Predictable Evolution? Groundbreaking Study Upends Long-Held View

Image courtesy google

The study suggests that the future path of evolution could be influenced by a species’ genetic history, challenging the long-held view that evolution is shaped by a myriad of factors and historical coincidences

According to Quora, evolution is not about coincidences, but rather about the process of natural selection and genetic variation over time. However, some historians believe that the course of the world’s history depends on accidents. 

Some factors that affect evolution include: 

  • Environmental changes 
  • Cultural/mating preferences 
  • Population immigration 
  • Genetic mutation 

Some other factors that influence the process of evolution include: Gene flow, Genetic drift, Sexual recombination. 

The “forces of evolution” are mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection. Mutation creates new genetic variation in a gene pool.

Evolution is influenced by changes in genetic variability and allele frequencies over time. Ecological factors like disease, competition, and predation also have an important influence on evolutionary history. 

Humans can also directly and indirectly influence evolution. Some human activities that can cause declines in species populations include: 

  • Anthropogenic climate change 
  • Habitat loss 
  • Hunting and fishing 

Natural selection is considered the main mechanism that causes populations to evolve. Natural selection is the process by which nature selects the fittest organism. Organisms with heritable traits that favor survival and reproduction will tend to leave more offspring than their peers. This causes the traits to increase in frequency over generations.

Humans have a significant impact on the evolution of other organisms. Some examples of human activities that can affect evolution include: 

Hunting, Pollution, Biological invasions, Fragmentation of habitats, Eutrophication, Fishing

Humans can also influence evolution through selective breeding and domestic selection. For example, poaching has made the tuskless trait more prevalent in elephants. 

Humans are considered one of the main selective forces that shape species’ traits. Human-driven trait changes have been observed all over the world.

Most scientists would agree unequivocally that humans have greatly affected the process of evolution, from the rise of antibiotic and pesticide resistance to the largely human-caused increase in the extinction rate. Our effect on the process of evolution even extends to our own species’ evolution

Humans can impact other species in many ways, including: 

  • Habitat destruction Humans can destroy habitats by removing trees, changing water flow, and converting grasslands into farms.  These practices can lead to local extinctions and cause other species to migrate. 
  • Pollution Humans can pollute the air and water, which can lead to many effects on ecosystems.  For example, air pollution can cause the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause global climate change. Invasive species Humans can accidentally introduce alien species into habitats, which can displace native species and lead to local extinctions.  For example, invasive clam species are changing the San Francisco bay by outcompeting local populations. Climate change Humans can cause climate change through global temperature and precipitation rises.  This can cause problems for species that can’t adapt quickly enough. Hunting Humans can hunt animals for food or sport, which can cause species extinction. Overfishing Humans can overfish, which can damage species diversity. Pesticides and herbicides Humans can use pesticides and herbicides, which can take a toll on vertebrates. Toxic compounds Humans can release other toxic compounds into the environment. 

The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally. Second is overexploitation (overfishing, overhunting and overharvesting) for things like food, medicines and timber which drives around 20%

Overfishing and hunting, the destruction of habitats through agriculture and urban sprawl, the use of pesticides and herbicides, and the release of other toxic compounds into the environment have all taken their toll, particularly on vertebrates.

Evolution is the process of change in inherited traits of a population over many generations. It’s driven by the interactions between organisms and their environment over long periods of time. 

Evolution can result in altered genes, new traits, and new species. It occurs through the mechanisms of natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow. 

Inherited traits are carried in genes, which are passed on from parents to their children. Examples of inherited traits include eye color, height, complexion, and hair color. 

Human activities can impact evolutionary processes. These include: 

  • Anthropogenic climate change: Including global warming 
  • Habitat loss: Often from agricultural activities, deforestation, and/or urbanization

Here are some mechanisms that produce change in populations: 

  • Non-random mating: Alters genotypic frequency 
  • Natural selection: Allows certain individuals to contribute more offspring to the next generation 
  • Genetic drift: The random loss of individuals and the alleles they possess 
  • Recombination: A natural process that exchanges genetic material between DNA and RNA to create offspring with new allele combinations 
  • Gene flow: Produces changes to allele frequencies in a population 
  • Sexual selection: Operates when males compete for reproduction and females choose

Mutation is a random event that occurs when a mistake happens in the DNA of an organism’s heritable cells. This change in DNA sequence can lead to new alleles in a population, which increases variation among the population

For a mutation to affect an organism’s descendants, it must occur in cells that produce the next generation and affect the hereditary material. If a parent carries a gene mutation in their egg or sperm, it can pass to their child. These hereditary mutations are in almost every cell of the person’s body throughout their life. 

Mutations can affect an organism by changing its physical characteristics (or phenotype) or it can impact the way DNA codes the genetic information (genotype). When mutations occur they can cause termination (death) of an organism or they can be partially lethal. 

High mutation rates can lead to decreased growth rates and heightened mortality. Therefore, population size also tends to decrease as mutation rate increases.

The genetic makeup of a population can change over time due to: Mutation, Natural selection, Gene flow, Random changes, Migration

Evolution is the process of changing gene frequencies within a gene pool. It happens to populations and over generations, not to individuals

Please like subscribe comment your precious thoughts on my blogs on universe discoveries (a destination for latest universe discoveries and science discoveries)

Full article source google

Best pet supplies on heavy discount on Amazon

One thought on “Predictable Evolution? Groundbreaking Study Upends Long-Held View

  1. The genetic makeup of a population can change over time due to: Mutation, Natural selection, Gene flow, Random changes, Migration.

    Evolution is the process of changing gene frequencies within a gene pool. It happens to populations and over generations, not to individuals”

    This is the part unknown to Darwin. His conclusions would have been much different

    Like

Leave a reply to Carl D'Agostino Cancel reply