Speciation 2

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Speciation 2 Speciation 2 Carol Lee University of Wisconsin Copyright©2020; do not upload without permission Today’s OUTLINE: (1) Geographic Mechanisms of Speciation (What circumstances lead to the formation of new species?) (2) Species Concepts (How are Species Defined?) Mechanisms of Speciation Last Time: Genetic Models: The roles of: Mutations Natural Selection Genetic Drift This Time: Geographic Models: Allopatric Model (difference place) Sympatric Model (same place) Parapatric Model (adjoining) (1) Mechanisms of Speciation Last Time: Genetic Models: How do Genetic Drift, Natural Selection, Mutations, etc. create new species? Are there “speciation” genes? This Time: Geographic Models: How does speciation occur in Nature? Is geographic isolation required? Mechanisms of Speciation Geographic (Ecological) Models: Allopatric Model (different place) Disperse to Another Location Vicariance: a barrier is formed This geographic split could lead to Dobzhansky- Müller incompatibilities Sympatric Model (same place) Polyploid speciation Mate Choice (sexual selection) Niche Partitioning (e.g. different food source, Host Plant) Parapatric Model (adjoining) Geographic Models of speciation ■ Allopatric speciation: geographic isolation ■ Sympatric speciation: no geographic isolation ■ Parapatric speciation: geographic separation (or gradient), but not isolation Allopatric Models Involves Geographic Isolation Dispersal Vicariance Allopatric Models • Following geographic separation between populations, Dispersal Vicariance • This geographic separation provides the setting that allows speciation at the molecular level to occur (last lecture) Allopatric Models Dispersal Vicariance • Random Mutations would arise in the separated populations, and then selection or genetic drift would lead to fixation of those mutations • If different mutations are fixed in the different populations, reproductive isolation could arise through Dobzhansky-Müller incompatibilities (last lecture) Allopatric Speciation Examples (see book) ■ Dispersal: ◆ Colonization of islands ◆ Colonization of lakes ■ Vicariance: ◆ Highway going through a forest ◆ Fragmentation of habitats ◆ Formation of Panama splitting the Caribbean &Pacific Oceans Sympatric models Speciation with no geographic separation Speciation despite gene flow (1) Formation of polyploids (discussed in previous lecture) (2) Natural Selection due to Niche Partitioning Sexual Selection Sympatric Model (1) Formation of Polyploids (covered in previous lecture) Important mechanism for plants Occurs rarely in animals Autopolyploidy: happening in one spot (in the plant) Allopolyploidy: the different plant taxa have to be in the same location to hybridize Sympatric Model (2) Selection in the face of gene flow: • Niche Partitioning • Strong assortative mating and sexual selection (disruptive selection) Example of Niche Partitioning: • Soapberry bugs that have adapted to two different host plants Selection drives beak length apart Evolutionary change in beak length on the new small fruit trend toward smaller beaks on smaller fruit Niche Partitioning Soapberry bugs mate on different host plants ■ The populations that live and mate on different fruit are unlikely to encounter each other ◆ Reduces gene flow ◆ Isolation ■ Disruptive Natural Selection ■ Adaptation to alternative hosts leads to reproductive isolation (through the genetic mechanisms discussed earlier, such as Dobzhansky-Müller model) Sexual selection ■ Color preference during mating ■ But, sometimes hybrid zones do form between populations that are in the process of speciating ■ Sometimes hybridization between different species results in vigorous new species or populations, especially in plants (hybrid vigor, or heterozygote advantage) ■ The effects vary depending on how distant the two species or populations are… and whether the different alleles at different loci are able to work together (coadapted gene complexes) ■ Hybrids between different populations within a species do tend to have an advantage (Heterozygote advantage). However, mating between very distant populations (different species) can lead to hybrid breakdown. Increasing genetic distance Mating between Fitness different species (Lions x tiger, Horse x donkey) Will not mate or Mating between Populations Produce inviable or relatives within a species sterile hybrids Outbreeding Inbreeding Hybrid Vigor Depression = Depression (due to Heterozygote advantage) Hybrid Breakdown (2) How are Species Defined? How are species defined? So, what criterion should be used? Historically, the most common criteria had been using morphological characters (external phenotype) Speciation is a messy process ■ Rates of molecular, phenotypic (morphological) evolution and reproductive isolation are not necessarily concordant, but often discordant ■ Speciation is a jagged messy idiosyncratic process, where species boundaries are often difficult to define ■ Problem: Populations are in the process of speciating from one another, and species boundaries are often difficult to define until the populations are sufficiently divergent by all measures ■ So then, how do you define species??? Darwin’s view: Species are arbitrary constructs of the human mind imposed on a continuum of variation Species are dynamic rather than static entities, with boundaries changing constantly Many groups are in the process of speciation Three Main Species Concepts 1. Biological Species Concept 2. Phylogenetic Species Concept 3. Phenetic Species Concept (includes Morphological Species Concept) 1. Biological Species Concept (Ernst Mayr, 1942) A group of interbreeding populations that are evolutionary independent of other populations 1. Biological Species Concept (Ernst Mayr, 1942) Example: all human populations belong to the same biological species Biological Species Concept Strengths An unambiguous empirical criteria which is clearly linked to speciation (if populations can’t intermate they can’t belong to the same species) Using reproductive isolation as the criterion is meaningful as it confirms the lack of gene flow between groups Biological Species Concept PROBLEMS: ■ Many ‘species’ are asexual and do not intermate (viruses, bacteria, protists) ■ Many highly divergent species can hybridize (plants) ■ Only applicable to present (not fossil taxa) ■ Ability to intermate sometimes drops off gradually (“ring species”) Ring Species 2. Phylogenetic Species Concept The smallest group that is monophyletic is called a species 2. Phylogenetic Species Concept There are several monophyletic groups here Monophyletic group: A group with a shared derived (descendant) character A group that contains a common ancestor and all its descendents Phylogenetic Species Concept Typically, a phylogeny is constructed using DNA or heritable traits (proteins, morphological traits) The phylogeny reveals hierarchical relationships among groups The smallest group that has a shared derived character and is monophyletic is called a species Phylogenetic Species Concept There is a derived character that is shared by the 4 populations Monophyly The smallest monophyletic group is called a species A monophyletic clade consists of an ancestral taxa and all its descendants A A A B Group I B B C C C D D D E E Group II E Group III F F F G G G (a) Monophyletic group (clade) (b) Paraphyletic group (c) Polyphyletic group 37 Phylogenetic Species Concept Strengths Easy to see evolutionary relationships on large and small taxonomic scales It can be used on any species (sexual, asexual) for which there is phylogenetic information (molecular, morphological, biochemical data) on extant or fossil species It can be applied at any hierarchical level to define groups: species, genus, family, order, phylum, domain.... Phylogenetic Species Concept Problems: ■ Need a good phylogeny – time consuming and can be expensive ■ Not recognize paraphyletic groups (a monophyletic group that does not include all the descendents; reptiles are paraphyletic, as they do not include birds, because birds emerged from within reptiles) ■ A trivial trait (single mutation or trait) can make a group monophyletic, and may not warrant calling a group a new species Examples of Paraphyletic Groups Paraphyly: a group which either does not include all its descendants or the ancestor. Phylogenetic Species Concept Problems: ■ A trivial trait (single mutation or trait) can make a group monophyletic, and may not warrant calling a group a new species ■ The cut off for a “species” is often arbitrary. For example, 3% sequence divergence is often used for bacteria Phylogenetic Species Concept Monophyly Sometimes a trivial trait, like a single point mutation could make a group monophyletic, and a “species” according to the phylogenetic species concept The smallest monophyletic group is a species 3. Phenetic Species Concept ■ Traditional Definition: Populations that are phenotypically similar to one another but different from other sets of populations. ■ Identifies species using overall similarity (often “a key”), but not in a phylogenetic context… no hierarchy – no branching pattern, no ancestral-derived relationships ■ Encompasses the “Morphological Species Concept” ■ Most often morphological traits are used, but any phenotype could be used Phenetic (often Morphological) Species Concept Strengths ■ Most intuitive; the way we recognize species ■ Easiest. Easier than constructing phylogeny or intermating Phenetic Species Concept Problems: ■ Different species can look similar due to convergent evolution ■ Populations that look distinct sometimes
Recommended publications
  • Maria Triantafyllidou
    The limits of species recognition: heterospecific song learning in pied flycatchers Maria Triantafyllidou Degree project in biology, Bachelor of science, 2016 Examensarbete i biologi 15 hp till kandidatexamen, 2016 Biology Education Centre and Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal Ecology, Uppsala University Supervisors: Dr. Anna Qvarnström and Dr. David Wheatcroft ABSTRACT The closely related species pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) and collared flycatcher (F. albicollis) co-occur on the Swedish island of Öland, where they compete over similar resources. The majority of male pied flycatchers have been found to incorporate elements of the collared flycatcher song in their repertoire. Given that birdsong is partly inherited and partly learned, the relative contribution of genetic predispositions versus acoustic stimuli varies across different species. The results show that in pied flycatchers, song acquisition is tightly correlated with imprinting, and can therefore be greatly influenced by heterospecific tutors in their surroundings, i.e. male collared flycatchers. I found that pied males are capable of not only memorizing collared song elements, but also producing them with high fidelity. Thus, I infer that pied flycatchers are characterized by a high degree of vocal plasticity. INTRODUCTION The importance of sexual signals in speciation It is largely recognized that sexual signals play a key role in mate recognition as they indicate species identity and mate quality. It has been increasingly appreciated that they also play a significant role in patterns of speciation (Slabbekoorn and Smith 2002, Ritchie 2007, Verzijden et al. 2012). That is linked with the fact that sex traits evolve quickly and are therefore likely to diverge among closely related species, eventually leading to reproductive isolation (Qvarnström et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Allopatric Speciation with Little Niche Divergence Is Common Among
    Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.) (2016) 43, 591–602 ORIGINAL Allopatric speciation with little niche ARTICLE divergence is common among alpine Primulaceae Florian C. Boucher1*, Niklaus E. Zimmermann2,3 and Elena Conti1 1Institute of Systematic Botany, University of ABSTRACT Zurich,€ 8008 Zurich,€ Switzerland, 2Dynamic Aim Despite the accumulation of cases describing fast radiations of alpine Macroecology, Swiss Federal Research plants, we still have limited understanding of the drivers of speciation in alpine Institute WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland, 3Department of Environmental floras and of the precise the timing of their diversification. Here, we investi- Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of gated spatial and temporal patterns of speciation in three groups of alpine Technology ETH, CH-8092 Zurich,€ Primulaceae. Switzerland Location Mountains of the European Alpine System. Methods We built a new phylogeny of Primulaceae including all species in three focal groups: Androsace sect. Aretia, Primula sect. Auricula and Soldanella. Combining phylogenetic information with a detailed climatic data set, we investigated patterns of range and ecological overlap between sister-species using an approach that takes phylogenetic uncertainty into account. Finally, we investigated temporal trajectories of diversification in the three focal groups. Results We found that a large majority of sister-species pairs in the three groups are strictly allopatric and show little differences in substrate and cli- matic preferences, a result that was robust to phylogenetic uncertainty. While rates of diversification have remained constant in Soldanella, both Androsace sect. Aretia and Primula sect. Auricula showed decreased diversification rates in the Pleistocene compared to previous geological epochs. Main conclusions Allopatric speciation with little niche divergence appears to have been by far the most common mode of speciation across the three groups studied.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution and Stability of Ring Species
    Evolution and Stability of Ring Species 1 Ayana de Brito Martins Marcus A. M. de Aguiar 2,3 Yaneer Bar-Yam 3 1 Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo 2 Instituto de Física, Universidade Estadual de Campinas 3 New England Complex Systems Institute Ring Species REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION Ring species in nature Phylloscopus Irwin et al. 2005 Geographical barriers Geographical barriers POPULATION Geographical barriers Geographical barriers The model GENES AGENT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 POSITION IN SPACE X(AGENT), Y(AGENT) The model L CARRYING CAPACITY MUTATION RATE The model: Time evolution Tn Tn+1 DISCRETE GENERATIONS The model: Time evolution Tn Tn+1 DISCRETE GENERATION The model: Time evolution Tn Tn+1 DISCRETE GENERATIONS The model: Time evolution Tn Tn+1 DISCRETE GENERATIONS The model: Time evolution Tn Tn+1 Tn+2 DISCRETE GENERATIONS The model: population growth Tn Tn+1 The model: population growth Tn Tn+1 The model: population growth Tn Tn+1 The model: Reproduction BREEDING NEIGHBORHOOD S The model: Reproduction BREEDING NEIGHBORHOOD S The model: Reproduction THERE IS A CRITICAL GENETIC DISTANCE ABOVE WHICH INDIVIDUALS DO NOT REPRODUCE INDIVIDUAL 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ... 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 NEIGHBOR 1 ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 ... 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 ADDITIVE EFFECT The model: Reproduction The model: Reproduction ! The model: Reproduction RECOMBINATION 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 ..
    [Show full text]
  • Speciation in Geographical Setting
    Speciation Speciation 2019 2019 The degree of reproductive isolation Substantial variation exists in among geographical sets of species - anagenesis populations within an actively 1859 1859 evolving species complex is often Achillea - yarrow tested by crossing experiments — as in the tidy tips of California 100K bp 100K bp back in time back in time back Rubus parviforus K = 4 mean population assignment 2 mya 2 mya ID CO WI_Door 5 mya BC_Hixton BC_MtRob WI_BruleS 5 mya BC_McLeod CA_Klamath MI_Windigo WA_Cascade WA_BridgeCr SD_BlackHills OR_Willamette MI_Drummond Speciation Speciation 2019 Reproductive isolation will ultimately stop all Although simple in concept, the recognition of species and thus the definition genetic connections among sets of populations of what are species have been controversial — more than likely due to the – cladogenesis or speciation continuum nature of the pattern resulting from the process of speciation 1859 Example: mechanical isolation via floral shape changes and pollinators between two parapatric species of California Salvia (sage) 100K bp back in time back 2 mya S. mellifera 5 mya Salvia apiana 1 Speciation Speciation Although simple in concept, the recognition of species and thus the definition Animal examples of speciation often show of what are species have been controversial — more than likely due to the clear reproductive barriers - hence zoologists continuum nature of the pattern resulting from the process of speciation preference (as opposed to botanists) for the Reproductive isolating Biological
    [Show full text]
  • Speciation and Recessive Mutations for BMC Biology
    Essay: On the close relationship between speciation, inbreeding and recessive mutations. Etienne Joly, [email protected], Toulouse, September 2010 All the ideas developed in this essay are relatively simple, and most of them are related to many Foreword previously published works. So much work, however, This past year, 2009, was the Darwin year, celebrating has already been published on evolution and speciation the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, and 150 that an autodidactic newcomer such as myself could years since the publication of his fabulous milestone not hope to read, let alone understand and remember all book, ‘The Origin of Species’ (to which I will the primary papers published previously on evolution subsequently refer to as ‘The Origin’). At the start of and speciation. If I have failed to acknowledge 2009, I was inhabited by a nagging ethical concern : how previous works developing ideas related to those put would humans deal with a situation where a group of forward here, the reader can be assured that this was individuals found themselves fertile among one another, not done maliciously but simply as a result of my but with limited fertility with the rest of the human race ? relative naivety on the subject. I do, however, hold the In other words, could speciation occur within the human firm conviction that, if some of the ideas developed in race ? This concern sprouted from the idea that this essay prove to be correct and relatively novel, it chromosomal rearrangements seemed to me like a very was only possible because of this naivety.
    [Show full text]
  • Allopatric Speciation
    Lecture 21 Speciation “These facts seemed to me to throw some light on the origin of species — that mystery of mysteries”. C. Darwin – The Origin What is speciation? • in Darwin’s words, speciation is the “multiplication of species”. What is speciation? • in Darwin’s words, speciation is the “multiplication of species”. • according to the BSC, speciation occurs when populations evolve reproductive isolating mechanisms. What is speciation? • in Darwin’s words, speciation is the “multiplication of species”. • according to the BSC, speciation occurs when populations evolve reproductive isolating mechanisms. • these barriers may act to prevent fertilization – this is prezygotic isolation. What is speciation? • in Darwin’s words, speciation is the “multiplication of species”. • according to the BSC, speciation occurs when populations evolve reproductive isolating mechanisms. • these barriers may act to prevent fertilization – this is prezygotic isolation. • may involve changes in location or timing of breeding, or courtship. What is speciation? • in Darwin’s words, speciation is the “multiplication of species”. • according to the BSC, speciation occurs when populations evolve reproductive isolating mechanisms. • these barriers may act to prevent fertilization – this is prezygotic isolation. • may involve changes in location or timing of breeding, or courtship. • barriers also occur if hybrids are inviable or sterile – this is postzygotic isolation. Modes of Speciation Modes of Speciation 1. Allopatric speciation 2. Peripatric speciation 3. Parapatric speciation 4. Sympatric speciation Modes of Speciation 1. Allopatric speciation 2. Peripatric speciation 3. Parapatric speciation 4. Sympatric speciation Modes of Speciation 1. Allopatric speciation Allopatric Speciation ‘‘The phenomenon of disjunction, or complete geographic isolation, is of considerable interest because it is almost universally believed to be a fundamental requirement for speciation.’’ Endler (1977) Modes of Speciation 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Herring Gull Complex Is Not a Ring Species Dorit Liebers1†, Peter De Knijff 2 and Andreas J
    Received 6 October 2003 Accepted 8 January 2004 Published online 31 March 2004 The herring gull complex is not a ring species Dorit Liebers1†, Peter de Knijff 2 and Andreas J. Helbig1* 1Institute of Zoology, University of Greifswald, Vogelwarte Hiddensee, 18565 Kloster, Germany 2Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, MGC-Department of Human and Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9503, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands Under what circumstances speciation in sexually reproducing animals can occur without geographical disjunction is still controversial. According to the ring-species model, a reproductive barrier may arise through ‘isolation by distance’ when peripheral populations of a species meet after expanding around some uninhabitable barrier. The classical example of this kind of speciation is the herring gull (Larus argentatus) complex, with a circumpolar distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. Based on mitochondrial DNA variation among 21 gull taxa, we show that members of this complex differentiated largely in allopa- try following multiple vicariance and long-distance-colonization events, not primarily through isolation by distance. Reproductive isolation evolved more rapidly between some lineages than between others, irres- pective of their genetic distance. Extant taxa are the result of divergent as well as reticulate evolution between two ancestral lineages originally separated in a North Atlantic refugium and a continental Eura- sian refugium, respectively. Continental birds expanded along the entire north Eurasian coast and via Beringia into North America. Contrary to the ring-species model, we find no genetic evidence for a closure of the circumpolar ring through colonization of Europe by North American herring gulls. However, closure of the ring in the opposite direction may be imminent, with lesser black-backed gulls about to colonize North America.
    [Show full text]
  • Ring Species and the Museum
    Ring Species and the Museum Mike Seward OEB 275br May 7th, 2013 Biological Species Concept (BSC) Definition: a species is a group of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. Ring Species Ring species are a connected series of neighboring populations, each of which can interbreed with adjacent populations, but where at least two “end” populations are too distantly related to interbreed. Challenges the BSC because there can be gene flow through the ring to these “end” populations despite being reproductively isolated. Examples of Ring Species There are only a few confirmed ring species including the: Ensatina eschscholtzii salamander in California (a) Phylloscopus trochiloides greenish warbler in Asia (b) Larus gull in the Arctic circle (c) Euphorbia tithymaloides plant in Central America. Phylloscopus trochiloides greenish warbler Ensatina eschscholtzii salamander Online Genetic Databases GenBank will provide genomic information that we can then examine using software programs. GenBank IDs Sample ID Population Lat Long GenBank 202330 croc 35.04722 -118.48598 L75796 195607 croc 34.65289 -119.02541 L75797 172480 plat c 39.037 -120.9075 JN022615 225030 plat c 39.01371 -120.33931 JN022616 172459 oreg b 38.9064 -120.6445 L75813 CM165 oreg b 40.90261 -123.58649 JN022617 CM166 oreg b 40.90261 -123.58649 JN022618 CM167 oreg b 40.90261 -123.58649 JN022619 CM168 oreg b 40.90261 -123.58649 JN022620 CM171 oreg b 40.90261 -123.58649 JN022621 BatchGeo to select samples FASTA format with BatchEntrez
    [Show full text]
  • The Temporal Dimension of Marine Speciation
    Evol Ecol DOI 10.1007/s10682-011-9488-4 ORIGINAL PAPER The temporal dimension of marine speciation Richard D. Norris • Pincelli M. Hull Received: 2 September 2010 / Accepted: 7 May 2011 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011 Abstract Speciation is a process that occurs over time and, as such, can only be fully understood in an explicitly temporal context. Here we discuss three major consequences of speciation’s extended duration. First, the dynamism of environmental change indicates that nascent species may experience repeated changes in population size, genetic diversity, and geographic distribution during their evolution. The present characteristics of species therefore represents a static snapshot of a single time point in a species’ highly dynamic history, and impedes inferences about the strength of selection or the geography of spe- ciation. Second, the process of speciation is open ended—ecological divergence may evolve in the space of a few generations while the fixation of genetic differences and traits that limit outcrossing may require thousands to millions of years to occur. As a result, speciation is only fully recognized long after it occurs, and short-lived species are difficult to discern. Third, the extinction of species or of clades provides a simple, under-appre- ciated, mechanism for the genetic, biogeographic, and behavioral ‘gaps’ between extant species. Extinction also leads to the systematic underestimation of the frequency of spe- ciation and the overestimation of the duration of species formation. Hence, it is no surprise that a full understanding of speciation has been difficult to achieve. The modern synthe- sis—which united genetics, development, ecology, biogeography, and paleontology— greatly advanced the study of evolution.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution and Stability of Ring Species
    Evolution and stability of ring species Ayana B. Martinsa, Marcus A. M. de Aguiarb,c, and Yaneer Bar-Yamc,1 aInstituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil; bInstituto de Física Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970, Campinas, Brazil; and cNew England Complex Systems Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142 Edited by Neil H. Shubin, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, and approved February 15, 2013 (received for review September 30, 2012) Neutral models, in which genetic change arises through random acteristic is that the Siberian taxa, which occur in the area of variation without fitness differences, have proven remarkably secondary contact (i.e., ring closure) of the expanding population, successful in describing observed patterns of biodiversity, despite have much larger distribution ranges than do other subspecies. the manifest role of selection in evolution. Here we investigate the The correlation between range size and latitude is a strong pattern effect of barriers on biodiversity by simulating the expansion of found in many terrestrial groups of the Old World (19). a population around a barrier to form a ring species, in which the We simulated the formation of a ring species (Fig. 1) (20), two ends of the population are reproductively isolated despite explicitly including the ring topography and allowing a small ongoing gene flow around the ring. We compare the spatial and initial population to grow as it expands and differentiates around genetic properties of a neutral agent-based population model to a geographical barrier (Fig. S1). We used an individual-based the greenish warblers’ complex, a well-documented example of an model based on neutral replacement with local mating, migra- actual ring species in nature.
    [Show full text]
  • Biology 3 Origin and Diversity of Life
    Biology 3 Origin and Diversity of Life Dr. Terence Lee What is Life? Virus? Ice Crystal? 1 What is necessary for Life? CONDITIONS ON EARTH AT THE TIME LIFE BEGAN The early atmosphere differed from that of today, and contained large amounts of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and hydrogen sulfide. Small organic molecules eventually formed, providing the building blocks of life. THE UREY-MILLER EXPERIMENT In 1953, Stanley Miller and Harold Urey developed a simple four- step experiment that demonstrated how complex organic molecules could have arisen in earth’s early environment. 2 THE UREY-MILLER EXPERIMENT 1 They created a model of the chemicals present in the "warm little pond" and atmosphere early in earth's history: H 2, CH 4 (methane), and NH 3 (ammonia). 2 The atmosphere was subjected to sparks, to simulate lightning. 3 The atmosphere was cooled so that any compounds in it would rain back down into the water. 4 They examined the water, looking for organic molecules. Electrical charge 2 1 3 Cool 4 Heat Within a matter of days they discovered many organic molecules (including five different amino acids) in their primordial sea. RNA World Hypothesis • The world may have been filled with RNA- based life… 3 Why are cell membranes important? • Allow for higher concentrations of chemicals inside the cell relative to the outside. WHAT MAKES A SPECIES? SPECIES ARE • populations of organisms that interbreed with each other, • or could possibly breed, under natural conditions, • and are reproductively isolated from other such groups. Reproductive Isolation • Hybrids are bad. 4 Reproductive Isolation • Two ways to prevent hybrids: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution 2 Speciation
    Evolution 2 Evolution Speciation • The evolution of life is directly connected to the evolution of earth. • Evidence: – Fossils –Geology – Biogeography • Similarities in rock types • Glaciation • Fossil distributions Plate tectonics Plate tectonics Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) His theory was based on several 1915 – he suggested that 300 observations: mya all of the continents 1. The fit of the continents. formed a supercontinent that 2. Similarity of rock types across he called “Pangea”. Atlantic. 3. Glacial “tracks”. 4. Fossil distributions. Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Continental Margins 1 Plate Tectonics Plate Continental Margins Tectonics Near perfect fit when continents are joined by continental margins. South America Africa Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Glacial striations reveal ancient continental connections. Matching rock assemblages across the Atlantic Ocean. Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Glacial striations reveal ancient continental connections. Glacial Striations 2 Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Glacial Striations Glacial Striations Plate Tectonics Plate tectonics New evidence supporting Overlapping Fossil Wegener: assemblages 1. Sea floor spreading 2. Magnetic sea floor patterns 3. Sea floor age patterns Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Evidence of sea floor spreading The planet experience periodic reversals in the poles. Rock reflect direction of magnetism when they are created. Sea floor reveals a mirror image of rock magnetism. 3 Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Evidence of sea floor spreading Sea floor spreading The planet experience Age of seafloor N . A periodic reversals in the increases at m Europe a e n ri poles. equal rates i ca h India relative to C Rock reflect direction of oceanic rifts. Africa magnetism when they The oldest sea are created.
    [Show full text]