Jay Phelan

What Is Life? A Guide To Biology

Second Edition

CHAPTER 10
The Origin and Diversification
of Life on Earth

2012 W. H. Freeman and Company

 Why is it important that Urey and Millers
experiment produced amino acids?
1. Because they are the building
blocks of DNA
2. Because they are the building
blocks of RNA
3. Because they are the building
blocks of protein
4. Because they are the building
blocks of triglycerides
0% 0% 0% 0%

.. .

.. .

.. .

.. .
ya

ya

ya

ya
e

e
th

th

th

th
se

se

se

se
u

u
ca

ca

ca

ca
Be

Be

Be

Be
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 The RNA World Hypothesis

a self-replicating system

a precursor to cellular life?!!

RNA-based life and DNA-based life

 The biological species concept is not easily
applied to bacteria. What other characteristics
could we use to decide whether two different
bacteria are two different species?
1. Observe asexual reproduction.
2. Measure the size of each bacteria.
3. Compare the sequences of specific
genes in the bacteria.
4. All of the above.

0% 0% 0% 0%

...

...

..
.
si.

o.
ua

se

ab
e
ex

e
th

th

he
as

re

t
ve

r
su

of
pa
r

ea
se

l
Al
M
Ob

Co
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 Which answer below is considered to be
a postzygotic barrier to reproduction?
1. Two species of frogs mate at different times in the
spring.
2. Birds about to mate need to go through specific
courtship rituals.
3. The male gamete (pollen) of one flower is not
compatible with the female organs of another
flower.
4. Fertilization occurs, but the embryo dies before it
is born.
5. There is a mechanical isolation that prevents
fertilization.
0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

. ..

...

...
...
f..

et

ec
to

n
so

io
am

am
ut
cie

at
bo

eg

liz
e

is
sp

sa

rti
al

e
er
m

Fe
o

rd
Tw

Th
Bi

e
Th
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 Which answer below would require
the morphological species concept to
delineate between the two species?
1. Dog and cat
2. Salmonella and E. coli
3. Cow and goat
4. Donkey and horse

0% 0% 0% 0%

..

.
t

r. .
a
ca

d.

go

ho
an
d

d
an

d
la

an

an
el
g
Do

w
on

ey
Co
m

nk
l
Sa

Do
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Resource partitioning and sympatric speciation in lizard species

Anolis lizards

Same pattern has evolved independently on

different Caribbean Islands
 All of the answers below are examples of allopatric
speciation except
1. Salamanders that have migrated via two different routes display
different color patterns.
2. There are 14 different species of finch on the Galapagos islands
vs. one species on South America.
0% 0% 0% 0%
3. Two species of benthic fish are found in a volcanic crater that is

.
i..
..

s..
...
ec
ig.

ea
h
known to have only been colonized by one species of benthic fish

sp
m

fis

e
e

th
nt

c
av

hi
re

n
t
th

o
ffe

en

er
a

fb
di
th

st
14

so

ob
rs
de

ie

fl
e
ar

ec

so
an
about 10,000 years ago.

sp
am

ie
er

ec
o
Th
l

Tw
Sa

Sp
4. Species of lobster on the east side of the isthmus of Panama are
different from those on the west side.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 Monophyletic
Groups
a group in which all of the individuals are more
closely related to each other than to any individuals
outside of that group

determined by looking at the nodes of the trees

Which animals are represented in a
monophyletic group indicated by the red arrow?
1. Fish, bird, human, rat,
and mouse
2. Bird, human, rat and
mouse
3. Human, rat, and mouse
4. Rat and mouse

0% 0% 0% 0%
..

...

..

se
u.

n.
,r

ou
,h

,a
an

m
ir d

at
um

nd
,r
,b

,h

an

ta
sh

m
rd

Ra
Fi

Hu
Bi

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Below are genetic sequences for a gene found in four different species.
Which species are the most closely related?

Species A: AGT-CTA-CTT-ACT-ATC-CTA
Species B: AGT-CTA-CTT-ACC-ATC-CTA
Species C: AGT-AAA-CTT-ACC-ATC-CTA
Species D: AGA-CTA-TTT-ACC-ATG-CTA

1. Species A and B
2. Species A and C
3. Species A and D
4. Species B and D

0% 0% 0% 0%
...

...

...

...
d

d
an

an

an

an
sA

sA

sA

sB
cie

cie

cie

cie
e

e
Sp

Sp

Sp

Sp
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
The mapping of species characteristics
onto phylogenetic trees

Physical features

DNA sequences
Analogous traits:
Features that are produced by convergent
evolution

Homologous traits:
Features that are inherited from a common
ancestor
How do you know whether traits
are homologous or analogous?

DNA analysis
 Which structures below are
homologous?
1. Human forearm and a monkeys
forearm
2. Fish fin and whale fin
3. Butterfly wing and bat wing
4. All of the above

0% 0% 0% 0%

.
...

.. .

..
g..

o.
w
rm

in

ab
d

yw
ea

an

he
r

rfl
fo

f in

t
of
tte
an

l
Fis

Bu

Al
m
Hu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
The ability of multiple species to
evolve via adaptive radiations is
due to _______ over time.
1. Macroevolution
2. Microevolution
3. Punctuated equilibrium
4. Gradual change

0% 0% 0% 0%

ge
n

..
n
io

u.
io

n
ut

eq
ut

ha
ol

c
vo

ed
ev

al
oe

u
ro

ua

ad
icr
ac

t
nc

Gr
M
M

Pu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 Background and Mass Extinctions
Have Different Causes
Mass extinctions are due to extraordinary and sudden
changes to the environment.

Background extinctions occur mostly as the result of

natural selection.
 Bacteria Are a
Monophyletic Group
All bacteria have a few features in common:

single-celled organisms with no nucleus or organelles

one or more circular molecules of DNA
several methods of exchanging genetic information
asexual organisms
Which single-celled organism below is considered to
be most closely related to the first cell to exist on our
planet?
1. Plants
2. Protists
3. Bacteria
4. Archeae
5. Animals
6. Fungi
0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
a ls
ts

i
e
ia

ng
ist

a
n

er

he

m
Pla

Fu
ot

ct

i
c

An
Pr

Ba

Ar

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
 Humans can be classified
as
1. Homo sapiens
2. Eukarya
3. Animals
4. Vertebrates
5. All of the above

0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

es
ns

ya

e
al

ov
at
e

ar

m
pi

ab
br
k

i
An
sa

Eu

te

he
o

r
Ve
m

t
of
Ho

l
Al
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30