Respond to these two classmates in 5 senteces
Classmate Discussion 1
Gabriela Leal
This weeks module covered a hefty amount of informative topics. I very much enjoyed when the lecture covered pieces of genetic content. Most especially because, I am also currently taking the class and learning similar topics. I liked learning about the distinct terms that were covered such as, mutation and recombination. I find it very significant how much genetics influences an organisms way of life from past to present day.
Also, how human selection can play such a big role in an organisms life history. Such as when it was discussed in the lecture, how commercial fishing vessels, have collected large fishes and how therefore, it causes “unintentional selection” for those fishes that are smaller in size. I find that to be quite sad how much humans have negatively impacted an organisms selection. It’s fascinating to also learn how evolution can also occur through either random or nonrandom selection, and how it all ties to what we see today in animals daily habits and/or lives such as axolotls, or Mexican walking fish.. Compared to other salamander species in the region, axolotls were relatively recent in their evolution and thrive in the mountains of central Mexico near Lake Texcoco, for example. However, they are also one of the many animals that pose a risk of extinction as a result of overfishing. Lastly, I enjoyed seeing that all this evolution content discussed was led to be believed all due to Charles Darwin, whom played a major role in what we know as evolution today.
Check out this video that simplifies, the role of evolution in our lives:
Classmate Discussion 2
Jeiselli Archer
Chapter 7 discusses evolution and types of selective processes. Microevolution is defined as the evolution of a population. It occurs due to natural or artificial selection. In the youtube video “Evolution of Peppered Moth”, peppered moth adapted to their post-industrial environment by evolving black, dark-colored wings. However, macroevolution is evolution of higher organizations. Three types of selections are stabilizing, directional and disruptive that are based on which phenotypes are favored. I assumed that only populations with stabilizing selection exist, but extreme phenotypes can also be favored. Intermediate phenotypes are favored in stabilizing selection while extreme phenotypes are favored in disruptive and directional selection.
Chapter 8 discusses life history traits and what factors they are affected by. Life history traits include fecundity, parity, longevity, etc. These traits are affected by environmental conditions, such as photoperiod, predation, and change in temperature. However, there are trade-offs that prevent organisms from being advantageous in all life history traits. If one trait is favorable, then the organism has to give up an advantageous trait. For instance, if an individual produces a large amount of offspring, then they will have a smaller body size and be less fit to survive. If an individual produces a small amount of offspring, they will have a larger body size and more fit.
