Mechanisms of Evolution

Artifical Selection

Farmers and Breeders

Plants and animals with desirable characterisics to reproduce

Evoultion in the farm stock

People instead of nature select organisms to reproduce

Sources of Genetic variation

Mutations

Is change in DNA

Evoultion is based n the accumlation of many mutations

Gene Flow

Movement of genes from one population to another

Sex

Can intoduce new gene combinations into populations

Natural Selection

Variation in traits

Differential reproduction

Heredity

Continuation for the best adaptest

Biological Evolution

Life on earth shares a common ancestor

Descent with modification

Small-scale:changes in gene frequency from one generation to another

Large-scale:desent of different species from one common ancestor over generations

Evolution is both observable and testable

Fossil record

Study of living species , e.g Darwin's finches

Artifical seletion in laborotary

Genetic mutation

Adaptation

Feature common in populations that provides improved functions

Well fitted to thei function and produced by natural selection

Non-adaptation: Vestigial structures

Evolution is not a ladder of progress

Causes of mutations

DNA fails to copy accurately

External influences. e.g. exposure to specific chemicals or radiation

Religion and science are very different things

In science only natural causes are used to explain natural phenomena

In religion, beleifs are beyond the natural world