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Count the "F's" in the following text: FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS... How many? 3? No… …6. Really. The brain cannot process "OF". Incredible or what ? Anyone who counts all 6 "F's" on the first go is a genius. Three is normal, four is quite rare. Understanding how earth, once devoid of life, now teems with biodiversity is based on two areas of study: microevolution and macroevolution. In general, evolution is the change in a population over time. Microevolution focuses on studying genetic variation due to recombination, gene flow, genetic drift, natural selection, and mutation at the species and subspecies level. Macroevolution refers to major evolutionary changes over time, the origin of new types of organisms from previously existing, but different, ancestral types. Examples of this would be fish descending from an invertebrate animal, or whales descending from a land mammal. Adaptation is brought about by cumulative natural selection. Small changes, favored by selection, can be the stepping-stone to further changes. The summation of large numbers of these changes is what we think of as evolution. The Fossil Record Fossils provide an actual record of Earth’s past life-forms. Change over time (evolution) can be seen in the fossil record. Fossilized species found in older rocks are different from those found in newer rocks. Fossils of early , multicellular life-forms, such as the crinoid, occur in 800-million-year-old rocks found in Indiana. Fossils of the pterodactyl, an extinct reptile, occur in 140- to 210-million-year-old rocks. Whales are thought to have evolved from an ancestral line of four-legged mammals represented here by their fossils and artistic reconstructions showing what scientists think that they may have looked like. Anatomical & Developmental Comparisons of the anatomy of different types of organisms often reveal basic similarities in body structures even though the structure’s functions may differ between organisms. sometimes bones are present in an organism but are reduced in size and either have no use or have a less important function than they do in other, related organisms. Such structures, which are considered to be evidence of an organism’s evolutionary past, are called vestigial structures. For example, the hind limbs of whales are vestigial structures. Anatomical & Developmental As different groups of vertebrates evolved, their bodies evolved differently. But similarities in bone structure can still be seen, the forelimbs of the vertebrates shown here are composed of the same basic groups of bones. Such structures are referred to as homologous structures Homologous structures are structures that have a common structure and function. Humans Penguins cont. Bats Alligators Anatomical & Developmental cont. However, as some groups of organisms evolved, their bodies developed structures that while they performed the same function for both organisms, their structures were completely different. Such structures are known as analogous structures Analogous structures are structures that have a have a common function but a different structure. Biological Molecules If species have changed over time as the fossil record indicates, then the genes (DNA) that determine the species’ characteristics should also have changed. These changes are due to mutations and natural selection. As species evolved, one change after another should have become part of their genetic instructions. Therefore, more and more changes in the organisms DNA should build up over time. By studying fossils, scientists can learn about the diversity of life and about the behavior of ancient organisms. About 95 percent of the species that have existed are extinct they no longer live on Earth. Relative Dating Its not just in Arkansas anymore! • Scientists use a variety of methods to determine the age of fossils. One method is a technique called “relative dating”. Relative Dating cont. • If the rock layers have not been disturbed, the layers at the surface must be younger than the deeper layers. • Break into 6 equal lab groups and read about the Law of Superposition. • Paste a copy of the land formations in your notebook and work as a group to answer the questions at the bottom of the handout. 3. 1. 2. 4.Suppose Which Suggest layer fossils you oneisalso or the from more oldest found layer geological that in C each layers in C formation? Formation and events B' shared that2How might are similar the would explain same fossils. youwhy asknow Layers fossils if these B two from and Formation layers A'layer lookD are 2very in has the Formation similar, fewer samelayers but age? 1.contain What thancould no you fossils. Formation sayWhat about 1.could the age youofsay fossils about from the Layer relative E? ages of layer all layers of both 1. E is the oldest in Formation formations? C is the oldest layer in Formation 2. Since layer E lies beneath layer D, Deposition of sediment may have The twofrom layers would be ofbethe same Because fossils layers layer CE and must B are probably older than begun later in Formation 2. The top age if they have similar compositions 1. Do you think the pattern of change the those same inshown layers age and D by and layers theC. horse D and teeth C are layer of Formation 2 may have been 2. How would you test this hypothesis? and fossil records. supports this hypothesis? Why the same or why age, not? B and A are likely the eroded They are by older wind than or water the fossils or mayinhave layers same age. Layer A is probably the (Yes, you see afallen change from crowns above the (studybecause the teeth of can living herbivores patterns; study D andaway Cfor insimilar alow landslide. newest because it isthe deposited on layer rootteeth of the a very tall crown.) the oftooth otherto herbivore fossils found with fossil horses B, which is the same age as A and for similar patterns) younger than C and B, which are younger than D and C, which are younger than E. Relative Dating cont. Oldest • Using this principle, scientists can determine relative age and the order of appearance of the species that are preserved as fossils in the layers. Youngest • The fossils in the top layer must also be younger than those in deeper layers. Begin by reading the introduction to the Where The Hippos Roam Lab Activity. Read the Problem from the bottom half of page 2 and use the data table at the top of the page to complete the grid on the following page. Complete the grid based on the information you gathered from page 2 of the lab handout. Answer the analysis question usig complete sentences