Evolution Madison Zimmerman

There are many different species that have adapted traits to enhance their courtship display. They display flashy morphological structures, bright colors, and associated behaviors. In most situations, the male displays the fancy morphological feature but, in some situations, the female will display the traits that are evolved. We often think of a male who is colorful or strong, they might even perform a dance, these ideas are often found in birds. It’s often thought that the male will display flashy behavior and the female will choose who is more desirable, but there are species that will do quite the opposite. There are instances where females will display colorful features and dancing behavior, just like we saw in the video. The question to consider is how would traits like this evolve? There are a couple different aspects to consider. Reproductive success and selection are important factors in evolutionary changes. The male may find that females who display the colorful features are...

 There are so many different strange organisms on earth! We are surrounded by a changing world and it's interesting to look at some of the evolutionary traits that have taken off and become a part of a species way of survival. There are many different organisms that fascinate me but the one that has always stuck out is the yeti crab. The crab lives in the most horrific environments (thermal vents reaching 720 degrees Fahrenheit) and doesn't use vision. The thermal vents are near Antarctica but the crabs have adapted to live at extreme temperatures. The white coloring and hair on their legs allowed them to survive, they have adapted to survive in freezing temperatures and boiling waters. The hairs on their legs attract bacteria and create an ecological system for them to feed on. The adaptions have allowed it to become self-sufficient on the harsh seafloor and survive to reproduce. The females are able to withstand more extreme temperatures and they venture out to the cold water...

 It is assumed that selection is used to eliminate genetic variation. But that then creates the question of why wouldn't genetic variation erode over time? Genetic variation is maintained in populations despite selection and evolution can be used to explain this.  Well, what even is genetic variation? Genetic variation is described as the difference in DNA in organisms or the DNA differences between populations. Genetic variation can be caused by mutation, genetic drift, genetic recombination, etc. From there, we need to discuss why genetic variation is important and relevant. Genetic variation is important for the health of a population. Having different alleles and DNA ensures that the population can evolve and adapt. Without variation, problems of inbreeding can occur. But the variation ensures that disease is avoided and allows organisms to evolve and thrive. When genetic variation is present, evolution is successful. The organisms can adapt to change and avoid depleting n...

  What have you learned so far? Not in the sense of what did we cover in class, but where have you personally have had some real breakthroughs or changes in your understanding? Writing out what you have learned over a 7 week period is easier said than done. There has been growth in how I approach a question or a problem regarding evolution. Using concepts learned in class or ideas that we have discussed, I can approach a situation differently. I now realize more than before that there are so many different contributing problems to each solution. In evolution there is often not one simple answer, everything affects something else. Mutation rate, gene flow, or other contributing factors will influence a population in so many different ways. Also, I have learned there is a reason for almost everything, a change happened for a particular reason and it's our job to analyze it and understand why. I've had some true breakthroughs in understand and using R. The program is very daunting...

Inbreeding: Inbreeding is very common when studying organisms and genetic lines. Inbreeding is in simple terms of the mating of organisms closely related in genetic lines and related by ancestery. Often when we think about inbreeding, the idea is associated with the breeding of family members. There are some benefits but also many downfalls to inbreeding. One problem with inbreeding is when the genetic lines are so closely related, recessive alleles can present themselves at higher rates.  When looking at inbreeding, it is important to recognize some of the benefits when looking at inbreeding because inbreeding can lead to the evolution of assortative mating. Assortative mating is a mating pattern in which similar phenotypes mate with one another more frequently than would be expected under other random matting patterns. Phenotypes that would be present in this setting include body size, skin coloration, and other traits. Some benefits include creating ideal specimens, the stronger...