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Chapter 18: Problem 46

Each of the following observations comes from a different scientific discipline. Which is the best support for Darwin鈥檚 concept of descent with modification? a. Geologists provide evidence that earthquakes reshape life by causing mass extinctions. b. Botanists provide evidence that South American temperate plants have more in common with South American tropical plants than temperate plants from Europe. c. Zoologists provide evidence that fewer animal species live on islands than on nearby mainlands. d. Ecologists provide evidence that species diversity increases closer to the equator

Short Answer

Expert verified
Observation B supports Darwin's concept of descent with modification.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Darwin鈥檚 concept of descent with modification

Descent with modification is Darwin鈥檚 primary mechanism of evolution. It suggests that species undergo modifications over generations, leading to gradual changes and diversity from a common ancestor.
02

Analyze Observation A

Geologists provide evidence that earthquakes reshape life by causing mass extinctions. This observation relates more to catastrophic changes and does not directly support gradual modifications through descent.
03

Analyze Observation B

Botanists provide evidence that South American temperate plants have more in common with South American tropical plants than with temperate plants from Europe. This suggests that plants adapt and diversify in a region from a common ancestor, aligning with Darwin鈥檚 idea of descent with modification.
04

Analyze Observation C

Zoologists provide evidence that fewer animal species live on islands than on nearby mainlands. This observation does not directly provide evidence for descent with modification but rather highlights biogeographical patterns.
05

Analyze Observation D

Ecologists provide evidence that species diversity increases closer to the equator. While this highlights biodiversity patterns, it does not specifically address common ancestry or gradual modification.
06

Select the Best Support

Comparing all observations, Botanists' evidence (Observation B) most closely supports Darwin's concept of descent with modification by demonstrating that relatedness and adaptation occur within a geographical region from a common ancestor.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

evidence in botany
Botany provides vital evidence for Darwin's concept of descent with modification. This idea means that species change and adapt over generations from a common ancestor. In botanical studies, we observe that South American temperate plants share more similarities with tropical plants from the same region than with temperate plants from Europe. This suggests that plants in a particular region develop and diversify from common ancestors within that region.
Over time, these plants adapt to different environmental conditions, resulting in the diversity of species we see today.
The close relationship between South American temperate and tropical plants highlights how species can diverge and modify within a particular geographical area, providing strong evidence for descent with modification.
evolutionary theory
Darwin's concept of descent with modification is a central pillar of evolutionary theory. This theory explains how species evolve over time through gradual changes and adaptations.
According to Darwin, all species are related through a common ancestor, and they change or evolve due to various factors like mutations, natural selection, and genetic drift.
In this process, species adapt to their surroundings, leading to the vast biodiversity we witness today. For example, finches on the Gal谩pagos Islands have evolved distinct beak shapes suited to their specific diets. This idea showcases the principle of descent with modification, as these finches share a common ancestor but have modified over time to fit their unique environments.
geographical adaptation
Geographical adaptation is a key concept in understanding how species evolve and diversify in different environments. This term refers to how species adjust to the conditions of their specific geographical regions over time.
For example, plants in South America have adapted to their unique climates and environments, resulting in temperate plants that are more closely related to tropical plants in the same area than to temperate plants in Europe.
These adaptations occur due to various factors, including climate, food availability, and other ecological pressures. These localized adaptations provide strong evidence for the mechanism of descent with modification, as species evolve and adapt from a common ancestor within a specific region.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which is the best definition of species? a. A group of individual organisms with significant genetic similarities b. a group of individual organisms with significant genetic similarities that share external and internal characteristics c. a group of individual organisms that interbreed d. a group of individual organisms that interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring

A friend says: 鈥淣atural selection is about the survival of the very fittest in a population. The fittest are those that are strongest, largest, fastest.鈥� Would you agree with that statement? Explain. What evidence from scientific disciplines can you offer to support your agreement or your disagreement? a. The statement is true. If an organism is not strong and fast, it will not survive long enough to reproduce and pass on its genes, and if it is not large and fitter than the other individuals around it then it will not be able to compete for a mate. Many seal species, for example, have only a single male who gets to mate. He must be the very fittest seal to win all the females. b. The very fittest organisms are not necessarily the ones that survive. Sometimes it is the least fit organisms that survive and reproduce. For example, in one generation the mice who are bad at foraging for seeds may reproduce prolifically and dominate the mice who are good at foraging. In this case, natural selection will select for the less-fit phenotype and spread it in the population. c. The definition of fitness is not correct. The strongest and fastest organisms are more fit than the weaker and slower ones, but large individuals are often at a disadvantage to smaller ones because they are easily spotted by predators. For example, a large rabbit will stick out on a field more than a small one and will get eaten by a hawk. d. What is meant by 鈥渇ittest鈥� is not necessarily strong, large, and fast. Fitness, as defined in evolutionary terms, has to do with survival and the reproduction of genetic material. For example, a small but showy male bird may be selected by female birds to reproduce, while a large but less colorful one is not.

Populations of a plant species have been found growing in the mountains at altitudes above 2,500 meters. Populations of a plant that appears similar, with slight differences, have been found in the same mountains at altitudes below 2,300 meters. Explain how the two types of data you suggested provide a direct answer to the question of whether speciation has taken place. a. If the plants become more similar when grown in the same environment, or if the high-altitude plants respond to low altitude in the same way that low-altitude plants have, and low-altitude plants respond to high altitude the same way that high- altitude plants have, then the two groups have the same underlying genetic structure and belong to one species. b. If the seeds from the plants can be cross fertilized and developed into fertile offspring, the two populations are not yet reproductively isolated and remain one species. If hybrid forms are found, the two populations are not reproductively isolated and hybrids are both viable and successful. c. If the genetic codes of the two plants are identical, then they must belong to the same species. Also, if genes transplanted between the plants function successfully, then the plants must be similar enough to each other to belong to the same species. d. If scientists are able to find the common ancestor of the two groups in the fossil record or in neighboring communities, then they can determine whether the plants have diverged into separate species or remain a single species.

What is unique about speciation due to adaptive radiation? a. It leads to multiple species forming from one parent species. b. It only occurs on or around island archipelagos. c. It requires a population to disperse from its parent species. d. It is a special kind of sympatric speciation.

In a hybrid zone, in addition to interacting, what else do two closely related species do? a. compete b. reproduce c. transition d. fuse
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