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April 28, 2012 Explaining Biological Complexity Instructor: Jonathan Hendricks Assistant Professor of Paleontology, SJSU, Dept. Geology Email: jonathan.hendricks@sjsu.edu. BAESI. What is Evolution?. Evolution: descent with modification.

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  1. April 28, 2012Explaining Biological Complexity Instructor: Jonathan Hendricks Assistant Professor of Paleontology, SJSU, Dept. Geology Email: jonathan.hendricks@sjsu.edu BAESI

  2. What is Evolution? Evolution: descent with modification. The theory of evolution seeks to explain two things: Goodness of fit of organisms to the environments in which they live (adaptation). Biodiversity.

  3. Lancet fluke. ~ 1 cm. Common liver parasite of farm animals. Infection rates of up to 50,000 flukes/sheep. Remarkable lifecycle with three different hosts. Dicrocoeliumdendriticum

  4. Host 1: The definitive host of the fluke is a mammal. Fluke lays eggs that leave host mammal in the dung. Host 2: The eggs (in dung) are eaten by a snail. Eggs develop in snail. Snail expels developing larvae in slime balls. Host 3: The slime balls (with fluke larvae inside) are eaten by an ant. Some fluke larvae travel to ant’s brain and alter its behavior….. Lancet Fluke Hosts

  5. Fluke larvae modify ant’s behavior. When temperature drops (evening), infected ants climb to tips of blades of grass and clamp on. Ants let go in the morning after they warm up; resume normal ant business. Why?? Altered Behavior

  6. Natural Theology Natural Theology:Study of the works of the creator for the sake of theology; nature as proof of Biblical creation (~1800). No conflict between science and religion at this time because for most, they were considered the same thing. Major proponent was Rev. William Paley, who in 1802 wrote the work “Natural Theology: Or, Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Diety.” Argued that the complexity of nature and the goodness of fit of organisms to their environments provides proof of a Creator.

  7. The Argument from Design The Watchmaker Argument:A watch found alone in a field is too complex to have appeared there by means of natural processes, so one must assume that there is a watchmaker responsible for its design and creation.

  8. Most complex eyes in nature. Each eye has stereo vision. 16 visual pigments (humans have 3: red, blue, yellow). Can see in ultraviolet and infrared spectra; can see polarized light. Slide shows a photograph of a mantis shrimp. Stomatopod (Mantis Shrimp) Eyes By: “Silke Baron” (Wikimedia Commons)

  9. Slide shows a photograph of a honey bee stinging a person. Bee Sting By: “Waugsberg” (Wikimedia Commons)

  10. Slide shows photographs of a panda’s skeleton. The Panda’s Thumb By: Jonathan Hendricks By: Jonathan Hendricks

  11. Pre-Darwinian Evolution Charles Darwin WAS NOT the first person to come up with the idea of organic evolution. Others, including Erasmus Darwin and Lamarck, came before. By: Jonathan Hendricks

  12. Slide shows three pictures of Charles Darwin, from young man to elderly man. Charles Darwin, The Man Charles Robert Darwin (English, 1809-1882) Was born February 12, 1809. Born to a well-to-do family. Entered the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, but quickly switched to studies of theology at the University of Cambridge. During his theological studies, Darwin was exposed to lessons in biology and geology. Work of Lyell (uniformitarianism!)

  13. Slides shows a map that details the path of the voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle. Darwin and the H.M.S. Beagle Darwin sees the world: In the 1830’s, Darwin was given the opportunity to accompany Captain Robert Fitzroy on a survey expedition. Darwin’s role was that as a companion to Fitzroy first, a naturalist second. By: Sémhur (Wikimedia Commons)

  14. Slides photographs of glyptodon and giant sloth fossil skeletons. Animals in South America Darwin was surprised by the strange modern and extinct animals he saw in South America. By: Jonathan Hendricks By: Jonathan Hendricks

  15. Slide shows an image of the different shell shapes of Galapagos tortoises from different islands. Galapagos Island Tortoises Different islands occupied by unique species of tortoises. Common ancestry or separate invasions from land (700 miles away)? “They were so heavy I could scarcely lift them off the ground” – C. Darwin By: Mike Weston Wikimedia Commons) By: Fallschirmjäger (Wikimedia Commons) By: “mtkopone” (Wikimedia Commons)

  16. Slide shows several pictures of different Galapagos finches and the shapes of their beaks. Galapagos Island Finches 13 finch species. Similar bodies, very different beaks. Correlation between beak size and diet. All similar to one species living off Pacific coast of South America. By: John Gould (1882)

  17. Darwin boarded the H.M.S. Beagle as a creationist. During and following the voyage his views on the “origin of species” changed considerably. During the subsequent 20 years, Darwin carefully developed his argument for evolution. Was financially secure - did not have to work and had plenty of time to work on his theory. Darwin’s Return Home

  18. Slide shows an image of the title page of “On the Origin of Species” On the Origin of Species Charles Darwin did not invent the idea of evolution, but he did provide a scientifically viable mechanism for it - Natural Selection. Under pressure to publish, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” hit shelves November 22, 1859.

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