Processes of Evolution

Chapter 12
Part 1

12.1 Impacts/Issues
Rise of the Super Rats
When humans tried to eradicate rats with
warfarin, natural selection favored individuals
with a mutation for warfarin resistance

Video: Rise of the super rats

12.2 Making Waves in the Gene Pool

Individuals in a population share the same traits

(phenotype) because they share the same
genes (genotype)
Gene pool
All of the genes in a population

Alleles and Traits

Alleles of the same genes are the main source
of variation in a population
Traits with two distinct forms are dimorphic
Traits with several distinct forms are polymorphic
Traits with continuous variation may have
interactions of several genes or be influence by
environment

Mutation is the source of new alleles

Sources of Variation in Traits

Phenotypic Variation in Humans

Mutation Revisited
Mutations are the original source of alleles, but
many are lethal or neutral
Lethal mutation
Mutation that drastically alters phenotype; usually
causes death

Neutral mutation
A mutation that has no effect on survival or
reproduction

Allele Frequencies
Microevolution (change in allele frequencies) is
always occurring in natural populations
Microevolution
Small-scale change in allele frequencies of a
population or species

Allele frequency
Abundance of a particular allele among members
of a population

Genetic Equilibrium
Genetic equilibrium
Theoretical state in which a population is not
evolving (allele frequencies do not change)

Only occurs if five conditions are met:

Mutations never occur, population is infinitely
large, population is isolated from gene flow,
mating is random, all individuals survive and
reproduce equally

Processes of Microevolution

Genetic equilibrium does not occur in nature

because processes that drive microevolution are
always in play

Mutation
Natural selection
Genetic drift
Gene flow

Animation: Adaptation to what?

Animation: How to find out if a

population is evolving

Animation: Sources of genotype

variation

12.3 Natural Selection Revisited

Natural selection occurs in different patterns

depending on species and selection pressures
Directional selection
Stabilizing selection
Disruptive selection

Directional Selection
Directional selection
Mode of natural selection in which phenotypes at
one end of a range of variation are favored
Allele frequencies shift in a consistent direction in
response to selection pressure

Examples: peppered moths, rock pocket mice,

antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Directional Selection

Fig. 12-3, p. 219

Fig. 12-3a, p. 219

Number of individuals
in population

Time 1

Range of values for the trait

Fig. 12-3a, p. 219

Fig. 12-3b, p. 219

Time 2

Fig. 12-3b, p. 219

Fig. 12-3c, p. 219

Time 3

Fig. 12-3c, p. 219

Animation: Directional selection

Directional Selection
in Peppered Moths

Predation pressure favors moths that are best

camouflaged when the environment changes

Fig. 12-4, p. 219

Fig. 12-4a, p. 219

Fig. 12-4b, p. 219

Fig. 12-4c, p. 219

Fig. 12-4d, p. 219

Directional Selection
in Rock Pocket Mice

Mice with coat colors that do not match their

surroundings are more easily seen by predators

Stabilizing Selection

Stabilizing selection
Mode of natural selection in which intermediate
phenotypes are favored and extreme forms are
eliminated

Example: sociable weavers

Stabilizing Selection

Fig. 12-6, p. 221

Fig. 12-6a, p. 221

Number of individuals
in population

Time 1

Range of values for the trait

Fig. 12-6a, p. 221

Fig. 12-6b, p. 221

Time 2

Fig. 12-6b, p. 221

Fig. 12-6c, p. 221

Time 3

Fig. 12-6c, p. 221

Animation: Stabilizing selection

Stabilizing Selection
in Sociable Weavers

Body weight in sociable weavers is a trade off

between starvation and predation

Fig. 12-7, p. 221

Fig. 12-7a, p. 221

Fig. 12-7b, p. 221

Number of survivors

300
200
100
0

35.5

33.5

31.5

29.5

27.5

25.5

23.5

Body mass (grams)

Fig. 12-7b, p. 221

Disruptive Selection

Disruptive selection
Mode of natural selection that favors extreme
phenotypes in a range of variation
Intermediate forms are selected against

Example: African seedcrackers

Disruptive Selection

Fig. 12-8, p. 222

Fig. 12-8a, p. 222

Number of individuals
in population

Time 1

Range of values for the trait

Fig. 12-8a, p. 222

Fig. 12-8b, p. 222

Time 2

Fig. 12-8b, p. 222

Fig. 12-8c, p. 222

Time 3

Fig. 12-8c, p. 222

Animation: Disruptive selection

Disruptive Selection
in African Seedcrackers

African seedcrackers tend to have either a large

bill or a small one but no sizes between

Fig. 12-9a, p. 222

lower bill 12 mm wide

Fig. 12-9a, p. 222

Fig. 12-9b, p. 222

lower bill 15 mm wide

Fig. 12-9b, p. 222

Animation: Change in moth population

Animation: Disruptive selection among

African finches