Evolutionary trees are the subject of thorough, rigorous analysis that seeks to trace and reconstruct the patterns of branching that have led to the diversity of life as people know it. All these Trees of Life provide the basic information such as historical patterns of ancestry, divergence, and descent, utilizing series of branches that merge at points representing common ancestors, which themselves are connected through more distant ancestors (Gregory, 2008). There are two classic types of data for phylogenetic analysis that are taken into consideration: the morphological and molecular data, each having distinct advantages and potential pitfalls. In this paper, three different scientific articles related to the topic are synthesized. Canadian …show more content…
It does so by identifying congruent hierarchical patterns of variation in the morphological and molecular characters of species. Inclusion of fossils in any large-scale phylogenetic analysis of morphological data resulted to increased congruence with molecular results in the full data set analysis when compared with the extant-only analysis. It provides clear evidence that the addition of fossils improves the results of morphological parsimony analysis in Legg (2013). However, lacking sufficient level of phylogenetic literacy to correctly interpret evolutionary trees is prevalent, and O’ Hara (1997) suggested that importance for biology students of learning how to interpret evolutionary trees is on par with that of geography students being taught how to read maps. Phylogenetic illiteracy have resulted to a few common misconceptions like thinking that other organisms are less evolved and are lower on the evolutionary scale, and that humans represent the end line of evolution. Reading across the tips, when in fact one should base on the nodes, is another common mistake. Also, evolutionary relatedness and physical similarity are not necessarily related. Some even mistake a group to have descended from its sister group instead of the two sharing a common ancestor, or assume that long branches in evolutionary trees imply no change. The truth is that there are no “more evolved” species than another since overall lineage has the same age and amount of time evolving. Molecular and morphological data are both very essential in tracing the branches of evolution, but no amount of data would be useful if the common mistakes listed down by Gregory (2008) are
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Rienzo, Anna Di. Wilson, Allan. 1991. Branching pattern in the evolutionary tree for human mitochondrial DNA. Evolution 88: 1597-1601.
[1] This problem with the theory of evolution was addressed by Stephen Jay Gould and other evolutionists. They postulated the punctuated equilibrium theory of evolution, which does not predict the numerous fossils predicted by the orthodox theory of evolution.
Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection explains the general laws by which any given species transforms into other varieties and species. Darwin extends the application of his theory to the entire hierarchy of classification and states that all forms of life have descended from one incredibly remote ancestor. The process of natural selection entails the divergence of character of specific varieties and the subsequent classification of once-related living forms as distinct entities on one or many levels of classification. The process occurs as a species varies slightly over the course of numerous generations. Through inheritance, natural selection preserves each variation that proves advantageous to that species in its present circumstances of living, which include its interaction with closely related species in the “struggle for existence” (Darwin 62).
Evolutionists should wisely choose and incorporate information from different perspectives, so that the full picture of our evolutionary history is truly shown.
Web. The Web. The Web. 11 February 2014 “Biology: Evolution”. The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference.
...o happen. But with the help of fossil evidence we are able to identify common ancestors and evolutionary pathways between species. We also identify oxygen as a major key contribution for life to evolve. Also, through scientific research it has been established that arthropods and chordates have shared genes, leading to the path of vertebrates and human life.
Zacherl, Danielle. “Biology 171 Evolution and Biodiversity.” National Association of Research in Science Teaching 2007 Annual Meeting, New Orleans LA. (2007):n. page. Print.
When these alterations are helpful, they grow to be fixed in a population and can result in the evolution of new phyla. Evo-devo seeks to figure out how new groups happen by understanding how the method of development has evolved in different lineages. In other word, evo-devo explains the interaction between phenotype and genotype (Hall, 2007). Explanation of morphological novelty of evolutionary origins is one of the middle challenges in current evolutionary biology, and is intertwined with energetic discussion regarding how to connect developmental biology to standard perspectives from the theory of evolution (Laubichler, 2010). A large amount of theoretical and experiential effort is being devoted to novelties that have challenged biologists for more than one hundred years, for instance, the basis of fins in fish, the fin-to-limb change and the evolution of feathers.
Competition law The definition of anti-competitive behaviour which is stated by the OECD is the business practices that an organization choose to restrict inter-organization competition to maintain or increase their market position without providing goods and services at a lower price or of higher standard such that these practices occur in the form of cartels, collusions, conspiracies, mergers, predatory pricing, price discrimination, and price fixing. Therefore, these practices also occur in supplier–distributor relationships. For instance- agreements for exclusive dealing, geographic market restrictions, refusals to deal, resale price maintenance, and tied selling. Anti-competitive agreements made in one country can impose an impact on other
The evidence for human evolution begins with the australopithecines. All the australopithecines were bipedal and therefore possible hominines. In details of their teeth, jaws, and brain size, however, they modify enough among themselves to be divided into five species: Australopithecus anamensis, A. afarensis, A. africanus, A. robustus, and A. boisei. Genus Homo are also divided in five different spices: Homo erectus, H. habilis, H. sapiens, and H. sapiens sapiens.
The world we live in today is full of an exceptional variety of animals. The time it took to conclude to the various sorts of species seen today has been throughout a period of millions of years. The vast majority of these animals are accredited to evolutionary advancements. When the environment changes, organisms have become accustomed to changing to fit their environment, to ensure their species does not die off. These physical changes have resulted in different phyla, ranging from basic structures, like sponges to advance systems, like that of an octopus.
Without evolution, and the constant ever changing environment, the complexity of living organisms would not be as it is. Evolution is defined as a process that results in heritable changes in a population spread over many generations (8).Scientists believe in the theory of evolution. This belief is based on scientific evidence that corroborates the theory of evolution. In Figure 1 the pictures of the skulls depict the sequence of the evolution of Homo-sapiens. As the figure shows, man has evolved from our common ancestor that is shared by homo-sapiens. The change of diet of homo-sapiens over time has thought to contribute to the change in jaw structure and overall skull shape.
We act like animals, we eat like animals, and we are animals. The many theories of evolution such as Darwin's theory of evolution prove to us that we choose to believe that we are not animals when we really are. Evolution is the sequencial process of change over periods of time, which shapes and establishes the formation of modern man. In referring to evolution, the word means various changes. Evolution refers to the fabrication and development of life on earth. "Organic evolution" is the concept that all living beings evolved from simple organisms and have changed throughout the periods of time to create many and various types of species.