Evidence of Evolution
Outline evidence that present day organisms have
developed from different organisms in the distant
past
Fossils can be placed in a time
sequence to see patterns
• Relative dating
Law of superposition
(generally shows a
progression from simple
life forms to more
complex life forms
• Now we can place
absolute times on
may fossils by
Radiometric Dating
Transition fossils
Provide a suggested pathway for
evolutionary change.
Archaeopteryx
Birds evolved from reptiles
Skeletons of
Crossopterygious (lobed fish)
and amphibians
show many similarities.
Convincing argument for
relations
•Comparison of present day organisms with fossils of past
organisms show changes that have occurred over time.
•Skeletal comparisons are often used as evidence of possible
Lineages.
Biogeography
• Is the Study of the distribution of living things.
Distribution of similar plants and animals across the world suggests that after the break up of
super continents (eg Gondwana), evolution has continued resulting in small changes of
species as a result of changes in environmental conditions
• Oreocallis: Peru Ecuador,
• New Guinea and parts of Australia
Embothrium: Chilie, Argentina
Tasmanian Waratah
Gippsland Waratah or Victorian
Waratah. Northeast NSW
New South Wales Waratah. East New South
Wales.
Comparative Embryology
Comparative anatomy
biochemistry
Comparative DNA
analysis