How To Create An Awesome Instagram Video About Evolution Site

The Academy's Evolution Site

Biology is a key concept in biology. The Academies are involved in helping those who are interested in science comprehend the evolution theory and how it is permeated throughout all fields of scientific research.

This site provides teachers, students and general readers with a wide range of learning resources about evolution. It includes important video clips from NOVA and the WGBH-produced science programs on DVD.

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life, an ancient symbol, symbolizes the interconnectedness of all life. It appears in many spiritual traditions and cultures as an emblem of unity and love. It has many practical applications in addition to providing a framework to understand the evolution of species and how they respond to changes in environmental conditions.

The earliest attempts to depict the world of biology focused on the classification of organisms into distinct categories which had been distinguished by physical and metabolic characteristics1. These methods, which rely on sampling of different parts of living organisms or short fragments of their DNA significantly expanded the diversity that could be represented in the tree of life2. These trees are largely composed by eukaryotes, and bacterial diversity is vastly underrepresented3,4.

Genetic techniques have significantly expanded our ability to depict the Tree of Life by circumventing the requirement for direct observation and experimentation. We can construct trees using molecular techniques like the small-subunit ribosomal gene.

Despite the rapid expansion of the Tree of Life through genome sequencing, a large amount of biodiversity remains to be discovered. This is especially relevant to microorganisms that are difficult to cultivate, and are typically found in one sample5.  talks about it  of all genomes that are known has produced a rough draft version of the Tree of Life, including numerous archaea and bacteria that have not been isolated, and whose diversity is poorly understood6.

This expanded Tree of Life is particularly useful in assessing the diversity of an area, assisting to determine if specific habitats require protection. This information can be used in a range of ways, from identifying new treatments to fight disease to enhancing crop yields. This information is also extremely valuable for conservation efforts. It can aid biologists in identifying areas that are likely to have cryptic species, which could perform important metabolic functions and be vulnerable to human-induced change. While conservation funds are important, the most effective method to preserve the world's biodiversity is to equip more people in developing nations with the necessary knowledge to take action locally and encourage conservation.

Phylogeny

A phylogeny, also called an evolutionary tree, illustrates the relationships between groups of organisms. Scientists can build an phylogenetic chart which shows the evolution of taxonomic categories using molecular information and morphological similarities or differences. The role of phylogeny is crucial in understanding biodiversity, genetics and evolution.

A basic phylogenetic Tree (see Figure PageIndex 10 ) determines the relationship between organisms with similar traits that have evolved from common ancestral. These shared traits may be analogous or homologous. Homologous traits are identical in their underlying evolutionary path, while analogous traits look like they do, but don't have the same origins. Scientists group similar traits into a grouping referred to as a clade. All organisms in a group have a common trait, such as amniotic egg production. They all came from an ancestor that had these eggs. The clades are then connected to form a phylogenetic branch that can identify organisms that have the closest connection to each other.

Scientists make use of molecular DNA or RNA data to construct a phylogenetic graph that is more accurate and detailed. This information is more precise than the morphological data and provides evidence of the evolution history of an organism or group. Researchers can use Molecular Data to determine the evolutionary age of organisms and determine how many species have an ancestor common to all.

The phylogenetic relationships between organisms can be influenced by several factors including phenotypic plasticity, an aspect of behavior that changes in response to unique environmental conditions. This can cause a trait to appear more resembling to one species than to the other and obscure the phylogenetic signals. However, this problem can be reduced by the use of methods like cladistics, which combine analogous and homologous features into the tree.

Additionally, phylogenetics can help predict the duration and rate of speciation. This information can assist conservation biologists in making choices about which species to save from the threat of extinction. It is ultimately the preservation of phylogenetic diversity that will result in an ecologically balanced and complete ecosystem.

Evolutionary Theory

The fundamental concept in evolution is that organisms alter over time because of their interactions with their environment. A variety of theories about evolution have been developed by a wide range of scientists such as the Islamic naturalist Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274) who envisioned an organism developing slowly according to its requirements as well as the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) who designed the modern hierarchical taxonomy Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) who suggested that the use or misuse of traits cause changes that can be passed onto offspring.

In the 1930s and 1940s, ideas from various fields, including natural selection, genetics, and particulate inheritance--came together to form the current evolutionary theory synthesis that explains how evolution occurs through the variation of genes within a population and how those variants change over time as a result of natural selection. This model, which includes genetic drift, mutations in gene flow, and sexual selection is mathematically described.

Recent developments in the field of evolutionary developmental biology have demonstrated that variations can be introduced into a species through genetic drift, mutation, and reshuffling of genes in sexual reproduction, and also by migration between populations. These processes, as well as other ones like the directional selection process and the erosion of genes (changes in the frequency of genotypes over time) can lead to evolution. Evolution is defined by changes in the genome over time as well as changes in phenotype (the expression of genotypes in individuals).

Students can better understand phylogeny by incorporating evolutionary thinking throughout all aspects of biology. In a study by Grunspan and colleagues. It was demonstrated that teaching students about the evidence for evolution boosted their understanding of evolution during a college-level course in biology. For more details on how to teach about evolution look up The Evolutionary Power of Biology in All Areas of Biology or Thinking Evolutionarily as a Framework for Integrating Evolution into Life Sciences Education.

Evolution in Action

Scientists have traditionally looked at evolution through the past--analyzing fossils and comparing species. They also observe living organisms. But evolution isn't a thing that happened in the past. It's an ongoing process, that is taking place today. Bacteria transform and resist antibiotics, viruses evolve and escape new drugs, and animals adapt their behavior to the changing environment. The results are often visible.

It wasn't until late 1980s when biologists began to realize that natural selection was also in play. The key is that different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction (differential fitness) and are passed down from one generation to the next.

In the past, if a certain allele - the genetic sequence that determines colour appeared in a population of organisms that interbred, it could be more common than other allele. As time passes, that could mean that the number of black moths in a population could increase. The same is true for many other characteristics--including morphology and behavior--that vary among populations of organisms.

It is easier to see evolution when an organism, like bacteria, has a rapid generation turnover. Since 1988, Richard Lenski, a biologist, has tracked twelve populations of E.coli that are descended from one strain. Samples from each population have been collected frequently and more than 500.000 generations of E.coli have passed.

Lenski's work has shown that mutations can alter the rate at which change occurs and the rate at which a population reproduces. It also demonstrates that evolution takes time, which is difficult for some to accept.

Another example of microevolution is that mosquito genes that are resistant to pesticides are more prevalent in areas where insecticides are used. This is because pesticides cause an exclusive pressure that favors individuals who have resistant genotypes.

The rapidity of evolution has led to a greater awareness of its significance especially in a planet that is largely shaped by human activity. This includes pollution, climate change, and habitat loss that hinders many species from adapting. Understanding evolution will assist you in making better choices about the future of our planet and its inhabitants.