Download Into to Altruism (PowerPoint) Northeast 2012

Evolution Teaching Tidbit
Brandeis University
NJIT
Melissa Kosinski-Collins Bhavani Balasubramanian
Jim Morris
Maria Stanko
Dan Perlman
Ellen Wisner
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
Context:
Midway through a course in
Evolution, Ecology, Animal Behavior,
or Introductory Biology
Background:
Variation, Inheritance, Fitness,
Natural Selection, and Adaptation
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
Learning Goal:
Understand a long-standing
problem in evolutionary biology
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this tidbit,
you should be able to
1. Define altruism
2. Explain why altruism is a
complication for evolution
by natural selection
Write down the first three words
or phrases that come to mind
when you hear “natural selection”.
Natural Selection
If a trait is advantageous for the
individual in terms of survival
and/or reproduction, it will
become more common in the
population over time by natural
selection.
Is the trait advantageous for the
individual?
Could it have evolved by natural
selection?
Explain why or why not.
Trait: Claws
Advantageous?
Natural selection?
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
Trait: Flower color
Advantageous?
Natural selection?
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
Trait: Alarm calling
Advantageous?
Natural selection?
© Ron Wolf flickr.com
Altruism: a trait or behavior that reduces an
individual’s fitness and increases another
individual’s fitness
Trait: Sterility
Advantageous?
Natural selection?
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
1-minute paper:
Define altruism and explain why
it is a complication for evolution
by natural selection.
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
Learning Objectives:
1. Define altruism
2. Explain why altruism is a complication for evolutio
by natural selection
© Dan Perlman Ecolibrary.org
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