...and through time. Typically, the amount and type of genetic diversity within a species vary across its natural range. Additionally, its genetic diversity changes over time. At least in the long-term, and sometimes even over shorter time frames such as a few generations of the species. These natural changes in the genetic diversity of a species create a dynamic landscape upon which any influences that we exert are superimposed. To better understand our impacts, and to decide if management actions are warranted, it is useful to understand the natural dynamics of genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is affected by several ongoing natural processes. These processes are: mutation, migration, genetic drift, and selection. Mutation is the origin of all new genetic diversity, occurring when there are occasional errors in the replication of DNA or other elements of the production and packaging of genetic information within the cells. Although implies something negative, mutations can have positive, neutral, or deleterious impacts Mutations occur rather slowly but continuously. Mutations at one level, for example, in the nucleotides that are the basis of DNA, May not all is expressed at other levels — such as protein differences or observable changes in the appearance of a plant. The rate of mutation is useful in determining evolutionary relationships. Mutations can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful for the organism, but mutations do not "try" to supply what the organism "needs."...
Words: 848 - Pages: 4
...ummary of the three (3) current competing theories of the origin of life on Earth: It arrived from an extraterrestrial source; it originated as a heterotroph; it originated as an autotroph. Scientists to this day do not know how life came about on Earth. Yet, they continue to study many kinds of evidence and continue their research. At present there are three competing theories one how life on Earth came about. Life arrived here from an extraterrestrial source. Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius popularized the idea of panspermia in the early nineties; the concept that life arose outside the Earth and that living things were transported to Earth to seed the planet with life. According to this passage, his theory does not explain how life arose originally, even though it had little scientific support at that time. His theory has been revived and modified after gaining new evidence from the examinations of meteorites and space explorations. Organic molecules are found in many meteorites, and this suggests that life may have existed elsewhere in the solar system. An analysis of a meteorite found in Antarctica in 1996 suggested that from its chemical make up, it was a portion of Mars, also the presence of complex organic molecules and small globules resembles those found on earth. Yet scientists no longer agree that their structures are from microorganisms even though many may disagree. Explorations on Mars’s surface failed to find evidence of life. But in June and July of 2003...
Words: 329 - Pages: 2
...The question on how life originated on earth has been pondered for many decades. Although, Scientists have tried to find an answer to this question time and time again, through many theories and experiments. The origin of life on earth is a scientific problem which has not yet been solved. Therefore plenty of ideas are still unclear and facts still left unanswered. “Scientists believed it was a single primitive lifeforms natural process, which took place 3,900 million years ago.” Mojzis S.J. Since then, No true facts has generated whether metabolism or genetics came first. The main hypotheses are supported through RNA and Protein hypothesis is based on how cells develop through chemical change. An additional hypothesis was discovered to believe...
Words: 913 - Pages: 4
...Michael Wilder 16 August 2015 Is Evolution True? I’m a raised catholic brought up in the faith that God created all heaven and earth, and on earth he placed us (humans) created perfect as His reflection. To add more skepticism about evolution, I’m pursuing a degree in finance/accounting subjects that have nothing to do with biology, science, or geology. Then why did I take this class you might ask? An easy answer will be that my student advisor recommended it and I didn’t think about it and just enrolled in it; but I look at things differently and always trying to find the positive side, I believe that it was meant for me to take this class, I needed to be exposed out of my comfort zone to a subject that if it wouldn’t have been this way I would have probably remained ignorant all my life. With that being said, I will venture on this essay to explain what I’ve learned about evolution, talk about evidence that we have found on the rocks including documented changes through the evolution of species like vestiges, embryos and bad designs. I will talk about the engine of evolution, given that some variations are heritable and that they can be passed from parents to offspring in the process of reproduction, including evolution by natural selection. While talking about reproduction, I’ll explain how sex drives evolution going back to the origin of species and ending in the present time with us the human species. The term evolution derives from the Latin term ēvolūtiō and makes...
Words: 3156 - Pages: 13
...Study Guide:Quiz 1 Concentrate your studies in the following areas. Questions for Quiz 1 will come principally from this material. Lutgens and Tarbuck Textbook: Introduction * What is the definition of Earth Science? Is the name for all the sciences that collectively seek to understand Earth and its surrounding space. It includes geology oceanography, meterogology, and astronomy * What are the sub-disciplines of earth science (geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy)? Know the definition of each of these. Geology- a word that literally means “study of Earth” It is traditionally divided into two broad areas- physical and historical. Physical geology examines the merials comprising Earth and seeks to understand the many processes that operate beneath and upone its surface. Historical geology is to understand the origin of Earth and the evolution of the planet through its 4.6 billion year history. Oceanography- Is not actually a separate and distint science. Rather is involves the application of all sciences in a comprehensive and interrelated study of the oceans in all their aspects and relationships. It intergrates chemistry, physics, geology, and biology. Meterology- is the study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather and climate. Like oceanography, meterology involves the application of other sciences in an intergrated study of the thin layer of air that surronds eather. Astronomy- the study of the universe- it useful in determining...
Words: 1752 - Pages: 8
...NATURE OF MAN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE IN 10 MODULES E. Kolawole Ogundowole, Ph.D., D.Sc. Professor & Head of Philosophy Department University of Lagos. Akoka, Lagos. Nigeria Correct Counsels Limited Research. Counselling. Publishing. Book Supply First published 2003 Correct Counsels Ltd. P. O. Box 53 Akoka, Lagos. C E. Kolawole Ogundowole, 2003 ISBN: 978 -37004 - 0 – 5 This book is copyright. All rights reserved under the Copyright La Enquiries should be addressed to the Publishers. Printed in Nigeria by: Mustard Press Enterprises 16, Ogundola Street Sungas-BAriga. PREFACE A few words about the overall objectives of the course is appropriate as a starting point. Historically, philosophy was the first form of theoretical knowledge. As a rational theoretical tool of comprehending the world, philosophy arose in ancient Greece in stiff battle with mythology and religious consciousness. It came out to lay the foundation for the evolvement of scientific consciousness and the emergence and development of the sciences - Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. In an environment rife with various and varying superstitions and myths, the study of the History of Science and Philosophy of Science becomes crucial, lest science itself falls within the ambit of mythology and superstition and becomes another form of myth even in the hands of the tutored. The study of the History of Science...
Words: 54229 - Pages: 217
...Selective Breeding and Genetics Darwinism and the theory of natural selection had far reaching implications for society both culturally and scientifically. For the first time in history a theory was proposed that offered a plausible mechanism for evolution. This paper examines the science behind natural selection as well as the impact Darwin has had on modern evolutionary paradigms. Specifically it poses two questions: (1) How did Darwin formulate his ideas about natural selection and evolution? And (2) Is natural selection still fundamentally valid or have we moved into a new evolutionary paradigm. Pre Darwin. Every scientific field has an earlier paradigm as scientific cannons change through the process of time. Before the advent of Darwin and his ideas about “natural selection” human evolution was perceived quite differently. During the Medieval Ages the predominate field of thought was in the “Great Chain of Being.” A structured hierarchy that believed everything had its place in a divinely inspired universe (Suber, 1997). An objects place on the “evolutionary” chain depended on the amount of “spirit” or “matter” it contained, less “spirit” and more “matter” placed it further down on the chain. Ideas such as “spontaneous generation,” which stated that organism could arrive fully formed from inorganic matter only served to enforce Christian ideals of divine inspiration and hinder any kind of true scientific research. (Evers, 1999) Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)...
Words: 1718 - Pages: 7
...creation model predicts that organisms will remain essentially the same to the present or go extinct. • Question 3 4 out of 4 points Evolutionary theories are scientific and not subject to change • Question 4 4 out of 4 points A set of related hypotheses that are bound together to describe a phenomenon is called a law • Question 5 4 out of 4 points Germany only embraced Darwinian evolution after Hitler and the Nazi's came to power. • Question 6 4 out of 4 points Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood was a promoter of eugenics. • Question 7 4 out of 4 points Hermeneutics is the branch of theology that deals with the defense of doctrine and defense of the Christian faith. • Question 8 4 out of 4 points The scientific method has proven that evolution is an unguided process. • Question 9 4 out of 4 points Which of the following is a good hypothesis to use with the scientific method? • Question 10 4 out of 4 points The best current Creation Model looks like • Question 11 0 out of 4 points Which of the following is a reason(s) why evolution and creation are beyond the scope of empirical science? • Question 12 0 out of 4 points A key feature to identify the best among multiple competing hypotheses is • Question 13 4 out of 4 points Creationists and evolutionists disagree because… • Question 14 0 out of 4 points The bronze...
Words: 6853 - Pages: 28
...study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.[1] Modern biology is a vast and eclectic field, composed of manybranches and subdisciplines. However, despite the broad scope of biology, there are certain general and unifying concepts within it that govern all study and research, consolidating it into single, coherent fields. In general, biology recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life, genes as the basic unit of heredity, and evolution as the engine that propels the synthesis and creation of new species. It is also understood today that all organisms survive by consuming and transforming energy and by regulating their internal environment to maintain a stable and vital condition. Subdisciplines of biology are defined by the scale at which organisms are studied, the kinds of organisms studied, and the methods used to study them: biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life; molecular biologystudies the complex interactions among biological molecules; botany studies the biology of plants; cellular biologyexamines the basic building-block of all life, the cell; physiology examines the physical and chemical functions oftissues, organs, and organ systems of an organism; evolutionary biology examines the processes that produced the diversity of life; and ecology examines how organisms interact in their environment.[2] HistoryThe term biology is derived from the Greek word βίος, bios, "life" and the...
Words: 3754 - Pages: 16
...Evolution and Australian Species Evolution can be described as process of organisms developing from there earlier forms of life of life. Evolution firstly became an idea from a group of ancient Greek thinkers. But when trying to introduce these ideas to the residents of Europe, they believed this must be false, as they already believed in the interpretation of the bible. This idea of evolution only began to rise again when Jean-Baptiste Lamarck the French naturalist came up with a theory how organisms evolved, he believed that they evolved through their efforts to the response of the demand of their environment “Australia is home to many interesting phenomena, amongst them its weird and wonderful wildlife. 86% of plants, 84% of mammals and...
Words: 1437 - Pages: 6
...the word is more often used to refer to Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. This theory is sometimes crudely referred to as the theory of "survival of the fittest." It was proposed by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species in 1859 and, independently, by Alfred Wallace in 1858—although Wallace, unlike Darwin, said the human soul is not the product of evolution. Greek and medieval references to "evolution" use it as a descriptive term for a state of nature, in which everything in nature has a certain order or purpose. This is a teleological view of nature. For example, Aristotle classified all living organisms hierarchically in his great scala naturae or Great Chain of Being, with plants at the bottom, moving through lesser animals, and on to humans at the pinnacle of creation, each becoming progressively more perfect in form. It was the medieval philosophers, such as Augustine, who began to incorporate teleological views of nature with religion: God is the designer of all creatures, and everything has a purpose and a place as ordained by Him. In current times, to some, the terms "evolution" and "God" may look like unlikely bed fellows (see the discussion on teleology). This is due primarily to today's rejection by biologists of a teleological view of evolution in favor of a more mechanistic one. The process of rejection is commonly considered to have begun with Descartes and to have culminated in Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Fundamental...
Words: 4509 - Pages: 19
...Naturwissenschaften (2004) 91:255–276 DOI 10.1007/s00114-004-0515-y REVIEW Ulrich Kutschera · Karl J. Niklas The modern theory of biological evolution: an expanded synthesis Published online: 17 March 2004 Springer-Verlag 2004 Abstract In 1858, two naturalists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, independently proposed natural selection as the basic mechanism responsible for the origin of new phenotypic variants and, ultimately, new species. A large body of evidence for this hypothesis was published in Darwin’s Origin of Species one year later, the appearance of which provoked other leading scientists like August Weismann to adopt and amplify Darwin’s perspective. Weismann’s neo-Darwinian theory of evolution was further elaborated, most notably in a series of books by Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley and others. In this article we first summarize the history of life on Earth and provide recent evidence demonstrating that Darwin’s dilemma (the apparent missing Precambrian record of life) has been resolved. Next, the historical development and structure of the “modern synthesis” is described within the context of the following topics: paleobiology and rates of evolution, mass extinctions and species selection, macroevolution and punctuated equilibrium, sexual reproduction and recombination, sexual selection and altruism, endosymbiosis and eukaryotic cell evolution, evolutionary developmental biology, phenotypic plasticity, epigenetic inheritance and...
Words: 17126 - Pages: 69
...| Syllabus College of Natural Science BIO/100 Version 2 Introduction to Life Science with Lab | Copyright © 2009, 2007 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course applies a broad, conceptual understanding of biology. Students are introduced to scientific ideologies and concepts that not only shape the biological world, but also shape humans. Students examine the scientific method, evolution and biodiversity, the biology of cells, physiology, the dynamics of inheritance, and the effect humans have on the environment. The text emphasizes methods and the theoretical foundations of ideas, while minimizing isolated facts. It stresses the integration of ideas, making connections that form an understanding of the living world. The weekly online labs add a practical component to the class. The labs build upon the concepts in the text and offer a chance to interact with the material and further their understanding. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have...
Words: 4924 - Pages: 20
...beyond the understanding of humans. Where science seems able to explain everything with prove and evidence right before your eyes. Science deals with the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. ‘’Creationism", another view on man's origin, means belief in creation in a more general sense. A Creationist may believe that the earth is billions of years old, and that simple forms of life evolved gradually to form more complex forms including humans. In addition to that belief, however, is the belief that a supernatural Creator initiated the life process and continues to control it. The most reasonable view on the origin of mankind is known as naturalistic evolution. It means a gradual process by which one kind of living creature changes into something different; evolution that is not directed by any purposeful intelligence. Another part of the idea is that more complex forms have arisen from simpler forms. Tracing back to the simplest living thing, a bacterium, and scientists may find the origin of mankind by finding something even simpler, something out of which bacteria they came. Recent work has revealed the existence of a group of bacteria that are as different from other bacteria as the latter are from plants and animals. The abundance of evidence...
Words: 2160 - Pages: 9
...As Bernard Rosenberg once said, “Man is a biodegradable but nonrecyclable animal blessed with opposable thumbs capable of grasping at straws.” (Bernard Rosenberg. p. 96) Human Nature consists of an evolving body and an immaterial mind that has an essence which is the result of a highly complex brain; Both the body and mind die, however, while living, they make their own choices and create their own outcomes because of their immaterial mind; The memory and body are what makes a person who they are and without either of them, the same person does not exist; We make our own choices but without others, we would be unable to define ourselves. The Dualist view of human nature is similar to these ideas. Dualism is the “view that human beings are immaterial minds within material bodies.” (Velasquez. p. 105) The man that ran this show was René Descartes (1596-1650). He claimed that if we can conceive of one thing without the other, than they are not the same thing. He used this notion to state that the self and the body are different. From this, it can be reasoned that there is a soul, which endures. Human nature accepts the idea of an immaterial mind and a material body because of the fact that they can be viewed as separate things. In the words of Descartes, body is: …all that which can be defined by a specific shape: something which can be confined in a certain place, and which can fill a given space in such a way that every other body will be excluded from it; which can be perceived...
Words: 3909 - Pages: 16