquired characteristics can be inherited. With present genetic knowledge, Lamarck's ideas are sometimes ridiculed. His theory, however, presented several key evolutionary ideas: that evolution is the best explanation for the fossil record and the diversity of life, that Earth is very old, and that adaptation to the environment is the main result of evolution. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 22.1 a. Match the theory or philosophy and its proponent(s) with the following descriptions. A. catastrophism a. Aristotle B. inheritance of acquired b. Cuvier characteristics C. gradualism c. Darwin D. natural selection d. Hutton E. natural theology e. Lamarck F. scale of nature f. Linnaeus G. uniformitarianism g. Lyell Theory Proponent 1. Discovery of the Creator's plan through the classification of species 2. History of Earth marked by floods or droughts that resulted in extinctions 3. Early explanation of mechanism of evolution 4. Profound change is the cumulative product of slow but continuous processes 5. Fixed species on a continuum from simple to complex 6. Differential reproductive success leads to adaptation to environment and evolution 7. Geologic processes have constant rates throughout time b. Now place 1 through 7 in chronological order. The Darwinian Revolution Field research helped Darwin frame his view of life: the process of science ( ) The Voyage of the Beagle Darwin was 22 years old when he sailed from Great Britain on the H.M.5. Beagle. He spent the voyage collecting thousands of specimens of the fauna and flora of South America, observing the various adaptations of organisms living in very diverse habitats, and making special note of the geographic distribution of the taxonomically related species of South America. He was particularly struck by the uniqueness of the fauna of the Galapagos Islands. Darwin also read and was influenced by Lyell's Principles of Geology. Darwin's Focus on Adaptation Darwin began to link the origin of new species to the process of adaptation to different environments. In 1844, he wrote an essay on the origin of species and natural selection but did not publish it. In 1858, Darwin received Wallace's manuscript describing an identical theory of natural selection. Wallace's paper and extracts of Darwin's unpublished essay were jointly presented to the Linnaean Society, and Darwin published On the Origin of Species the next year. Within a decade, Darwin's book and its defenders had convinced the majority of biologists that evolution was the best explanation for the diversity of life.

3 Chapter 22: Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life 171 The Origin of Species developed two main points: the occurrence of evolution and natural selection as its mechanism ( ) Descent with Modification Darwin's concept of descent with modification included the notion that all organisms were related through descent from some unk~~wn. ancestor and had developed increasing modiflcations as they adapted to various habitats. The history of life is analogous to a tree with a common ancestor at the fork of each new branch. The taxonomy developed by Linnaeus provided a hierarchical organization of groups that suggested to Darwin this branching tree of life. Species along one branch are grouped into the same family or order or class (depending on where on the branching sequence one looks) and are more closely related to each other than to species from a different branch. Nat~ral Selection and Adaptation Evolutionary bi OlOgIst Ernst Mayr described Darwin's theory of natural selection as follows: Observation 1: Species have the potential for their population size to increase exponentially. Observation 2: Most population sizes are stable. Observation 3: Environmental resources are limited. Inference 1: Since only a fraction of offspring survive, there is a struggle for limited resources. Observation 4: Individuals vary within a population. Observation 5: Much of this variation is inherited. Inference 2: Individuals whose inherited characteristics fit them best to the environment are likely to leave more offspring. Inference 3: Unequal reproduction leads to the gradual accumulation of favorable characteristics in a population over generations. II INTERACTIVE QUESTION 22.2 Summarize in your own words Darwin's theory of natural selection as the mechanism of evolution. Darwin found support for the struggle for existence and the capacity of organisms to overproduce in the essay on human population growth published by Malthus in Artificial selection used in the breeding of domesticated plants and animals provided Darwin with evidence that selection among the variations present in a population can lead to substantial changes. He reasoned that natural selection, working over thousands of generations, could gradually create the modifications essential for the present diversity of life. Gradualism is basic to the Darwinian view of evolution. Natural selection results in the evolution of populations, groups of interbreeding individuals of the same species in a common geographic area. Evolution is measured only as change in the relative proportions of variations in a population over time. Natural selection affects only those traits that are heritable-acquired characteristics cairnot evolve. And natural selection is a local and temporal phenomenon, depending on the specific environmental factors present in a region at a given time. Examples of natural selection provide evidence of evolution ( ) Natural Section in Action: The Evolution of Insecticide-Resistant Insects The evolution of insecticide resistance in insects illustrates two facets of natural selection: It is an editing, not a creative, mechanism that selects for variations already present in a population. And it is regional and temporal, selecting for traits that fit the local environment at that current time. Spraying with insecticides may initially kill 99% of the insects, but those few that survive because of a genetic trait that makes them resistant will reproduce and pass that trait on to their offspring, creating a population of insecticide-resistant organisms. II INTERACTIVE QUESTION 22.3 The Evolution of Drug-Resistant HIV. Within a few weeks of treatment with the drug 3TC, a patient's HIV population consists entirely of 3TC-resistant HIV. Explain how this rapid evolution of drug resistance is an example of natural selection.

4 172 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution Other evidence of evolution pervades biology ( ) Homology Homology is the term for a similarity resulting from common ancestry. The forelimbs of all mammals are homologous structures, containing the same skeletal elements regardless of function or external shape. Comparative anatomy illustrates that evolution is a remodeling process in which ancestral structures become modified for new functions. Some homologous structures that differ greatly in adult form and function are more evident during embryonic development. Vestigial organs are rudimentary structures, of little or no value to the organism, that are historical remnants of ancestral structures. Homologies can be seen on a molecular level. DNA, RNA, and an essentially universal genetic code, which have been passed along through all branches of evolution, are important evidence that all forms of life descended from the earliest organisms and are thus related. Homology is evident on different hierarchical levels, reflecting evolutionary history and the degree of relationship among organisms. Closely related species have a larger proportion of DNA and proteins in common than do more distantly related species. Biogeography The geographic distribution of species, or biogeography, provides evidence for evolution. Islands often have endemic species that are related to species on the nearest island or mainland. Widely separated areas having similar environments are more likely to have species that are taxonomically related to those of their region, regardless of environment, than to each other. Biogeographic distribution patterns are explained by evolution; modern species are found where they are because they evolved from ancestors that inhabited those regions. The Fossil Record The major branches of evolutionary descent established with evidence from homologies and molecular biology are also supported by the sequence of fossil forms found in the fossil record. Paleontologists continue to discover transitional fossils linking modern species to their ancestral forms. What is theoretical about the Darwinian view of life? ( ) The evolution of modern species from ancestral forms is supported by historical facts such as fossils, biogeography, and molecular biology. The second of Darwin's claims, that natural selection is the main liiii INTERACTIVE QUESTION 22.4 Complete the following concept map that summarizes the main sources of evidence for evolution. d. includes ~Ib -T"J I shows seen with accounts for o succession of \ e.g., similarities between I reveals ----,...--_1 shows provides I f. I d'o 7' \ may have evolved may be evident between e.g., different during r """'---, >.\--- functions and forms Ig.

5 Chapter 22: Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life 173 mechanism of evolution, is a theory that explains the historical facts of evolution. A scientific "theory" is a unifying concept with broad explanatory power and predictions that have been and continue to be tested by experiments and observations. WORD ROOTS bio- = life; geo- the Earth (biogeography: the study of the past and present distribution of species) end- = within (endemic: a type of species that is found only in one region and nowhere else in the world) homo- = like, resembling (homology: similarity in characteristics resulting from a shared ancestry) paleo- = ancient (paleontology: the scientific study of fossils) taxo- = arrange (taxonomy: the branch of biology concerned with naming and classifying the diverse forms of life) vestigi- = trace (vestigial organs: structures of marginal, if any, importance to an organism, historical remnants of structures that had important functions in ancestors) STRUCTURE YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1. Briefly state the main components of Darwin's theory of evolution. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the one best answer. 1. The classification of organisms into hierarchical groups is called a. the scale of nature. b. taxonomy. c. natural theology. d. biogeography. e. natural selection. 2. The study of fossils is called a. phylogeny. b. gradualism. c. paleontology. d. anthropology. e. biogeography. 3. To Cuvier, the differences in fossils from different strata were evidence for a. changes occurring as a result of cumulative but gradual processes. b. divine creation. c. evolution by natural selection. d. continental drift. e. local catastrophic events such as droughts or floods. 4. Darwin proposed that new species evolve from ancestral forms by a. the gradual accumulation of adaptations to changing or different environments. b. the inheritance of acquired adaptations to the environment. c. the struggle for limited resources. d. the accumulation of mutations. e. the exponential growth of populations. 5. The best description of natural selection is a. the survival of the fittest. b. the struggle for existence. c. the reproductive success of the members of a population best adapted to the environment. d. the overproduction of offspring in environments with limited natural resources. e. a change in the proportion of inheritable variations within a population. 6. The remnants of pelvic and leg bones in a snake a. are vestigial structures. b. show that lizards evolved from snakes. c. are homologous structures. d. provide evidence for inheritance of acquired characteristics. e. resulted from artificial selection. 7. The hypothesis that whales evolved from landdwelling ancestors is supported by a. evidence from the biogeographic distribution of whales. b. molecular comparisons of whales, fish, and reptiles. c. historical accounts of walking whales. d. the ability of captive whales to be trained to walk. e. fossils of extinct whales found in Egypt and Pakistan that had small hind limbs. 8. Darwin's claim that all of life descended from a common ancestor is best supported with evidence from a. the fossil record. b. comparative embryology. c. taxonomy. d. molecular biology. e. comparative anatomy.

6 174 Unit Four: Mechanisms ofevolution 9. The smallest unit that can evolve is a. a genome. b. an individual. c. a species. d. a population. e. a community. 10. Which of the following would not be considered part of the process of natural selection? a. Many of the variations among individuals in a population are heritable. b. More offspring are produced than are able to survive and reproduce. c. Individuals with traits best adapted to the environment are likely to leave more offspring. d. Many adaptive traits may be acquired during an individual's lifetime, helping that individual to evolve. e. Differential reproductive success leads to gradual change in a population. 11. When cytochrome c molecules are compared, yeasts and molds are found to differ by approximately 46 amino acids per 100 residues (amino acids making up a protein), whereas insects and vertebrates are found to differ by approximately 29 amino acids per 100 residues. What can one conclude from these data? a. Very little can be concluded unless the DNA sequence for the cytochrome c genes are compared. b. Yeasts evolved from molds, but vertebrates did not evolve from insects. c. Insects and vertebrates diverged from a common ancestor more recently than did yeasts and molds. d. Yeasts and molds diverged from a common ancestor more recently than did insects and vertebrates. e. The evolution of cytochrome c occurred more rapidly in yeasts and molds than in insects and vertebrates. 12. All of the following influenced Darwin as he synthesized the theory of evolution by natural selection except a. the biogeographic distribution of species such as the finches on the Galapagos Islands. b. Lyell's book, Principles of Geology, on the gradualness of geologic changes. c. Linnaeus' hierarchical classification of species, which could be interpreted as evidence of evolutionary relationships. d. examples of artificial selection that produce rapid changes in domesticated species. e. Mendel's paper in which he described his "laws of inheritance." 13. What might you conclude from the observation that the bones in your arm and hand are similar to the bones that make up a bat's wing? a. The bones in the bat's wing are vestigial structures, no longer useful as "arm" bones. b. The bones in a bat's wing are homologous to your arm and hand bones. c. Bats and humans evolved in the same geographic area. d. Bats lost their opposable digits during the course of evolution. e. Our ancestors could fly. 14. The best description of endemic species are species that are a. found only on islands. b. found in the same geographic area. c. found only on mainlands. d. found only in that location and nowhere else on Earth. e. disease causing and pesticide resistant. 15. Which of the following is an example of convergent evolution? a. remnants of pelvic girdles and limb bones found in whales b. two very different plants that are found in different habitats, but evolved from a fairly recent common ancestor c. similarities between the marsupial sugar glider and the eutherian flying squirrel d. the remodeling of a vertebrate forelimb in the evolution of a bird wing e. the many different bill sizes and shapes of finches on the Galapagos Islands 16. Chimpanzees and humans share many of the same genes, indicating that a. the two groups belong to the same species. b. the two groups belong to the same phylum. c. the two groups share a relatively recent common ancestor. d. humans evolved from chimpanzees. e. chimpanzees evolved from humans.

7 175 THE EVOLUTION OF POPULATIONS FRAMEWORK. I POPULATIONS] consist of ~'---7'---~~" individuals that show may undergo may be in r------"' , is substrate preserved by sources are for /./ diploidy, mutation natural balanced and sexual selection polymorphism recombination I mechanism of I adaptive evolution may lead to may change due to estimated by '---""----, \ genetic drift, p + q = 1 (alleles) gene flow, mutation, 2 2 P + 2pq+q =1 nonrandom mating, natural selection (genotypes) '--- when not met, result in no change in shown by \ Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium \ requires CHAPTER REVIEW Although it is individuals that are selected for or against by natural selection, it is populations that actually evolve. Differential reproductive success of individuals with favorable characteristics leads to microevolution, changes in the allele frequencies of a population. Population Genetics The modem evolutionary synthesis integrated Darwinian selection and Mendelian inheritance: the process ofscience (446) Most biologists rapidly accepted evolution but not Darwin's proposal of natural selection as its mechanism. Without a theory of genetics, the occurrence of chance variations and their transmission from parents to offspring could not be explained. When Mendel's work was rediscovered in the early 1900s, many geneticists believed that Darwin's focus on the inheritance of quantitative traits that vary on a continuum could not be explained by the inheritance of discrete Mendelian traits. The emergence of population genetics in the 1930s, with its emphasis on quantitative inheritance and genetic variation within populations, reconciled Mendelism with Darwinism. In the early 1940s, scientists developed a comprehensive theory of evolution, known as the modern synthesis, that emphasized the importance of populations as the units of evolution, the essential role of natural selection, and the gradualness of evolution. A population's gene pool is defined by its allele frequencies ( ) A population is a localized group of individuals of the same species. A species is a group of populations whose members have the ability to interbreed in nature. Within the geographic range of a species, populations may be totally isolated or contiguous with members concentrated in population centers. The gene pool is the term for all the genes present in a population at any given time. For individuals of a diploid species, the pool includes two alleles for

8 176 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution each gene locus. If all individuals are homozygous for the same allele, the allele is said to be fixed. More often, two or more alleles are present in the gene pool in some relative proportion or frequency. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.1 In a population of 200 mice, 98 are homozygous dominant for brown coat color (BB), 84 are heterozygous (Bb), and 18 are homozygous recessive (bb). a. The allele frequencies of this population are B allele b allele. b. The genotype frequencies of this population are BB Bb bb. The Hardy-Weinberg theorem describes a nonevolving population ( ) In the absence of selection pressure and other agents of change, the gene pool of a population will remain constant from one generation to the next, in spite of the shuffling of alleles by meiosis and random fertilization. This stasis is formulated as the Hardy Weinberg theorem, named for its originators. Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium The allele frequency within a population determines the proportion of gametes that will contain that allele. The random combination of gametes will yield offspring with genotypes that reflect and reconstitute the allele frequencies of the previous generation. The frequencies of both alleles and genotypes will remain stable in a population that is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The Hardy-Weinberg Equation With the Hardy Weinberg equation, the frequencies of alleles within a population can be calculated from the genotype frequencies and vice versa. In a simple case of having only two alleles at a particular gene locus, the letters p and q represent the proportions of the two alleles within the population, and their combined frequencies must equal 1 : p + q = 1. The frequencies of the genotypes in the offspring reflect the frequencies of the alleles and the probability of each combination. According to the rule of multiplication, the probability that two gametes containing the same allele will come together in a zygote is equal to (p x p) or p2, or (q X q) or q2. A P and q allele can combine in two different ways, depending on which parent contributes which allele; therefore, the frequency of a heterozygous offspring is equal to 2pq. The sum of the frequencies of all fossible genotypes in the population adds up to 1 : p + 2pq + q2 = 1. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.2 Use the allele frequencies you determined in Interactive Question 23.1 to predict the genotype frequencies of the next generation. Frequencies of B (p) =_ b (q) =_ BB = p2 = _ Bb = 2pq = _ bb = q2 = _ Population Genetics and Health Science If the frequency of homozygous recessive individuals is known (q2), then the frequency of q may be estimated as the square root of q2 (assuming the population is in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium for that gene). From our example above, q = V0.09 = 0.3. If the frequency of individuals with a recessively inherited disease is known (q2), then the frequency of carriers of that recessive allele in the population can be calculated... INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.3 Practice using the Hardy-Weinberg equation so that you can easily determine genotype frequencies from allele frequencies and vice versa. a. The allele frequencies in a population are A = 0.6 and a = 0.4. Predict the genotype frequencies for the next generation. AA Aa b. What would the allele frequencies be for the generation you predicted above in part a.? A a c. Suppose that one gene locus determines stripe pattern in skunks. SS skunks have two broad stripes; S5 skunks have two narrow stripes; 55 skunks have white speckles down their backs. A sampling of a population of skunks found 65 broad-striped skunks, 14 narrow-striped, and 1 speckled. Determine the allele frequencies. S 5 The Hardy-Weinberg Theorem and Genetic Variation The Hardy-Weinberg theorem explains how Mendelian inheritance maintains genetic variation within a population. Hereditary factors are not blended in offspring; the alleles remain independent and are passed from generation to generation, preserving the genetic variation necessary for natural selection to act. aa

9 Chapter 23: The Evolution of Populations 177 The Assumptions of the Hardy-Weinberg Theorem Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is maintained only if all of the following five conditions are met: a very large population, no migration between populations, no net changes in the gene pool due to mutation, random mating, and no natural selection. Causes ofmicroevolution Microevolution is a generation-togeneration change in a population's allele frequencies (450) Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium serves as a baseline against which allele frequencies of a population can be compared to determine whether evolution is occurring. Evolution is the generation-to-generation change in allele frequencies. These changes in a population's gene pool are referred to as microevolution. The two main causes of microevolution are genetic drift and natural selection ( ) The four causes of microevolution arise from departures from one of the conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Natural selection is the only factor that tends to increase the fitness of a population to its environment by selecting for favorable traits. Nonrandom mating can affect genotype frequencies, but does not affect allele frequencies. Genetic Drift Chance deviations from expected results are more likely to occur in a small sample due to sampling error. Microevolution may result from genetic drift, a change in a small population's allele frequencies due to chance. The bottleneck effect occurs when some disaster or other factor reduces the population size dramatically, and the few surviving individuals are unlikely to represent the genetic makeup of the original population. Genetic drift will remain a factor until the population grows large enough for chance events to be less significant. A bottleneck usually reduces variability because some alleles are lost from the gene pool. Genetic drift that occurs when only a few individuals colonize a new area is known as the founder effect. Allele frequencies in the small sample are unlikely to be representative of the parent population, and genetic drift will affect the gene pool of the new population until it is larger. Natural Selection For the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium to be maintained, there must be no natural selection, no differential success in reproduction-a condition that is probably never met. Individuals that are more successful in producing viable, fertile offspring pass their alleles to the next generation in disproportionate number. Natural selection is likely to be adaptive; favorable genotypes are increased and maintained in a population. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.4 Fill in the following concept map that summarizes the main causes of microevolution. Better still, create your own concept map to help you review microevolution. conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are not met j;bicroevolution I occurs when 71~ may be caused by o [36 may result from dudo '---in""""'a-< ~ d. Q, onll cayse '''" I~h~.~~~~:~~= variation between populations

10 178 Unit Four: Mechanisms ofevolution Gene Flow Gene flow, the migration of individuals or the transfer of gametes between populations, may change allele frequencies. Differences in allele frequencies between populations, which may have developed by natural selection or genetic drift, tend to be reduced by gene flow. Mutation Changes in the nucleotide sequence of DNA are called mutations. The altering of allele frequency due to mutation is probably of little importance in microevolution due to very low mutation rates for most gene loci. Mutation is central to evolution, however, because it is the original source of genetic variation. Genetic Variation, the Substrate for Natural Selection Genetic variation occurs within and between populations ( ) Variation Within Populations Individual variation, the slight differences between individuals as a result of their unique genomes, is the raw material for natural selection. Quantitative characters, those that are additively affected by two or more gene loci, provide most of the heritable variation within a population. Discrete characters vary categorically as distinct phenotypes and usually are determined by a single gene locus. Polymorphism occurs when two or more forms of a discrete character-called morphs-are evident in a population. Quantitative measures of genetic variation include gene diversity, the average percent of loci that are heterozygous in individuals of a population, and nucleotide diversity, the average percent of differences in nucleotide sites between individuals of a population. Human gene diversity is about 14%, whereas nucleotide diversity in only about 0.1%. Variation Between Populations Geographic variations are regional genetic differences between populations. These variations may be due to differing environmental selection factors. A cline, or graded variation within a species along a geographic axis, may parallel an environmental gradient. Mutation and sexual recombination generate genetic variation ( ) Mutation New alleles originate by mutations, most of which occur in somatic cells and cannot be passed on to the next generation. Most point mutations occur in silent DNA or do not change protein function and produce little effect. Those mutations that do alter a protein's function are most often harmful. Rarely, however, a new mutant allele may increase an individual's fitness, or a mutation already present in the population may be selected for when the environment changes. Chromosomal mutations are most often deleterious. Occasionally, a translocation of a chromosomal piece may bring alleles together that are beneficial in combination. Duplication of chromosomal segments is usually harmful, but those that do not upset the genetic balance within cells may provide an expanded genome with extra loci that could eventually take on new functions by mutation. The shuffling of exons may also result in new genes. Mutation produces genetic variation very rapidly in HIV because of its short generation span (high replication rate) and higher rate of mutation in its RNA genome. Sexual Recombination The genetic differences in a sexually reproducing population arise from the reshuffling of alleles by crossing over and independent assortment of chromosomes in the formation of gametes and by the random union of gametes from two parents. II INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.5 a. What is a major source of genetic variation for bacteria and microorganisms? b. What is the major source of genetic variation for plants and animals? c. Explain why your answers to a. and b. are different. Diploidy and balanced polymorphism preserve variation ( ) Diploidy The diploidy of most eukaryotes maintains genetic variation by hiding recessive alleles in heterozygotes, enabling them to persist in the population and be selected for, should the environment change. Balanced Polymorphism Natural selection may maintain variation at some gene loci, resulting in balanced polymorphism. When individuals heterozygous at a certain gene locus are reproductively more fit, this heterozygote advantage tends to maintain two or more alleles at this locus. If

11 Chapter 23: The Evolution ofpopulations 179 In frequency-dependent selection, a morph's reproductive success declines if it becomes too common in the population. Host-parasite interactions often result in frequency-dependent selection for varying morphs in both populations. Neutral Variation Some of the diversity seen in populations may be neutral variations that do not confer a selective advantage or disadvantage. Such neutral alleles will not be affected by natural selection and will change randomly by genetic drift. There is no consensus on how much variation is truly neutral. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.6 a. Why is the highly deleterious sickle-cell allele still present in the gene pool of the U.S. population? as beneficial genotypes are increased or maintained in the gene pool. An organism is an integrated collection of many phenotypic features. The relative fitness of an allele depends on the entire genetic context of the individual. II INTERACTIVE QUESTION 23.7 A gene locus has two alleles, Band b. The genotype BB has a relative fitness of 0.5 and bb has a relative fitness of a. What is the relative fitness of the genotype Bb? b. If a new generation has 100 BB individuals, how many Bb and bb would you expect to find? Bb bb c. What might account for the different relative fitness values for these genotypes? b. Why is this allele at such a relatively high frequency in the gene pool of some African populations? A Closer Look at Natural Selection as the Mechanism ofadaptive Evolution Adaptive evolution is a combination of chance and sorting: the chance occurrence of new genetic variation by mutation and sexual recombination, and the selection of those variations most fit for the environment. Evolutionary fitness is the relative contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation ( ) Darwinian fitness is a measure of an individual's relative contribution to the gene pool of the next generation. Population geneticists speak in terms of the relative fitness of a genotype as its contribution to the next generation in comparison with the contribution of other genotypes for this locus. The most fecund variants are said to have a relative fitness of 1, whereas the fitness of another genotype is the proportion of offspring it produces compared to the most successful variant. Factors that contribute to both survival and fertility determine an individual's evolutionary fihless. Selection acts on phenotype-the physical, biochemical, and behavioral traits of an organism-and thus indirectly adapts a population to its environment The effect of selection on a varying characteristic can be directional, diversifying, or stabilizing ( ) The frequency of a trait, especially a quantitative trait, may be affected by three modes of selection. Directional selection occurs most frequently during periods of environmental change, when individuals deviating in one direction from the average for some phenotypic character may be favored. Diversifying selection occurs when the environment favors individuals on both extremes of a phenotypic range. Balanced polymorphism may result from diversifying selection. Stabilizing selection acts against extreme phenotypes and favors more intermediate forms, tending to reduce phenotypic variation. Natural selection maintains sexual reproduction ( ) From a reproductive output standpoint, asexual reproduction is far superior, and sexual reproduction should, in theory, be selected against. One explanation for how sexual reproduction is maintained by natural selection is the selective advantage of genetic variation in disease resistance. For example, maintaining high variation in the cell surface molecules would help a population's offspring resist pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites that key in on such receptor molecules.

12 180 Unit Four: Mechanisms ofevolution Sexual selection may lead to pronounced secondary differences between the sexes ( ) Sexual dimorphism is the distinction between males and females on the basis of secondary sexual characteristics. In vertebrates, the male is usually the larger and showier sex. Sexual selection is the selection for traits that may not be adaptive to the environment but do enhance reproductive success by increasing an individual's success in competing for (intrasexual selection) or attracting (intersexual selection) a mate. Also called mate choice, intersexual selection may be based on traits that reflect the general health of the male and thus the fitness of his alleles. Natural selection cannot fashion perfect organisms (461) There are at least four reasons why evolution does not produce perfect organisms. First, each species has evolved from a long line of ancestral forms, many of whose structures have been co-opted for new situations. Second, adaptations are often compromises between the need to do several different things, such as swim and walk, or be agile and strong. Third, the evolution that occurs as the result of chance events, such as genetic drift, is not adaptive. Fourth, natural selection can act only on variations that are available; new alleles do not arise when needed. WORD ROOTS inter- = between (intersexual selection: individuals of one sex are choosy in selecting their mates from individuals of the other sex, also called mate choice) intra- = within (intrasexual selection: a direct competition among individuals of one sex for mates of the opposite sex) micro- = small (microevolution: a change in the gene pool of a population over a succession of generations) muta- = change (mutation: a change in the DNA of genes that ultimately creates genetic d~versity) poly- = many; morph- = form (polymorphism: th~ c~existence of two or more distinct forms of mdividuals in the same population) STRUCTURE YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1. a. What is the Hardy-Weinberg theorem? b. Define the variables of the Hardy-Weinberg equation. Make sure you can use this equation to determine allele frequencies and predict genotype frequencies. 2. It seems that natural selection would work toward genetic unity; the genotypes that are most fit produce the most offspring, increasing the frequency of adaptive alleles and eliminating less beneficial alleles from the population. Yet there remains a great deal of variability within populations of a species. Describe some of the factors that contribute to this genetic variability. 3. You collect 100 samples from a large butterfly population. Fifty specimens are dark brown, 20 are speckled, and 30 are white. Coloration in this species of butterfly is controlled by one gene locus: BB individuals are brown, Bb are speckled, and bb are white. What are the allele frequencies for the coloration gene in this population? Is this population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? Explain your answer. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the one best answer. 1. Darwinian fitness is a measure of a. survival. b. number of matings. c. adaptation to the environment. d. successful competition for resources. e. number of viable offspring. 2. According to the Hardy-Weinberg theorem, a. the allele frequencies of a population should remain constant from one generation to the next if the population is large and there is no natural selection. b. only natural selection, resulting in unequal reproductive success, will cause evolution. c. the square root of the frequency of individuals showing the recessive trait will always equal the frequency of q. d. genetic drift, gene flow, and mutations are always maladaptive. e. all of the above are correct.

13 Chapter 23: The Evolution of Populations If a population has the following genotype frequencies, AA = 0.42, Aa = 0.46, and aa = 0.12, what are the allele frequencies? a.a = 0.42 a = 0.12 b.a = 0.6 a = 0.4 c. A = 0.65 a = 0.35 d.a = 0.76 a = 0.24 e. A = 0.88 a = In a population with two alleles, Band b, the allele frequency of b is 0.4. What would be the frequency of heterozygotes if the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? a b.0.24 c d.0.6 e. You cannot tell from this information. 5. In a population that is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for two alleles, C and c, 16% of the population show a recessive trait. Assuming C is dominant to c, what percent show the dominant trait? a.36% b.48% c.60% d.84% e.96% 6. Genetic drift is likely to be seen in a population a. that has a high migration rate. b. that has a low mutation rate. c. in which natural selection is occurring. d. that is very small. e. for which environmental conditions are changing. 7. Gene flow often results in a. populations that move to better environments. b. an increase in sampling error in the formation of the next generation. c. adaptive microevolution. d. a decrease in allele frequencies. e. a reduction of the allele frequency differences between populations. 8. The existence of two distinct phenotypic forms in a species is known as a. geographic variation. b. stabilizing selection. c. heterozygote advantage. d. polymorphism. e. directional selection. 9. Human gene diversity is estimated to be about 14%, which means that a. 86% of our genes are identical. b. on average, 14% of an individual's gene loci are heterozygous. c. only 14% of nucleotide sites differ between individuals. d. nucleotide diversity must be very great between individuals. e. the human population never experienced a bottleneck effect. 10. Mutations are rarely the cause of microevolution because a. they are most often harmful and do not get passed on. b. they do not directly produce most of the genetic variation present in a diploid population. c. they occur very rarely. d. they are only passed on when they occur in gametes. e. of all of the above. 11. In a study of a population of field mice, you find that 48% of the mice have a coat color that indicates that they are heterozygous for a particular gene. What would be the frequency of the dominant allele in this population? a.0.24 b.0.48 c d.0.60 e. You cannot estimate allele frequency from this information. 12. In a random sample of a population of shorthorn cattle, 73 animals were red (CRC R ), 63 were roan, a mixture of red and white (CRC), and 13 were white (CC). Estimate the allele frequencies of C R and C, and determine whether the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. a. C R = 0.64, C = 0.36; because the population is large and a random sample was chosen, the population is in equilibrium. b. C R = 0.7, C = 0.3; the genotype ratio is not what would be predicted from these frequencies and the population is not in equilibrium. c. C R = 0.7, C = 0.3; the genotype ratio is what would be predicted from these frequencies and the population is in equilibrium. d. C R = 1.04, C = 0.44; the allele frequencies add up to greater than 1 and the population is not in equilibrium. e. You cannot estimate allele frequency from this information.

14 182 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution 13. A scientist observes that the height of a certain species of asters decreases as the altitude on a mountainside increases. She gathers seeds from samples at various altitudes, plants them in a uniform environment, and measures the height of the new plants. All of her experimental asters grow to approximately the same height. From this she concludes that a. height is not a quantitative trait. b. the cline she observed was due to genetic variations. c. the differences in the parent plants' heights were due to directional selection. d. the height variation she initially observed was an example of nongenetic environmental variation. e. stabilizing selection was responsible for height differences in the parent plants. Sexual selection will a. select for traits that enhance an individual's chance of mating. b. increase the size of individuals. c. result in individuals better adapted to the environment. d. result in stabilizing selection. e. result in a relative fitness of more than 1. The greatest source of genetic variation in plant and animal populations is from a. mutations. b. sexual recombination. c. selection. d. polymorphism. e. recessive masking in heterozygotes. 16. A plant population is found in an area that is becoming more arid. The average surface area of leaves has been decreasing over the generations. This trend is an example of a. a cline. b. directional selection. c. disruptive selection. d. gene flow. e. genetic drift. 17. Mice that are homozygous for a lethal recessive allele die shortly after birth. In a large breeding colony of mice, you find that a surprising 5% of all newborns die from this trait. In checking lab records, you discover that the same proportion of offspring have been dying from this trait in this colony for the past three years. (Mice breed several times a year and have large litters.) How might you explain the persistence of this lethal allele at such a high frequency? a. Homozygous recessive mice have a reproductive advantage. b. A large mutation rate keeps producing this lethal allele. c. There is some sort of heterozygote advantage and perhaps selection against the homozygous dominant trait. d. Genetic drift has kept the recessive allele at this high frequency in the population. e. Since this is a diploid species, the recessive allele cannot be selected against when it is in the heterozygote. 18. In breeding experiments with Drosophila, you count the offspring produced by three different genotypes and determine that flies with the genotype AA have a relative fitness of 1. What does that mean? a. AA flies have a lower Darwinian fitness than do flies that are Aa or aa. b. AA flies produce more viable offspring than do Aa or aa flies. c. This fly population must be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. d. AA flies live longer than do Aa or aa flies. e. The A and a alleles must both have a frequency of All of the following would tend to maintain balanced polymorphism in a population except a. hybrid vigor. b. directional selection. c. diversifying selection. d. heterozygote advantage. e. frequency-dependent selection. 20. Genetic analysis of a large population of mink inhabiting an island in Michigan revealed an unusual number of loci where one allele was fixed. Which of the following is the most probable explanation for this genetic homogeneity? a. The population exhibited nonrandom mating, producing homozygous genotypes. b. The gene pool of this population never experienced mutation or gene flow. c. A very small number of mink may have colonized this island, and this founder effect and subsequent genetic drift could have fixed many alleles. d. Natural selection has selected for and fixed the best adapted alleles at these loci. e. The colonizing population may have had much more genetic diversity, but genetic drift in the last year or two may have fixed these alleles by chance.

15 Chapter 23: The Evolution of Populations Directional selection would be most likely to occur when a. a population's environment has changed. b. a population's environment has two very different habitats. c. frequency-dependent selection is acting on a population. d. a population's environment is very harsh. e. a population is small and its environment is stable. 22. If an allele is recessive and lethal in homozygotes, a. the allele is present in the population at a frequency of b. the allele will be removed from the population by natural selection in approximately 1,000 years. c. the relative fitness of the homozygous recessive genotype is O. d. the allele will most likely remain in the population at a low frequency because it cannot be selected against when in a heterozygote. e. Both c and d are correct. 23. Sexual reproduction may be maintained by natural selection because a. it produces the greatest number of offspring. b. intrasexual selection produces the strongest males. c. intersexual selection allows females to choose their mates. d. maintaining a high variability in a population for traits such as cell surface markers protects against pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. e. it maintains high genetic variability in a population's gene pool so that the population can adapt should environmental conditions change. 24. Which of the following is an example of frequencydependent selection? a. the genetic drift that occurs within a founder population b. a ritualized contest in which one male wins reproductive access to a group of females c. host-parasite interactions in which parasites in a region are genetically adapted to infect the most common morph of host d. the very rapid evolution of HIV due to its short generation time and high rate of mutation e. the high frequency of intermediate phenotypes that results from stabilizing selection

16 THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES FRAMEWORK!SPEC,IEsJ.--==:- ~ ~ _ origin is may be defined by different concepts may originate by basis of _ I based on I specific ecological niche based on I reproductive isolation and / or niche based on I unique genetic history L...,;""-_.--...J may involve result of "' changes in developmental genes CHAPTER REVIEW Microevolution explains evolutionary changes within a population. Macroevolution considers the origin of new taxonomic groups (from species to kingdom), and the process begins with speciation, the origin of a new species. Anagenesis, or phyletic evolution, involves the transformation of one species into a new species. In cladogenesis, or branching evolution, new species arise from parent species that continue to exist. Cladogenesis is the process that increases biological diversity. What Is a Species? Species are most often characterized by their physical form or morphology, although taxonomists now consider physiology, biochemistry, behavior, and genetics in order to distinguish species. The biological species concept emphasizes reproductive isolation (465) According to the biological species concept, developed by Ernst Mayr in 1942, a species is a population or group of populations of individuals that have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring, but which do not successfully interbreed with other species. Biological species are genetically isolated from other species. Prezygotic and postzygotic barriers isolate the gene pools of biological species ( ) Any intrinsic mechanism that prevents two species from producing viable, fertile hybrids is a reproductive barrier serving to preserve the genetic integrity of a biological species. Prezygotic Barriers Prezygotic barriers function before the formation of a zygote by preventing mating 184

17 Chapter 24: The Origin of Species 185 between species or successful fertilization should gametes meet. Prezygotic barriers include habitat isolation, in which two species that live in the same area occupy different habitats; temporal isolation, in which two species breed at different times; behavioral isolation, in which courtship rituals and behavioral signals are species specific; mechanical isolation, in which anatomical incompatibilities prevent mating with members of other species; and gametic isolation, in which the gametes of different species fail to fuse, often due to the lack of specific recognition molecules on the surfaces of gametes. Postzygotic Barriers Should a hybrid zygote form, postzygotic barriers prevent it from developing into a viable, fertile adult. Postzygotic barriers include reduced hybrid viability, in which a hybrid zygote fails to survive embryonic development; reduced hybrid fertility, in which a viable hybrid individual is sterile, often due to the inability to produce normal gametes in meiosis; or hybrid breakdown, in which the hybrids are viable and fertile, but their offspring are feeble or sterile. II INTERACTIVE QU ESTION 24.1 The biological species concept has some major limitations (468) The biological species concept does not work for species that are completely asexual, such as bacteria. Extinct species also cannot be grouped based on the criterion of interbreeding. Even most living species are identified by comparative morphology and not the more difficult-to-obtain data on interbreeding. Evolutionary biologists have proposed several alternative concepts of species (468) The ecological species concept defines species on the basis of their ecological niche, the role they play and resources they use in the specific environments in which they are found. According to the pluralistic species concept, the mechanisms that maintain a species as a cohesive unit may include reproductive barriers, its specific niche, or a combination of both. Most species have been identified on the basis of physical characteristics, an approach called the morphological species concept. The emphasis of the genealogical species concept is on evolutionary lineages through which a unique genetic history gives each species a set of unique genetic markers. -- Name the type of reproductive barrier and whether it is pre- or postzygotic for the following examples. I Type of Barrier Pre- or Post- Example a. b. Two species of frogs are mated in the lab and produce viable, but sterile, offspring. c. d. Two species of sea urchins release I gametes at the same time, but no cross fertilization occurs. e. f. Two orchid species with different length nectar tubes are pollinated by different moths. g. h. Two species of mayflies emerge during different weeks in spring. i. j. Two species of salamanders will mate and produce offspring, but their offspring are sterile. k. I. Two similar species of birds have different mating rituals. m. I o. I n. Embryos of two species of mice bred in the lab usually abort. p. Peepers breed in woodland ponds; leopard frogs breed in swamps. II INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.2 Fill in the following table to review the five approaches that evolutionary biologists have proposed for conceptualizing a species. Concept biological a. Emphasis b. anatomical differences, most commonly used c. unique roles in specific environments d. both reproductive isolation and ecological niche genealogical e. L...: Modes of Speciation Speciation requires the interruption of gene flow between populations. Allopatric speciation occurs when two populations are geographically separated. In sympatric speciation, biological barriers prevent gene flow between overlapping populations.

18 186 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution Allopatric speciation: geographic barriers can lead to the origin of species ( ) Conditions for Allopatric Speciation Geologic change can isolate populations. The extent of the geographic barrier necessary to maintain genetic separation depends on the ability of the organisms to disperse. Colonization of a new area may also geographically isolate populations. If the isolated population is small, its gene pool is more easily changed by genetic drift and natural selection. Ring Species: Allopatric Speciation in Progress? When a species spreads around some geographic barrier, the populations may gradually diverge. In a ring species, populations that eventually meet at the other end of the barrier may have evolved enough that they are no longer able to interbreed and can thus be considered separate species. Adaptive Radiation on Island Chains Allopatric speciation may occur on island chains when small founding populations evolve in isolation and under somewhat differing environmental conditions. These new species may then recolonize the original island and coexist with the parent species. Adaptive radiation is the evolution of numerous, variously adapted species from a common ancestor. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.3 What factors have contributed to the adaptive radiation of the thousands of endemic species of the Hawaiian Archipelago? This postzygotic reproductive barrier may have evolved because there was no selection pressure to eliminate alleles that may have harmed the reproductive success of hybrids from distant populations, which would never naturally interbreed. Summary of Allopatric Speciation The genetic drift and natural selection that affect an isolated population's gene pool may result in the evolution of reproductive barriers as a side effect of such genetic change. Sympatric speciation: a new species can originate in the geographic midst of the parent species ( ) Polyploid Speciation in Plants Mistakes during cell division may lead to polyploidy in plants. An autopolyploid has more than two sets of chromosomes that have all come from the same species. Meiotic failure can produce tetraploids (4n), which can fertilize themselves or other tetraploids but cannot successfully breed with diploids from the parent population, resulting in reproductive isolation in just one generation. Polyploid species arise more commonly through allopolyploidy. Interspecific hybrids may propagate asexually, but are usually sterile due to difficulties in the meiotic production of gametes. Future mitotic or meiotic nondisjunctions can result in the production of a fertile polyploid. Speciation of polyploids has been frequent and important in plant evolution. Many of our agricultural plants are polyploids, and plant geneticists now hybridize plants and induce meiotic and mitotic errors to create new species. Ui II an 1 How Do Reproductive Barriers Evolve? Geographic separation alone is not a reproductive barrier in the biological species sense. Such intrinsic reproductive barriers, however, may arise coincidentally as allopatric populations undergo genetic drift and natural selection. Laboratory studies have shown the evolution of a prezygotic b~rrier to reproduction in fruit fly populations reared for several generations on different food sources. Perhaps the allele that affects nutrient digestion also influences the odor of the fly cuticle, one of the factors involved in mate choice. Hybridization studies between various populations of monkey flowers have shown that hybrid offspring from close populations were usually fertile, whereas hybrids from distant populations were often sterile. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.4 a. A new plant species B forms by autopolyploidy from species A, which had a chromosome number of 2n = 10. How many chromosomes would species B have? b. If species A were to hybridize by allopolyploidy with species C (2n = 14) and produce a new, fertile species, D, how many chromosomes would species D have? Sympatric Speciation in Animals Sympatric speciation in animals may involve isolation within the geographic range of the parent population based on different resource usage. Nonrandom mating in a

19 Chapter 24: The Origin of Species 187 polymorphic population could also lead to sympatric speciation. In a laboratory study of two sympatric species of cichlids, mate choice based on coloration was shown to be the reproductive barrier that normally separates the two species. Summary of Sympatric Speciation In sympatric speciation, some reproductive barrier isolates the gene pool of a subgroup of a population within the same geographic range as the parent population. Hybridization between closely related species followed by mitotic or meiotic errors that produce fertile polyploids is the common mechanism in plants. A change in resource use or mating preference may reproductively isolate a subset of an animal population. The punctuated equilibrium model has stimulated research on the tempo of speciation ( ) The traditional evolutionary concept of the origin of species involves the gradual divergence of populations by microevolution, with each newly formed species continuing to evolve over long periods of time. However, in the fossil record, new forms often appear rather suddenly, persist unchanged for a long time, and then disappear. Part of this nongradual appearance of fossils may be explained by the allopatric model of speciation. New species diverge in a location separate from the parent species and may then return to the parental location (and show up in the fossil record) in an already differentiated form. According to the model of evolution known as punctuated equilibrium, long periods of stasis are punctuated by episodes of relatively rapid speciation and change. In geologic time, a few thousand years for a species to evolve is small compared with the few millions of years a successful species may exist. Long periods of stasis may be the result of stabilizing selection in an unchanging environment. Some gradualists maintain, however, that fossils show stasis only in external anatomy and that changes in internal anatomy, physiology, and behavior go unrecorded. INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.5 Compare the gradual and punctuated equilibrium models of evolution. From Speciation to Macroevolution The generation-to-generation change in allele frequencies in a population is considered microevolution. Macroevolution includes the genetic changes that result in reproductive isolation of new species as well as the evolution of the defining characteristics of higher taxonomic groups. Most evolutionary novelties are modified versions of older structures (477) Often, very complex organs, such as the eyes of vertebrates and mollusks, have evolved gradually from simpler structures that served similar needs in ancestral species. Evolutionary novelties that define higher taxa may evolve by the gradual modification of existing structures for new functions. Exaptation is the term for structures that evolved and functioned in one setting and were then co-opted for a new function. III INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.6 Give examples of reptilian structures that were exaptations for flight in birds. "Evo-devo": genes that control development playa major role in evolution ( ) The combination of the fields of evolutionary and developmental biology, called "evo-devo," explores how slight changes in developmental genes can result in major morphological differences between species. Allometric growth, the differing rates of growth of various parts of the body, leads to the final shape of the organism. A minor genetic alteration that affects allometric growth can produce a very differently proportioned adult form. Heterochrony is an evolutionary change in the rate or timing of development. Paedomorphosis is the retention in the adult of juvenile traits of ancestral organisms and can occur when genetic changes speed up the development of reproductive organs relative to the development of body form.

20 188 Unit Four: Mechanisms of Evolution INTERACTIVE QUESTION 24.7 a. Fetal skulls of humans and chimpanzees have similar shapes. The quite distinctive differences in adult skull shape results from different patterns of b. A salamander species that retains its gills (a larval trait) when it is full grown and sexually mature is an example of _ c. The shorter feet of tree-dwelling salamanders may result from an evolutionary change in a regulatory gene that switches off growth of the foot sooner than in ground-dwelling salamanders. These three cases (a., b., and c.) are all examples of Changes in genes that alter the spatial arrangement of body parts have also been important in macroevolution. Mutations in Hox genes, which provide positional information in embryos, can drastically alter body form. Duplications of the Hox complex of invertebrates may have been central to the evolution of vertebrates. An evolutionary trend does not mean that evolution is goal oriented ( ) Equus, the modern horse, descended from its much smaller, browsing, four-toed ancestor, Hyracotherium, through a series of speciation episodes that produced many different species and diverging trends, as documented in the fossil record. According to S. Stanley's model of species selection, an evolutionary trend is analogous to a trend in a population produced by natural selection. The successful species that last the longest before extinction and bud off the most new species will determine the direction of the trend. Evolutionary trends are ultimately dictated by environmental conditions; if conditions change, an evolutionary trend may end or change. WORD ROOTS allo- = other; -metron = measure (allometric growth: the variation in the relative rates of growth of various parts of the body, which helps shape the organism) ana- = up; -genesis = origin, birth (anagenesis: a pattern of evolutionary change involving the transformation of an entire population, sometimes to a state different enough from the ancestral population to justify renaming it as a separate species) auto- = self; poly- = many (autopolyploid: a type of polyploid species resulting from one species doubling its chromosome number to become tetraploid) clado- = branch (cladogenesis: a pattern of evolutionary change that produces biological diversity by budding one or more new species from a parent species that continues to exist) hetero- different (heterochrony: evolutionary changes in the timing or rate of development) macro- = large (macroevolution: evolutionary change on a grand scale, encompassing the origin of novel designs, evolutionary trends, adaptive radiation, and mass extinction) paedo- = child (paedomorphosis: the retention in the adult organism of the juvenile features of its evolutionary ancestors) post- = after (postzygotic barrier: any of several species-isolating mechanisms that prevent hybrids produced by two different species from developing into viable, fertile adults) sym- = together; -patri = father (sympatric speciation: a mode of speciation occurring as a result of a radical change in the genome that produces a reproductively isolated subpopulation in the midst of its parent population) STRUCTURE YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1. How are speciation and microevolution different? 2. Describe two major mechanisms through which evolutionary novelties may originate. TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the one best answer. 1. The type of evolution that results in the greatest increase in biological diversity is a. anagenesis. b. cladogenesis. c. phyletic evolution. d. microevolution. e. Both a and c are correct. 2. Which of the following is not a type of intrinsic reproductive isolation? a. mechanical isolation b. behavioral isolation c. geographic isolation d. gametic isolation e. temporal isolation