are all species related?
What evidence shows that different species are related?
Genetic information, like the fossil record, provides evidence of evolution. DNA sequences vary among species, but there are many overlaps; in fact, the ongoing branching that produces multiple lines of descent can be inferred by comparing the DNA sequences of different organisms. Such information is also derivable from the similarities and differences in amino acid sequences and from anatomical and embryological evidence.
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Topic Summary:
Biological evolution, the process by which all living things have evolved over many generations from shared ancestors, explains both the unity and the diversity of species. The unity is illustrated by the similarities found between species; which can be explained by the inheritance of similar characteristics from related ancestors. The diversity of species is also consistent with common ancestry; it is explained by the branching and diversification of lineages as populations adapted, primarily through natural selection, to local circumstances. Evidence for common ancestry can be found in the fossil record, from comparative anatomy and embryology, from the similarities of cellular processes and structures, and from comparisons of DNA sequences between species. The understanding of evolutionary relationships has recently been greatly accelerated by using new molecular tools to study developmental biology, with researchers dissecting the genetic basis for some of the changes seen in the fossil record, as well as those that can be inferred to link living species (e.g., the armadillo) to their ancestors (e.g., glyptodonts, a kind of extinct gigantic armadillo).
* Mastery Check *
COLLEGE & CAREERS
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YOU CAN APPLY THESE SKILLS BY:
- Study ecology and evolutionary biology to preserve endangered species, help cure disease, or continue to reconstruct the evolutionary tree of life.
- Follow a career as a museum technician, designing exhibits to teach the public about natural selection.
National Research Council 2012. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165
This site contains original content that may not be authorized for use by the creator and is legally used under the fair use principles section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1986 (17 U.S. Code § 107)
The official NGSS website. https://www.nextgenscience.org
LS4.A, HS-LS4-1
Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. (Patterns) [HS-LS4-1]
This site contains original content that may not be authorized for use by the creator and is legally used under the fair use principles section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1986 (17 U.S. Code § 107)
The official NGSS website. https://www.nextgenscience.org
LS4.A, HS-LS4-1
Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence. (Patterns) [HS-LS4-1]