Adaptations
What is an adaptation?
A characteristic or trait that assists an organism with its survival on the earth
Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift are theories that explain how the Earth's plates are related to each other. How do these theories help explain evolution?
Fossil evidence of the same species are found in different parts of the world separated by huge oceans. Mosasaurs is found in Africa, USA and South America indicating that this organism was originally found on one huge land mass called Pangea.
Natural Selection is a theory created by
Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace
Explain mutualism. Give an example!
True or False A characteristic and a trait are really the same thing. Additionally, all adaptations are really characteristics or traits that help the organism survive.
True
What are the three types of adaptations mentioned in class?
Behavioral, Structural, and Physiological Adaptations
Explain how embryology supports or helps explain evolution.
Embryology studies the similarities between embryos in organisms. Organisms with common ancestors have similar structures in their embryos. For example, horses, cats, dogs, chickens, human embryos have gill slits and tails similar to a fish that indicates that all of these species came from a common ancestor.
Define Natural Selection?
Natural Selection is a process which controls evolution by selecting the "best suited" traits, characteristics or adaptations in the following generation. Reproduction and variation are the keys to how Natural Selection operates. Sometimes genetic mutations appear in a population and these are beneficial mutations that get passed on through each generation.
Explain Commensalism.
This is a form of symbiosis where one species benefits and the other is not harmed or does not benefit from the relationship.
Debbie yells at Bob because Bob is constantly talking in the classroom causing a disruption. The teacher asks Bob to stop talking and Bob begins yelling at the teacher claiming he is being singled out and it is not him. Bob becomes very angry when being asked to leave the classroom. He slams the door when leaving. What type of adaptation would cause Bob to yell and act in a childish manner? What type of adaptations(s) could this be? Explain why.
Behavioral is anger, slamming door, yelling.
Structural is having the body parts to slam a door, and voice box for yelling.
Physiological because the organism's DNA controls behavior and helps create the organism's physical structures.
Give an example of a behavioral adaptation using a dog as an example.
When the dog saw its owner it began wagging its tail. Wagging its tail in the presence of the owner shows that the dog is happy or content.
What are homologies and how do they help explain evolution?
Homologies are similar anatomical structures found in different species indicating that these species cam from a common ancestor.
True or False Natural Selection is a process which helps explain how species can evolve and pass on beneficial traits.
True
Explain parasitism. Give an example.
This is a form of symbiosis where the host species is harmed and the parasite benefits. An example, the deer tick and a human. The human is the host and can catch diseases from the tick. Some of these diseases can kill humans so they do not benefit from the relationship. The parasite benefits because it receives the human blood needed for reproduction.
There is a cheetah that is chasing a small antelope when the antelope hides under a large bush and the cheetah cannot locate the antelope because its fur matches the surroundings so well it is hidden from the cheetah’s sight. The antelope has an adaptation that allows the antelope to become virtually invisible to its predator. What do scientists call this type of physical adaptation? Select one below and write your answer. Is it Camouflage, Speed or behavioral?
Camouflage
Give an example of a structural trait in a monkey.
The monkey has a tail that it used to help it in its daily life. The tail helps the monkey maintain balance.
How are fossils evidence of evolution?
Fossils show us that living organisms have gone extinct on the Earth. Fossils also show us that species appear in the fossil record which indicates that they evolve from other organisms. The organism evolves and changes into a new organisms as a response to its environmental conditions.
How are Natural Selection and Evolution related to one another?
Natural Selection is the process by which Evolution can occur on the Earth. Natural Selection selects the best suited adaptations to pass on to new generations helping the organism survive in its ecosystem or habitat.
Is the predator prey relationship between animals a form of symbiosis? Explain your answer.
Yes, the predator would benefit from the predator prey relationship and the prey's "population" would benefit because the weaker individuals are caught and eaten long before they can reproduce. The strong survive because they have better suited traits. Perhaps they run faster, look more camouflaged, darker or lighter color fur to match background, etc. (Might be Mutualism?)
List the Scientific Classification System in the proper order. (Hint: This should be written in your notes.)
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and species
What is a physiological trait?
A trait that is controlled in part by the organism's DNA and hormones created by the DNA. The DNA controls everything about an organism that is not controlled by the environment.
What is a vestigial structure?
A type of homology. Structures of these types are organs, bones, teeth, etc. that are no longer needed in the organism and are beginning to get smaller and may eventually disappear. The vestigial structures come from an older life form indicating a common ancestor.
Where did Wallace spend most of his time studying and collecting different species? (Hint: From the movie The Making of a Theory)
Indonesia
A hummingbird has a long thin beak for eating very small insects and getting nectar from flowers. The flowers have nectar that attracts the attention of the feeding hummingbird. Scientists understand that the flowers and hummingbirds have adapted to their environment and evolved together by using a form of symbiosis. What type or form of symbiosis does this relationship appear to be? Commensalism, Mutualism or Parasitism.
Mutualism because the flower benefits through the hummingbird pollinizing the flower and the hummingbird benefits from the food source.
A doctor had a patient’s blood drawn and analyzed for proteins. The patient had serious issues digesting certain types of milk based products such as ice cream and cheese. The patient gets violently ill with stomach pain. What type of adaptation could the doctor be investigating by drawing and testing the patient’s blood?
Physiological, Structural, Behavioral
Select one or more and explain why?
The doctor is investigating a physiological adaptation because he/she/they/them/it are investigating the parts of the blood which are directly controlled by the organism's DNA. Doctor is seeking information about the organism that comes from the organism's DNA.