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Ch. 13 How Populations Evolve
Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksTaylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 13 How Populations EvolveProblem 10
Chapter 13, Problem 10

Write a paragraph briefly describing the kinds of scientific evidence for evolution.

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Identify and describe the different types of scientific evidence that support the theory of evolution. These include fossil records, comparative anatomy, molecular biology, and biogeography.
Explain how fossil records provide evidence for evolution by showing changes in the form and structure of organisms over time, and how new species appear while others become extinct.
Discuss comparative anatomy, focusing on homologous structures (similar structures in different species with a common ancestor) and analogous structures (similar structures in different species without a common ancestor), which demonstrate evolutionary relationships.
Describe the role of molecular biology in evolution, particularly how similarities in DNA sequences, proteins, and genetic codes among different species suggest a common ancestry.
Examine biogeography, which studies the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time, and how it provides evidence of evolution through the observation of distinct, yet related, species in different geographical areas.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Fossil Record

The fossil record provides a chronological account of the history of life on Earth, showcasing the progression of species over time. It includes preserved remains or traces of organisms, which reveal transitional forms and demonstrate how species have changed and diversified. This evidence supports the theory of evolution by illustrating the gradual changes that occur in species.
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Comparative Anatomy

Comparative anatomy involves studying the similarities and differences in the structures of different organisms. Homologous structures, which are similar due to shared ancestry, provide evidence for evolutionary relationships. For example, the forelimbs of mammals, birds, and reptiles exhibit similar bone structures, indicating a common evolutionary origin despite their different functions.
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Molecular Biology

Molecular biology examines the genetic and biochemical similarities among different species at the molecular level. DNA sequencing and protein analysis reveal genetic relationships and evolutionary pathways. The more closely related two species are, the more similar their DNA sequences will be, providing strong evidence for common descent and the process of evolution.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

In a population with two alleles, B and b, the allele frequency of b is 0.4. B is dominant to b. What is the frequency of individuals with the dominant phenotype if the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

a. 0.16

b. 0.36

c. 0.48

d. 0.84

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Textbook Question

Within a few weeks of treatment with the drug 3TC, a patient's HIV population consists entirely of 3TC-resistant viruses. How can this result best be explained?

a. HIV can change its surface proteins and resist vaccines.

b. The patient must have become reinfected with a resistant virus.

c. A few drug-resistant viruses were present at the start of treatment, and natural selection increased their frequency.

d. HIV began making drug-resistant versions of its enzymes in response to the drug.

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Textbook Question

In the late 1700s, machines that could blast through rock to build roads and railways were invented, exposing deep layers of rocks. How would you expect this development to aid the science of paleontology?

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Textbook Question

In the early 1800s, French naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck suggested that the best explanation for the relationship of fossils to current organisms is that life evolves. He proposed that by using or not using its body parts, an individual may change its traits and then pass those changes on to its offspring. He suggested, for instance, that the ancestors of the giraffe had lengthened their necks by stretching higher and higher into the trees to reach leaves. Evaluate Lamarck's hypotheses from the perspective of present-day scientific knowledge.

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Textbook Question

Sickle-cell disease is caused by a recessive allele. Roughly one out of every 400 African Americans (0.25%) is afflicted with sickle-cell disease. Use the Hardy-Weinberg equation to calculate the percentage of African Americans who are carriers of the sickle-cell allele. (Hint: q2 = 0.0025.)

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Textbook Question
It seems logical that natural selection would work toward genetic uniformity; the genotypes that are most fit produce the most offspring, increasing the frequency of adaptive alleles and eliminating less adaptive alleles. Yet there remains a great deal of genetic variation within populations. Describe factors that contribute to this variation.
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