9.1 Mechanisms of Evolution Guided Inquiry

SBI 3U Evolution
Read pages 350 – 358 and complete the following:
Mechanisms of Evolution and Their Effect on Populations
1. What is the main factor that makes evolution possible?

Genetic variation of individuals within a population makes evolution possible.
2. What random occurrence allows new traits to occur? Draw a diagram showing possible ways that this
can occur in chromosomes, and label the diagrams explaining how allele frequency is changed.
New mutations occur randomly.
3. Why can you not study individual organisms to study evolution?

Because individual organisms do not evolve. Populations do.
4. What is a gene pool?

A pool of all the alleles of all genes of each individual in that population.
5. Define microevolution, and state how it contributes to evolution of a population.

Microevolution consists of the small events that lead to evolution within a population. It contributes
to evolution because when the frequency of an allele in a population changes, microevolution has
occurred.
Factors that Change Allele Frequencies in Populations
6. What is the most significant factor in the formation of a new species?

Natural selection
Mutations
7. A heritable mutation has the potential to affect an entire gene pool.
8. Define heritable mutation:

A change in the DNA of an individual that is not inherited.
9. If the environment in which a population lives changes, what factor will help the population survive?
Mutations will help the population survive.
Gene Flow
10. Draw a diagram to illustrate Gene Flow, and label it to explain how gene flow affects the allele
frequency in populations.
SBI 3U Evolution
Non-random Mating
11. Explain the difference between random and non-random mating.

Non-random mating is mating among individuals based on mate selection for a particular phenotype or
due to inbreeding. In contrast, random mating is much like a draw in which breeding partners are
randomly selected by drawing names out of a hat.
12. Complete the table explaining the forms of non-random mating. Also list any advantages or
disadvantages of this practice.
Preferred Phenotypes Inbreeding

When individuals choose mates based on their Inbreeding occurs when closely related individuals
physical and behavioral traits (their phenotypes). breed together. Inbreeding does not directly affect
Only individuals that mate will contribute to the the distribution of alleles. The negative affects of
gene pool of the next generation. inbreeding is that offspring tend to have a higher
incidence of deformities and health problems
compared with non-purebred animals. For some
purebred animals, fertility rates are very low and
offspring die at a young age.
Genetic Drift
13. Genetic Drift = the change in allele frequency happens by chance alone
14. Explain how the size of a population can affect the gene pool of a population.
The size of a population can affects the gene pool of a population because the smaller the population,
the less likely it is that the parent gene pool will be reflected in the next generation. In a large
population, however, there is a better chance that the parent gene pool will be reflected in future
generations.
15. Compare and contrast the two forms of genetic drift that can change allele frequency in a population.
The Founder Effect The Bottleneck Effect

Definition: a change in gene pool that occurs when a Definition: changes in gene distribution that result
few individuals start a new isolated population. from a rapid decrease in population size.
How it affects a population: How it affects a population:
The founder effect is the reduction in genetic The bottleneck effect is an extreme example of

variation that results when a small subset of a genetic drift that happens when the size of
large population is used to establish a new colony. a population is severely reduced. Events like natural
The new population may be very different from the disasters (earthquakes, floods, fires) can decimate
original population, both in terms of its genotypes a population, killing most individuals and leaving
and phenotypes. behind a small, random assortment of survivors.
Natural Selection
SBI 3U Evolution
16. Explain how the selective forces of competition and predation affect allele frequencies in populations.
Because some individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce than others.
17. Sketch the graphs for Stabilizing, Directional and Disruptive Selection and explain what they show.
Stabilizing Selection Directional Selection Disruptive Selection

Graph: Graph: Graph:
Explanation: (example) Explanation: (example) Explanation: (example)
Natural selection that favors Natural selection that favors the Natural selection that favours the
intermediate phenotypes and acts phenotypes at one extreme over extremes of a range of phenotypes
against extreme variants. another, resulting in the rather than intermediate
distribution curve of phenotypes phenotypes; this type of selection
shifting in the direction of that can result in the elimination of
extreme. intermediate phenotypes.
Sexual Selection
18. How can sexual selection affect allele frequency in a population?

When populations are large, mating is random and the environment is stable (i.e. no natural selection)
– the frequency of alleles tends to remain stable from generation to generation.  However, when
populations become small, allele frequencies can increase, decrease or even be completely loss by
change alone.
Textbook questions:
Activity 9.1 pg. 358 Read the activity and decide which type of selection is observed in the grass
population.
Pg 359 # 6, 8, 11.

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SBI 3U Evolution

Read pages 350 – 358 and complete the following:

Mechanisms of Evolution and Their Effect on Populations

1. What is the main factor that makes evolution possible?

3. Why can you not study individual organisms to study evolution?

4. What is a gene pool?

5. Define microevolution, and state how it contributes to evolution of a population.

Factors that Change Allele Frequencies in Populations

6. What is the most significant factor in the formation of a new species?

7. A heritable mutation has the potential to affect an entire gene pool.

8. Define heritable mutation:

11. Explain the difference between random and non-random mating.

Preferred Phenotypes Inbreeding

The Founder Effect The Bottleneck Effect

How it affects a population: How it affects a population:

The founder effect is the reduction in genetic The bottleneck effect is an extreme example of

Stabilizing Selection Directional Selection Disruptive Selection

Explanation: (example) Explanation: (example) Explanation: (example)

18. How can sexual selection affect allele frequency in a population?

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