G11.4B – Evolution 3 – Genetic Variation Learning Objectives 11.2.6.3 explain

the relationship between genetic variation and evolution
Success Criteria
Name at

least three ways in which the initial population can change
Use natural selection to explain results of a certain change in natural environment.
3. Explain relationship between genetic variation and evolution.

CIE Biology Jones
p402 to 418

Mrs Cooper A level Biology Variation (8 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQXnU1Pgow

Mrs Cooper A level Natural Selection (16 min )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtlERbtrIzM

Understanding Evolution Website https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_14

Evolution is defined as genetic change of a population over time.

A nice IB slide player ppt
http://slideplayer.com/slide/9686564/

Extra help

Important information
To study the inheritance of a trait, we study

and individual.
To study the genetic frequency of alleles, we study a population.
The study of a population is called the measurement of variability.
A population with high genetic variability has more evolutionary success, where as a population with low genetic diversity has a low evolutionary success and could quickly reach extinction if there is a change in the environmental conditions.

order for natural selection to occur, there must first be

inheritable variation in traits within a population. Genetic variation describes the differences between the genetic make-up of individual organisms and accounts for the diversity of features seen both within, and between, species
There are a number of sources of genetic variation within a population, including:

Gene mutations:  A change in the DNA sequence of a gene which may alter the expression of the associated trait
A gene mutation may only be inherited if it occurs within germinal tissue (i.e. the cells responsible for gamete production)
Gene flow:  The introduction of new alleles into a population as a result of the immigration of new organisms into a population 
Gene flow can also be used to describe the removal of alleles from a population as a result of emigration
Sexual reproduction:  The combination of alleles to form new traits as a result of random mating
Variation can also occur in sexually reproducing organisms as a result of crossing over (gene recombinations) during prophase I of meiosis
Variation can also be created as a result of the random orientation of chromosomes (independent assortment) during metaphase I of meiosis

Mutation, meiosis and sexual reproduction causes variation between individuals in

a species
Natural selection can only occur if there is variation among members of the same species

Can you state with examples the 5 types of variation?
What is the relationship between natural selection and variation?
How does variation lead to evolution?

to a catastrophe or excessive hunting

reduction of their population (20 individual) at the end of

the 19th century. Now they have rebounded to over 30,000, but they have little genetic variation.

Cheetahs went through a large reduction leaving a small population with little genetic variation.

Low Genetic Variation – less evolutionary success.

Less variation – less chance of adaptation for survival, less evolution success

that evolution within a species (microevolution) is gradual and continuous,

debate exists as to whether this model is true when applied across the species barrier (macroevolution)
Two opposing theories regarding the pace of evolution leading to speciation exist:
Phyletic Gradualism
According to this model, speciation generally occurs uniformally and by the steady and gradual transformation of whole lineages
In this view, evolution is generally seen as a smooth and continuous process

Punctuated Equilibrium
According to this model, most sexually reproducing populations experience little change for most of their geological history
When phenotypic evolution does occur, it is localised in rare and rapid events of branching speciation (called cladogenesis)



While the relative lack of transitional fossils in the fossil record would seem to support the theory of punctuated equilibrium, such an absence could also be explained due to the relatively irregular and rare conditions required for fossilisation

Punctuated Equilibrium

Which method is the most believed in? Which method best follows fossil evidence?

causes species to change.

These are the basic steps
1.

Overproduction of
offspring.
2. Competition for limited
resources.
3. Survival and
reproduction OR death.

What is natural selection?

and are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce

more successfully than less well adapted individuals.
Phenotype influences genotype based on survival.

Light Form
of a Peppered Moth

Dark Form
of a Peppered Moth

Aa, aa

aa

Simulation
http://peppermoths.weebly.com/

occur, there must first be inheritable variation in traits within

a population. Genetic variation describes the differences between the genetic make-up of individual organisms and accounts for the diversity of features seen both within, and between, species.

There are a number of sources of genetic variation within a population, including:
Gene mutations:  A change in the DNA sequence of a gene which may alter the expression of the associated trait
A gene mutation may only be inherited if it occurs within germline tissue (i.e. the cells responsible for gamete production)
Gene flow:  The introduction of new alleles into a population as a result of the immigration of new organisms into a population 
Gene flow can also be used to describe the removal of alleles from a population as a result of emigration
Sexual reproduction:  The combination of alleles to form new traits as a result of random mating
Variation can also occur in sexually reproducing organisms as a result of crossing over (gene recombinations) during prophase I of meiosis
Variation can also be created as a result of the random orientation of chromosomes (independent assortment) during metaphase I of meiosis

offspring than
the environment can support

When there is an abundance

of resources, a population can achieve a J-curve maximum growth rate (biotic potential)
However, with more offspring there will be less resources available to other members of the population (environmental resistance)
This will lead to competition for available resources and a struggle for survival - ‘survival of the fit’ -genes are passed to offspring
The result of this competition will be an increase in the mortality rate, leading to an S-curve growth rate 

ability of an organism to survive.
Selection pressures can be

negative and decrease the occurrence of a trait, or beneficial and increase its proportion within a population
Types of selection pressures include:
Resource availability:  Presence of sufficient food, habitat and mates
Environmental conditions:  Temperature, weather conditions or geographical access
Biological factors:  Predation and disease

Natural Selection 3. Selection Pressures

Beneficial traits (genes) are selected for, weaker traits are selected against.

allowing them to be better suited to their environment 
These adaptations

may be categorised in a number of different ways:
Structural:  Physical differences in biological structure (e.g. tail and muzzle length in cats and dogs)
Physiological:  Variations in detection and responses by vital functions (e.g. homeothermy, colour blindness)
Behavioural:  Differences in patterns of behaviour (e.g. certain possum species feigning death when threatened)
Developmental:  Variable changes that occur across the lifespan of an organism (e.g. changes in bird plumage from juvenile to adult)
Biochemical:  Differences in molecular composition of cells and enzyme functions (e.g. different blood types, skin pigmentation)
Organisms with beneficial adaptations will be more likely to survive long enough to reproduce and pass on their genes
Organisms without these beneficial adaptations will be less likely to survive and pass on their genes
Darwin described this differential reproduction as 'survival of the fittest' - whereby the fittest are those most capable of reproducing

Natural Selection 4. Differential Reproduction

survival advantage are more likely to be passed on to

subsequent generations
Over time, this will change the relative proportions of an allele (and hence the genetic composition) within a given population 
As the viability of a particular feature was determined by naturally-occurring selective agents, this process is described as natural selection

Natural Selection 5. Change in Allele Frequency

(which can be inherited)
There is competition for survival (populations tend

to produce more offspring than the environment can support)
Environmental selective pressures lead to differential reproduction
Organisms with beneficial adaptations will be more suited to their environment and more likely to survive to reproduce and pass on their genes
Over generations there will be a change in allele frequency within a population (evolution)

population depending on which phenotype is favorable.
These are the

three types of SELECTION.

Selected for?

Phenotype is selected against /selected for – changing the population of alleles

Selected against?