Module III

B IODIVERSITY AND

E VOLUTION
INTRODUCTION:

Do you know why dinosaurs no longer exist today?

Why some animals before are very different from the animals
we have now? From Grade 7 to Grade 9 you have learned that
organisms are grouped into Kingdom, Phylum,Class, Order,
Family, Genus, and Species. You also learned that organisms
possess unique characteristics. Some organisms may look the
same but have distinct differences from each other, others may
not be related to one another but they have similar functional
features and characteristics. You may also wonder why some
animals that are present before are no longer existing today.
Such extinction of organisms were caused by various
environmental factors and human activities.
 This module will give you an idea that maintaining
individual differences and variety of characteristics are
important to ensure the survival of species.This module will
also discuss the different sources of possible evidence for
evolution such as fossil records, and developmental and
molecular biology which gave way to the different concepts
about the origin of life. It will also provide a variety of
activities to help you understand the processes and
mechanism of evolution.
Through this module, it is hoped that you will be
encouraged to further take care of and protect our
environment (e.g. natural resources), to ensure the survival
of species and conservation of our biodiversity.
Learning Competencies/Objectives
At the end of this module you are expected to:

1. Understand how evolution is being studied from the fossil

record and molecular data.
2. Give the importance of understanding the origin of life.
3. Explain why reproduction, variation, and adaptation are
necessary for the survival of species.
4. Discuss how natural selection promotes expression and
propagation of traits and species that adapt with the
changing environment.
Key questions for this module:

1. Why are evidences important in the study of origin of

life?
2. Explain how reproduction, variation, and adaptation are
necessary for survival of species.
3. How can Natural Selection contribute to biodiversity or
extinction?
IV. Reading Resources and Instructional
Activities
SOURCES OF EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION

Organisms inhabiting the earth have changed overtime, their

structures,traits, and abilities allowed them to adapt and
survive in their environment. Data from the fossil records,
anatomy and morphology, embryonic development and
biochemistry could be analyzed to demonstrate if evolution of
life on earth has taken place.
Evidence from Fossil Records

Have you ever seen fossils of any organism? Fossils are

examples of evidences that paleontologists use in studying
evolution. They are traces of organisms that lived in the past
and were preserved by natural process or catastrophic
events. They can be remains of organisms which include
bones, shells, teeth and also feces embedded in rocks, peat,
resin, and ice.Paleontologist is a person who studies fossils.
Determining the age of fossils

Do you know how a paleontologist usually determines the

age of a fossil? Paleontologists make initial estimates of
the age through the position in the sedimentary rocks.
Fossils found in the bottom layer are much older than
those found in upper layer of rocks.
 Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of
the rocks by comparing them with the rocks in the other
layer. The younger sedimentary rock layer is assumed to be
found on top and the older rock is found at the bottom
layer. Fossils found at the bottom layer are assumed to be
older than those on the upper layer.

The fossils of invertebrates found at the bottom part of

the rock layer suggest that invertebrates are probably one
of the first and oldest organismsthat lived on earth.

Another method is through the use of radioactive

isotopes such as carbon-14. Radiometric dating is a method
used to determine the age of rocks using the decay of
radioactive isotopes present in rocks.
 All organisms have decaying carbon-14 in it. Plants and
animals that are still alive constantly replace the supply of
carbon in their body and the amount of carbon -14 in their
body stays the same. When an organism dies, carbon-14
starts to decay.

Carbon dating is used to tell the age of organic

materials. Art collectors use carbon dating to determine if a
piece of art work is genuine or not.
One way scientists determine the age of fossils is by
checking the amount of radioactive carbon-14 in the fossil.
Carbon-14 breaks down or decays to form nitrogen-14; the
rate of this decay is constant e.g. half of the remaining
Carbon-14 breaks down every 5730 years.
Out of the examination of
layers of rocks and dating
fossils, scientists
were able to develop the
Geologic Time Scale. The
Geologic Time Scale
shows the major events
in the Earth’s history. It
also shows the
appearance of various
kinds of organisms in a
particular period of time
on earth.
Era is the largest division
of Geologic Time Scale,
namely Precambrian,
Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and
Cenozoic. Each Era is
further divided into Period.
 Hint of Evolution from Comparative Anatomy

Another hint of evolutionary concept is from the

comparative anatomy.Structures from different species
which have similar internal framework,position, and
embryonic development are considered to be
homologous.Homologous structures may perform
different functions in the species living in the different
environment, or it may have the same origin but different
functions
Here are some example of homologous structures: forelimbs
of dog, bird, lizard,and whale, which are structurally the
same, but functionally different.Structures of unrelated
species may evolve to look alike, because the structure is
adapted to similar function. These are called analogous
structures. Analogous structures have similar functions but
different origin.

Examples are wings of birds, bats, and insects that have

the same function but different in origin.
The presence of homologous
structures is a strong indicator
that the organisms evolved from
common ancestors. This type of
evolution is called divergent
evolution.

Divergent evolution is the

splitting of an ancestral
population into two or more
subpopulations
that are geographically isolated
fromone another.
Convergence is an increase in
similarities among species derived
from different ancestors as a
result of similar adaptation to
similar environment.

In convergent evolution,
analogous structures of unrelated
organisms from different ancestors
develop similar function such as
butterfly wings and bird wings.
Directions: Study and compare the stages of embryonic
development of the different vertebrates.
Evidence from Embryonic Development

An embryo is an early stage of development in

organisms. Embryonic development include stages such as
blastula, gastrula, and organogenesis.The embryo of fishes,
salamanders, lizards, birds, cats, and humans are similar
during the first stage of their embryonic development; and
have several homologous structures that are not present
when the organisms are adults

Studies show that species that are closely related

exhibit similar embryonic development. Even when in the
adult stage, the organisms are quite different.
 After the three activities, you’ve learned that fossil
records, anatomical structures and embryonic development
can be used to study the relationship of organisms. Another
evidence of evolution is provided by the biochemical analysis
and amino acid sequence of the organisms’ DNA. The next
activity will further help you understand more the relationship
of organisms based on their amino acid sequences
The greater the similarity in amino acid sequence, the
closer the relationship of the organisms. The organisms
which are similar in structure and also possess similarity at
the biochemical level could probably have a common
ancestor.
Theories of Evolution
Jean Baptiste de Lamarck was the
first evolutionist to believe that organisms
change over time. Using fossil records as a
guide, Lamarck was able to develop three
theories; one is The Theory of Need which
states that organisms change in response to
their environment. Their ability to survive
helped them develop characteristics
necessary for them to adapt in a given
environment.
 Next is The Theory of Use and Disuse; which according
to Lamarck,organs not in use will disappear while organs in
use will develop. Lamarck believed that giraffes before have
short necks, but because of the need to survive and in
order to reach tall trees for food, they kept stretching their
necks until these became longer and able to reach taller
trees. These acquired characteristics were believed to be
inherited by their offsprings and propagated by the next
generation of giraffes. Lamarck called it as The Theory of
Acquired Characteristics.
 If you change the color of your hair from black to blond,
do you think your child can inherit the blond color of your hair?
A young lady keeps on using whitening soap and becomes fair?
Can her child inherit her acquired fairness?

Many scientists rejected the theories of Lamarck. They

understood that if there were changes in cell or body structure,
there could be changes in the genetic information of the
species.
Darwinian Theory
The more popular Theory of
Evolution proposed by Charles Darwin
based on natural selection is different
from
the theories of Lamarck. According to
Darwin, giraffe species originally had
varying neck lengths but natural
selection favored the survival of giraffes
with longer necks that could
feed on taller trees that were available.
Giraffes with short neck were eliminated
due to lack of accessible food supply.
 Fifty years after Lamarck’s Theory of Use and Disuse,
Charles Darwin suggested the Theory of Natural Selection,
after his voyage to the Galapagos Island in HMS Beagle.
He was fascinated by the diversity of organisms he found
along the journey.

In Galapagos Island, he observed that finch species have

different beak structures for different food types. The
abundance of certain finch species in an island was
somehow related to the type of available food for these
birds.
Darwin suggested that selection also takes place in nature.
In selective breeding, farmer identifies and selects the best
and desirable trait to propagate. In natural selection,
environmental factors promote the survival of the fittest
and eliminates the less fit.
Organisms struggle for existence in order to survive; they
compete for food and space. Organisms with favorable and
advantageous characteristics survive and reproduce. Fitness
refers to the ability of an organism to survive
and produce offsprings. Different individuals in a population
possess different characteristics and abilities. This is called
variation.

Variation among individuals in the population would likely

bring greater chance of survival. An organism that is adapted
and has structures fitted to survive in a given environment
would likely produce offsprings.
Your lesson in Grades 8 and 9 will affirm that genes can be
transferred from parents to offspring. You also learned that
the combined genes of parents will bring about variation of
traits.

Variation increases the chance of survival of living things.

Organisms with the best and desirable traits would likely
adapt to environmental changes and may gradually become
better suited to survive in a given environment.

Organisms which are best adapted to the environment will

continue to reproduce and perpetuate their own kind. Mating
between surviving populations of the same species may shift
the abundance of a new breed of organism because of
mutation, gene combination, and natural selection. This then
leads to speciation and may subsequently increase
biodiversity
V. Summary/Synthesis/Feedback
• Species may change over time. Fossil records,
Developmental and Molecular Biology and Genetics may
provide possible evidence for evolution.
• Patterns in animal development suggest that some
organisms may have one common ancestor.
• Evidence in structure and molecular studies suggests that
organisms are related with one another.
• Jean Baptiste de Lamarck proposed The Theory of Need,
The Theory of Use and Disuse and The Theory of Acquired
Characteristics.
• Charles Darwin presented the Theory of Evolution based on
natural selection.
• Speciation or formation of a new species may occur through
mutation, gene combination, and natural selection.
• Speciation increases biodiversity.