BIO1022 Week 2
Evolving Life: Fossils and Human Evolution (Where Did We Come From?)
Note: This document outlines the major concepts for the week and is intended as a basis
for structuring your study. The questions listed following this page are only intended to
guide your understanding of the week’s content and not as example/practice questions.
Answers will not be provided.
Learning Outcomes for this week:
1. Explain how fossils give evidence of past life and how phylogeny and fossils give
independent and corroborating evidence of evolution.
Outline the major advantages fossils provide in constructing evolutionary
histories not provided by molecular analysis
Describe how fossils can be dated to construct more accurate
evolutionary timelines
Describe the effect of mass extinctions on animal diversity over the last
500 million years.
2. Explain the three main lines of evidence (anatomic, genetic and fossil) that
humans are related to great apes and how we know that the human lineage
originated in Africa
Outline the relatedness between humans and great apes using anatomy,
genetics and fossils.
Suggest why it is most likely the human linage expanded out of the
African continent.
3. Describe the distinct features of the human lineage
Describe major trends in hominin evolution, from genera Ardipithecus
(incl. Ardi), Australopithecus (incl. Lucy) to the genus Homo (incl. humans)
Recognise that hominin fossil records provide evidence for building the
human family tree but can be subjected to revision as new fossils are
discovered and new interpretations are developed.
4. Explain how the genetic differences among humans shows the recent
colonisation of the globe
Contrast the multiregional hypothesis and the out-of-Africa hypothesis
and which is best supported by scientific evidence
Identify some of the ecological and environmental factors that help
explain the small degree of genetic difference between groups of Modern
humans.
5. Describe the potentially unique characteristics of humans such as culture,
language and consciousness.
Suggested Skeleton Notes:
Note: The following will help indicate the specific concepts, key terms and useful diagrams to
construct for this week’s learning outcomes. You can use the weekly material, including the
workshop, to make your notes on the following topics.
LO1. Explain how fossils give evidence of past life and how phylogeny and fossils give
independent and corroborating evidence of evolution
Additional key terms: Carbon 14, Half-life
Please note, you do not need to remember the specific names of the geologic time periods or
locations of fossils. The focus should be on the information gained from fossils and how we
decipher this information.
List main advantages fossils provide in calibrating and supporting phylogenetic
analysis and explain why:
Describe how the following two techniques can be used in combination with fossils
to construct evolutionary timelines:
Sedimentary rock layers:
Radiometric dating:
List the timing of key events in the evolutionary timeline of the earth, particularly
those that pertain to the evolution of humans.
What effect do mass extinction events have on the evolution of the surviving species,
as evidenced by the fossil record?
LO2. Explain three main lines of evidence (anatomic, genetic and fossil) that humans are
related to great apes and how we know that the human lineage originated in Africa
What anatomical features help place humans as a species of (a) primate, and (b)
ape?
Which species of extant great ape are humans most related to, and what evidence
indicates this?
o Species:
o Genetic Evidence:
o Fossil Evidence:
Give at least two reasons why it is logical that the human linage originated in Africa:
LO3. Describe the distinct features of the human lineage.
Additional key terms: bipedalism, cranium, foramen magnum, FOXP2, mandible, sagittal
crest
What are the major trends seen (either increasing or decreasing structures/abilities)
are seen as the hominin lineage evolves? (your workshop will also explore this)
Include at least the following species in your breakdown:
o Pan troglodytes (Chimpanzee)
o Ardipithecus ramidus (Ardi)
o Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy)
o Paranthropus boisei (Nutcracker Man)
o Homo erectus (e.g. Peking Man)
o Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal)
o Homo sapiens (Human)
Give an example of how novel discoveries can rapidly change our understanding of
the evolution of humans.
List some of the key features that distinguish humans from the other great apes.
LO4. Explain how the genetic differences among humans shows the recent colonisation of
the globe
Describe the:
o Multiregional hypothesis:
o Out-of-Africa hypothesis:
What makes mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA ideal for determining the
history of human global migration? (Please note, you do not have to know exactly
how to use restriction digest to determine this as per the textbook, but it follows the
principles of genetic similarity/ synapomorphies explored previously)
Which of the two previous hypotheses are best supported by genetic analysis?
Explain.
Which lineages of humans appear to have interbreed with Neanderthals during their
migration around the globe?
Briefly outline examples of how natural selection may have led to the differences in
physical appearance of populations around the world.
LO5. Describe the potentially unique characteristics of humans such as culture, language
and consciousness
Fill in the following table for the traits that may be considered ‘uniquely human’
Characteristic Culture Language Consciousness
Examples from
humans
How does our
physiology impact
this characteristic
Provide examples
from other animals
that indicate this
characteristic may
not be uniquely
human