Change is the only constant Lucretius Introduction Learning to Change Chapter 1 Natural Selection It is the process by which heritable traits that increase an organism s chances of survival and reproduction are favored than less beneficial traits Originally proposed by Charles Darwin natural selection is the process that results in the evolution of organism http www biology online org dictionary Natural selection Natural Selection Variation in Traits Differential Reproduction Heredity End Result For example some beetles are green and some are brown The environment can t support unlimited population growth Not all individuals get to reproduce to their full potential Green beetles tend to get eaten by birds and survive to reproduce less often than brown beetles do The surviving brown beetles have brown baby beetles because this trait has a genetic basis The more advantageous trait brown coloration which allows the beetle to have more offspring becomes more common in the population If it continues eventually all individuals in the population will be brown If you have variation differential reproduction and heredity you will have evolution by natural selection as an outcome It is as simple as that http evolution berkeley edu evolibrary article evo 25 Natural Selection Evolution of the Peppered Moth http youtu be LyRA807djLc Mutations DNA fails to copy accurately Most are naturally occurring A cell divides and makes a copy of its DNA Sometimes the copy is not quite perfect That small difference from the original DNA sequence is a mutation http evolution berkeley edu External influences can create mutations Mutations can also be caused by exposure to specific chemicals or radiation These agents cause the DNA to break down Not necessarily unnatural When the cell repairs the DNA it might not do a perfect job of the repair End up with DNA slightly different than the original DNA and hence a mutation Reflexes A relationship between a specific event and a simple response to that event Protective Consummatory Highly stereotypic consistent in form frequency strength and time of appearance during development Reflexes http youtu be Kfu0FAAu 10 Modal Action Patterns MAP A series of interrelated acts found in all or nearly all members of a species Fixed action pattern Species specific behavior Species typical behavior Instincts Modal Action Patterns MAP Initiated by certain events called releasers or releasing stimuli General Behavior Traits Initiated by large variety of stimuli Activity level Hording Aggression Introversion Anxiety Sexual Practices General Behavior Traits The Silver Fox Experiment Limitations of Natural Selection LEARNING EVOLVED MODIFIABILITY What happens when the environment changes Die off Change in Learning accordance Learning is a biological mechanism for coping with changes in the environment within the lifetime of the individual What are some examples of learning to change with the environment for survival Hierarchy in pack animals Changing behavior to control health issues The ability to learn evolved because it increased survivability Learning is a change in behavior due to experience Learning is a change in behavior due to experience Learning is a change in behavior due to experience Behavior is anything an organism does that can be measured Behavior Can this person play the piano What Changes Behavior Experience Stimuli Exposure to EVENTS that affect behavior Physical EVENTS Stimuli What changes in behavior are NOT learning What Qualifies As Learning Online course complete this in your assignment link Nature VIA Nurture Nativists Empiricists Nature VIA Nurture Bonobo video What makes humans superior to animals http www ted com talks susan savage rumbaugh on apes that write html