BIOLOGY Study Guide - Theodosius Dobzhansky, Vestigiality, Macroevolution

• School: Eastern Samar State University
• Department: Earth Science
• Course: BIOLOGY

Document Summary

Evolution is a key unifying principle in biology. As theodosius dobzhansky once said, nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Before we look at the evidence, let"s make sure we are on the same page about what evolution is. Broadly speaking, evolution is a change in the genetic makeup (and often, the heritable features) of a population over time. Biologists sometimes define two types of evolution based on scale: Macroevolution, which refers to large-scale changes that occur over extended time periods, such as the formation of new species and groups. Microevolution, which refers to small-scale changes that affect just one or a few genes and happen in populations over shorter timescales. Evidences of evolution: anatomical and structural, homologous. If two or more species share a unique physical feature, such as a complex bone structure or a body plan, they may all have inherited this feature from a common ancestor.