Evolution Activity Answers2

Activity 2.
Evidence of Evolution Homologous Structures – Use your notes, book

and the Internet to answer the following questions on homologous structures.
Evidence for Evolution Homologous Structures

Homologous Structures
1. What are homologous structures?
Structures shared by organisms because they descended from a common ancestor. The
structures are built from the same bones, but can be modified in form and function.
2. Place the same letter or number on the corresponding bones in each of the front limbs pictured
below.
3. Based on the limbs above, what can you conclude about the ancestor shared by the organisms
above?
The common ancestor to these organisms had the same bones
4. Compare and contrast two limbs from questions 2. Your answer should include an analysis of
size, shape, and function.
The human and whale front limbs have the same bones in the same positions. The human limb
is used for grasping and its bones are longer and thin. The whale limb is used for steering and its
bones are shorter and wider.
5. How are the pictured limb structures used to support the theory of evolution?
The ancestor to these organisms had the same bones, but the limbs have been modified in form
and function (descent with modification).
6. Find a definition for a vestigial structure. Identify 1 structure that scientists classify as vestigial
that wasn’t presented in the notes.
Structures without a clear or current use in an organisms, but had a use in the ancestor.
EX: Sexual organs of dandelions
Activity 3. Evidence of Evolution Molecular Data – Use your notes, book and the
Internet to answer the following questions about molecular evidence.
Amino Acid Sequence and Evolutionary Relationships
The biochemical similarity of organisms is another technique used to determine

evolutionary relationships between organisms. Though molds, aardvarks, and
humans appear to have little in common physically, a study of their proteins reveals
certain similarities. Biologists have perfected techniques for determining the
sequence of amino acids in proteins. By comparing the amino acid sequences in
homologous proteins of similar organisms and of diverse organisms, evolutionary
relationships that might otherwise go undetected can be determined. Biologists
believe that the greater the similarity between the amino acid sequences of two
organisms, the closer their relationship. Conversely, the greater the differences, the
more distant the relationship. Further, biologists have found that such biochemical
evidence compares favorably with other lines of evidence for evolutionary
re1ationships
In this investigation, you will compare amino acid sequences in proteins of several
vertebrates. You will also study amino acid differences and infer evolutionary
relationships among some diverse organisms.
Comparing Amino Acid Sequences

1. Examine Figure 1, which compares corresponding portions of hemoglobin
molecules in humans and five other vertebrate animals. Hemoglobin, a protein
composed of several long chains of amino acids, is the oxygen-carrying molecule
in red blood cells. The sequence shown is only a portion of a chain made up of 146
amino acids. The numbers in Figure 1 indicate the position of a particular amino
acid in the chain.
2. In Data Table 1, notice that the abbreviated names of the amino acids in human
hemoglobin are printed.
3. Compare the human sequence to the sequence of each of the other species. Circle
any difference when compared to the human amino acids.
4. Turn your paper 90-degrees to the left and shade in the number of boxes that
corresponds to the total number of differences between humans that the other
organisms.
5. After you are done graphing, answer the questions.

Figure-1 Amino Acid Sequences and Evolutionary Relationships
Graph 1 Number of Differences
Amino Acid Differences in Hemoglobin

0
Analysis and Conclusions

1. On the basis of hemoglobin similarity, what organism appears to be most closely related to
humans? Explain. Chimpanzee, Explain
2. Among the organisms, which one appears to be least closely related to humans? Explain.
Kangaroo, Explain
3. There is a difference of only one amino acid in one chain of the hemoglobin of humans and
gorillas. What might have caused this difference? Mutation (What type?)
4. If the amino acid sequences in the proteins of two organisms are similar, why will their DNA
also be similar? DNA instructions are used to build proteins. _____  mRNA  ______
5. Many biologists believe that the number of differences between proteins of different species
indicates how long ago the species diverged from common ancestors. Why do these biologists
believe that humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas diverged from a common ancestor only a few
million years ago? Fewer differences would mean a more recent common ancestor because there
has been less time to accumulate mutations/variation.
Activity 5. Use the graph and information provided to answer the questions.
Evolution and Selection

What mechanisms lead to changes in the diversity of species on Earth?
Color Variations in Moths in Great Britain
1. Refer to the graph of Peppered Moth Frequency.

a. Which moth color was more prevalent before 1850? Light
b. Which color was more prevalent between 1900 and 1950?
2. Describe the change in the percentage of light-colored moths and dark-colored moths
between 1850 and 1900.
Light changed from 100% to 0%, Dark changed from ___________
3. Describe the change in the percentage of light-colored moths and dark-colored moths
between 1950 and 2000. Light changed from near ____________, the Dark changed
from near 100% to 10%.
4. During the Industrial Revolution through the mid-20th century, factories and power
plants, which burned coal, produced large quantities of soot and smog. Near
industrialized areas, black powder covered surfaces, including the moth habitat.
a. Which color moth would have a better chance of surviving predation (better
camouflage to hide from predators) on this dark surface? Dark
b. How does this help explain the change in the colors of the moth population?
Dark moths survived better, reproduced more and passed more of their dark genes to the
next generation. This is why the dark moths became more common than white.
5. Air Acts were passed by governments of industrialized nations beginning in the mid-
1950s. Use this information to explain why the color of the moth population shifted
again. Less pollution would lighten the environment, allowing Light moths to survive
better, reproduce more and pass more of their light genes to the next generation.
Activity 6. Click on two (minimum) of the video links. Describe how the behaviors you observe
can lead to speciation.
Bird of Paradise - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7QZnwKqopo
Riflebird - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XhPHWY4RuM
MW Bird - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI_quJRRGxk
Peacock spider - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GgAbyYDFeg
(You can jump through parts to see the behavior)
In all four examples, males are “showy” and females are “choosy”. Males perform
displays that females use to select a mate. If females don’t choose males based on
their behavior/display, then their gametes remain separate and they become
reproductively isolated. Reproductive isolation over a period of time can lead to
new species.
Activity 7. Use the information in the data table below to
construct a phylogenetic tree, then cladogram.
Answer:
Plant Species 2
 Species 1: - enzyme, 4 aa different, no common DNA bands

 Species 2: + enzyme, 1 aa different, all DNA bands common
 Species 3: + enzyme, 3 aa different, 1common DNA band
Based on the data collected, label the phylogenetic tree.

 Place Unknown, Species 1, Species 2 and Species 3 on the tree to represent
the possible evolutionary relationships
 Identify the species that diverged from a common ancestor most recently.
Place the purple circle over the common ancestor.
 Place the red bar for Enzyme M onto the tree to make a cladogram.
Enzyme M

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Activity 2.

Evidence of Evolution Homologous Structures – Use your notes, book

Evidence for Evolution Homologous Structures

The common ancestor to these organisms had the same bones

Amino Acid Sequence and Evolutionary Relationships

The biochemical similarity of organisms is another technique used to determine

Comparing Amino Acid Sequences

5. After you are done graphing, answer the questions.

Graph 1 Number of Differences

Amino Acid Differences in Hemoglobin

Analysis and Conclusions

Evolution and Selection

Color Variations in Moths in Great Britain

1. Refer to the graph of Peppered Moth Frequency.

 Species 1: - enzyme, 4 aa different, no common DNA bands

Based on the data collected, label the phylogenetic tree.

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