Ls.

1 Heredity and Evolution

Blessie J

Q1. Complete the following diagram:

*(1) Morphological, Paleontological, Similarities in bone structure, Vestigial
organs, Evidences of Evolution

Q2. Read the following statements and justify the same in your own words
with the help of suitable examples.
*(2a) Human evolution began approximately 7 crore years ago.
(i) Last dinosaurs disappeared approximately seven crore years ago.
(ii) At that time, monkey like animals were said to be evolved from some
ancestors who were more or less similar to the modern lemurs.
(iii) Thus, human evolution began approximately seven crore years ago.
*(2b) Geographical and reproductive isolation leads to speciation.
(i) Species is the group of organisms that can produce fertile individuals through
natural reproduction.
(ii) Each species grows in specific geographical condition. Their food, habitat,
reproductive ability and period is different.
(iii) Along with genetic variation, geographical and reproductive changes are
responsible for formation of new species.
(iv) Hence, geographical and reproductive isolation leads to speciation.
*(2c) Study of fossils is an important aspect of study of evolution.
(i) Large number of organisms got buried due to disasters like flood, earthquake,
volcano, etc. (ii) Remnants and impressions of such organisms remain preserved
underground. These are called as fossils.
(iii) With help of carbon-dating technique, it is easy to determine the age of
fossils.
(iv) Once the age of fossil has been determined, it becomes easy to deduce
information about other erstwhile organisms.
(v) Hence, study of fossils is an important aspect of study of evolution.
*(2d) There is evidences of fatal science among chordates.
(i) It is believed that chordates have originated from invertebrates.
(ii) It is difficult to find out from which invertebrate group the chordates were
developed.
(iii) Chordate ancestors were soft bodied animals, hence they were not preserved
as fossils.

Q3. Complete the statements by choosing correct options from bracket.

(Gene, Mutation, Translocation, Transcription, Gradual development, Appendix)
(a) The causality behind the sudden changes was understood due to principle of
Hugo de Vries.
(b) The proof for the fact that protein synthesis occurs through was given by
George Beadle and Edward Tatum.
(c) Transfer of information from molecule of DNA to mRNA is called as process.
(d) Evolution means .
(e) Vestigial organ present in human body is the proof of evolution.
Ans. (a) Mutation (b) gene (c) Transcription (d) Gradual development (e)
Appendix

Q3b. Define the following (Extra):

(1) Heredity : Heredity is the transfer of biological characters from one
generation to another via genes.
(2) Evolution : Formation of new species due to changes in specific characters of
several generations of living organisms as a response to natural selection is called
as evolution.
(3) Vestigial organs : Degenerated or underdeveloped useless organs of
organisms are called as vestigial organs.
(4) Carbon dating method : The time passed since the death of a plant or animal
can be calculated by measuring the radioactivity of C-14 and ratio of C-14 to C-
12 present in their body. This is carbon dating method.
(5) Ancestry of acquired characters : The living organism can transfer the
characters which it has acquired, to the next generation. This is called Ancestry
of acquired characters.
(6) Central Dogma : Ans. Information about protein synthesis is stored in the
DNA and synthesis of appropriate proteins as per requirement is necessary for
body. These proteins are synthesized by DNA through RNA. This is called
Central Dogma.
(7) Transcription : Ans. The process of RNA synthesis is called as Transcription.
(8) Triplet codon : Ans. The code for each amino acid consists of three
nucleotides. It is called as Triplet codon.
(9) Translation Ans. As per the message on mRNA, amino acids are supplied by
the tRNA. For this purpose, tRNA has ‘anticodon’ having complementary
sequence to the codon on mRNA. This is called Translation.
(10) Translocation Ans. The ribosome keeps on moving from one end of mRNA
to other end by the distance of one triplet codon. This is called Translocation.

Q4. Write short notes based upon the information known to you:
*(a) Lamarckism
(i) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed that morphological changes occurring in
living organisms are responsible for evolution and the reason behind those
morphological changes is activities or laziness of that organism.
(ii) The neck of giraffe has become too long due to browsing on leaves of tall
plants by extending their neck for several generations.
(iii) Shoulders of ironsmith have become very strong due to frequent hammering
movements.
(iv) Wings of birds like emu and ostrich have become weak due to no use.
(v) Legs of the birds like swan and duck have become useful for swimming due
to living in water.
(vi) Snakes have lost their legs by modification in their body for burrowing habit.
(vii) All these examples are types of acquired characters and are transferred from
one generation to another This is called as theory of inheritance of acquired
characters or Lamarckism.
(viii) Development of organs due to specific activities or their degeneration due
to no use at all was widely accepted but transfer of those characters from
generation to generation was rejected.
(ix) Because it had been verified many times that modifications brought in us are
not transferred to next generation and thereby Lamarck’s theory was disproved.

*(b) Dawin’s theory of natural selection.

(i) Charles Darwin, an English biologist published the theory of natural selection,
which preaches the survival of the fittest.
(ii) According to him, all organisms reproduce prolifically.
(iii) These organisms compete with each other and only those organisms who
show modification, sustain long.
(iv) Natural selection also plays important role because nature selects only those
organisms which are fit to live and the rest perish.
(v) These sustained and selected organisms reproduce and give rise to new
species with own specific characteristics.
(vi) This theory was widely accepted for long duration, however it had some
objections to it.
(vii) Irrespective of all these objections, Darwin’s work on evolution has been a
milestone.

*(c) Embryology
(i) Embryology is the science which deals with the study of development of an
organism from an embryo.
(ii) Comparative study of embryonic developmental stages of various vertebrates
shows that all embryos have extreme similarities during initial stages and those
similarities decrease gradually. (iii) Similarities in initial stages indicate the
common origin for all these animals.
(3) Speciation
Ans. (i) Formation of new species of plants and animals through the effect of
evolution is called as speciation.
(ii) Species is the group of organisms that can produce fertile individuals through
natural reproduction.
(iii) Each species grow in specific geographical conditions. Their food, habitat,
reproductive ability and period is different.
(iv) Genetic variations are responsible for formation of new species from earlier
one.
(v) Besides, geographical and reproductive changes are also responsible.
(vi) Similarly, geographical or reproductive isolation also leads to speciation.

*(d) Evolution
(i) Evolution is a gradual change occurring in living organisms over a long
duration.
(ii) This is a very slow-going process through which development of organisms is
achieved.
(iii) All the stages in changes occurred in various components ranging from stars
and planets in space to the biosphere present on the earth should be included in
the study of evolution.
(iv) Formation of new species due to changes in specific characters of several
generations of living organisms as a response to natural selection is called as
evolution.
(v) Different theories about origin and evolution of life have been proposed till
today of which theory of gradual development of living organisms is accepted.
(vi) According to this theory, first living material (Protoplasm) has been formed
in the ocean. In due course of time, unicellular organism was formed.
(vii) Gradual changes took place in unicellular organisms from which larger and
more complex organisms were formed. Duration of all these changes is about
300 crore years.
(viii) Changes and development in living organisms has been all round and multi-
dimensional and this led to evolution of different types of organisms. Hence, this
overall process is called as evolution which is organizational.
(ix) Progressive development of plants and animals from the ancestors having
different structural and functional organization is called evolution.

* (e) Connecting link

(i) Some plants and animals show some morphological characters by which they
can be related to two different groups; hence, they are called connecting links.
(ii) Ex. In Peripatus, characters like segmented body, thin cuticle and parapodia
like organs are present. Similarly these animals show tracheal respiration and
open circulatory system similar to arthropods. This indicates that Peripatus is the
connecting link between annelida and arthropoda. (iii) Similarly, Duck Billed
Platypus lays eggs like reptiles but shows relationship with mammals too due to
presence of mammary glands and hair.
(iv) Lung fish performs respiration with lungs irrespective of being a fish.
(v) These examples indicate that mammals have evolved from reptiles and
amphibians from fishes.

*(5) Define heredity. Explain the mechanism of hereditary changes.

(i) Heredity is the transfer of biological characters from one generation to another
via genes.
(ii) Johann Gregor Mendel is the pioneer of modern genetics. Around the period
of 1886, it took a long time for him to understand the conclusions of his research
about heredity.
(iii) In 1901, the reasons behind sudden changes were understood due to the
mutational theory of Hugo de Vries.
(iv) Walter Sutton observed the paired chromosomes in the cells of grasshopper,
until then it was not known to anyone.
(v) Later, research proved that genes are carried via chromosomes.
(vi) Living organisms can produce new individuals like themselves due to genes
only and some of those genes are transmitted to the next generation without any
changes.
(vii) Due to this, some of the characters of parents are transmitted to their
offsprings.
(viii) However, sometimes sudden changes occur in those genes.
(ix) Sometimes any nucleotide of the gene changes its position and that causes a
minor change which is called as mutation.
(x) Some mutations may be minor but some may be considerable.
E.g. Mutation may cause the genetic disorder like sickle cell anaemia.

*(6) Define vestigial organs. Write names of some vestigial organs in human
body and write the names of those animals in whom same organs are
functional.
(i) Degenerated or underdeveloped useless organs of organisms are called as
vestigial organs. (ii) Appendix is a vestigial organ in humans, but is fully
functional in ruminants.
(iii) Muscles of ear pinna are vestigial in humans but are useful in monkey for
movement of ear pinna.

Q7. Answer in detail:

*(a) How are the hereditary changes responsible for evolution?
(i) Formation of new species due to changes in specific characters of several
generations of living organisms as a response to natural selection is called as
evolution.
(ii) At present, crores of species of plants and animals with huge diversity
regarding shape and complexity are present on the earth.
(iii) Animal diversity ranges from the unicellular amoeba and paramoecium to
man and giant whale.
(iv) The plant diversity consists of various species ranging from unicellular
chlorella to huge banyan tree.
(v) First primitive cell may have been formed from the mixture of different types
of organic and inorganic compounds.
(vi) There may have been some differences among these cells and according to
the principle of natural selection, some may have shown good growth and some
may have perished which could not adjust with surrounding.
(vii) Sustaining and selected organisms can perform reproduction and thereby,
give rise to the new species with their own specific characters.

*(7b) Explain the process of formation of complex proteins.

(i) Information about protein synthesis is stored in the DNA and synthesis of
appropriate proteins as per requirement is necessary for the body.
(ii) These proteins are synthesized by DNA through the RNA. This is called as
Central Dogma.
(iii) mRNA is produced as per the sequence of nucleotides on DNA. Only one of
the two strands of DNA are used in this process.
(iv) The sequence of nucleotides in mRNA being produced is always
complementary to the DNA strand used for synthesis. This process of RNA
synthesis is called transcription.
(v) The mRNA formed in the nucleus comes in cytoplasm. It brings in the coded
message from DNA.
(vi) The message contains the codes for amino acids. The code for each amino
acid consist of three nucleotides. It is called as triplet codons.
(vii) mRNA is made up of thousands of triplet codons.
(viii) As per the message on mRNA, amino acids are supplied by the tRNA.
(ix) For this purpose, tRNA has ‘anticodon’ having complementary sequence to
the codon on mRNA. This is called as ‘translation’.
(x) The amino acids brought in by tRNA are bonded together by peptide bonds
with the help of rRNA.
(xi) During this process, the ribosome keeps on moving from one end of the
mRNA to the other end by the distance of one triplet codon. This is called as
‘translocation’.
(xii) Many of such chains come together to form complex proteins.
*(7c) Explain the theory of evolution and mention the proof supporting it.
(i) According to the theory of evolution, first living material (protoplasm) has
been formed in ocean.
(ii) In due course of time, unicellular organism was formed.
(iii) Gradually, changes occurred in the unicellular organism from which larger
and more complex organisms were formed.
(iv) All those changes were slow and gradual. Duration of all these changes is
about 300 crore years.
(v) Changes and development in living organisms has been all round and multi-
dimensional and this led to evolution of different types of organisms.
(vi) Hence this overall process is called as evolution which is organizational.
(vii) Progressive development of plants and animals from the ancestors having
different structural and functional organization is called evolution.
(viii) To support the theory of evolution, various types of evidences are available.
(ix) Inspite of many adaptive differences in protoplasm and cell, the
manifestation of life processes like growth, reproduction, metabolism are
essentially same in all organisms.
(x) Morphological evidences support the theory. It is seen that all plants have
stem, root, leaf and are green in colour and those having green colour carry out
photosynthesis. Similarly, animals have appendages, eyes, nose, ears etc.
(xi) Anatomical evidences like the bone structure of a human arm, a bulls leg, a
bat’s wing and a whale fin have similar structures attributing that they have
developed from common ancestors.
(xii) Vestigial organs like tail bone or coccyx present in humans indicate the link
between humans who have lost a tail and monkeys who have a tail.
(xiii) At embryological level, similarities are observed during initial stage which
indicates common origin.
(xiv) Thus, there are a few evidences which support the fact that evolution is
sequential.

*(7d) Explain with suitable examples importance of anatomical evidences in

evolution.
(i) There doesn’t seem any superficial similarity between a human hand, a cat’s
foreleg, flipper of a whale and patagium of a bat.
(ii) Use of each of these structures is different in respective animals.
(iii) However, there is a similarity in structure of bones and bony joints in organs
of each of these animals.
(iv) This similarity indicates that these animals show anatomical evolution.
*(7e) Define fossil. Explain importance of fossils as proof of evolution.
(i) Remnants and impressions of organisms which get buried remain preserved
underground. These are called as fossils. Study of fossils is an important aspect
of study of evolution.
(ii) Carbon consumption of animals and plants stops after death and since then,
only the decaying process of C-14 occurs continuously.
(iii) In case of dead bodies of plants and animals, instead of remaining constant,
the ratio between C-14 and C-12 changes continuously as C-12 is non-
radioactive.
(iv) The time passed since the death of a plant or animal can be calculated by
measuring the radioactivity of C-14 and the ratio of C-14 to C-12 present in their
body.
(v) This is carbon dating method. It is used in determining the age of human
fossils and manuscripts.
(vi) Once the age of fossil has been determined, it becomes easy to deduce
information about other erstwhile organisms. It seem that vertebrates have been
slowly originated from invertebrates.

*(7f) Write the evolutionary history of modern man.

(i) Approximately seven crore years ago, monkey like animals are said to be
evolved from some ancestors who were more or less similar to the modern
lemurs.
(ii) Tail of these monkey like animals of Africa is said to have disappeared about
4 crore years ago. (iii) Evolution of some of the 2 crore years old species of apes
seems to have occurred in different ways. They had to use their hands more for
eating food and other work.
(iv) First human like animal recorded was ‘Ramapithecus’ ape from East Africa.
(v) This ape grew up in size and became more intelligent and evolved about 40
lakh years ago.
(vi) Skilled humans appeared to be the member of genus Homo.
(vii) About 15 lakh years ago, humans walking with erect posture evolved and
existed in China and Indonesia of Asian continent.
(viii) Evolution of upright man continued in the direction of developing its brain
for the period of about 1 lakh years.
(ix) Brain of 50 thousand year old man had been sufficiently evolved to the
extent that it could be considered as member of the class-wise-man (Homo
sapiens).
(x) Neanderthal man can be considered as the example of wise-man.
(xi) The Cro-Magnon man evolved about 50 thousand years ago and afterwards,
this evolution had been faster than the earlier.