Evolution of

Landforms and

Organisms

Extinct: The process through which a species disappears completely from Earth.

Not one more of that species is alive.

What might cause an organism to become extinct?

An increase or decrease in temperatureAn increase or decrease in rainfall

An earthquakeA volcanic eruptionFlooding or droughtShifting land or sea

A change in food supplyA new predator or disease

“Natural Causes”

Extinction, can be a natural part ofthe changes that take place on theEarth. We call the changes that take place over time

Normally species survive for 2 to 10 million years

“Evolution”Evolution is the process of change over time.

How do we know, that some organisms that have existed before on the Earth have become extinct?

Fossils

Can you name an organism that has lived before on the

Earth and is now extinct?

Dinosaurs

Mass ExtinctionThis occurs when large numbers of species die out in a fairly short period of time. They have occurred many times - 50 % of all life dies one mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago - DINOSAURS

Human or Natural Causes ?Quagga-last one 1870’s

Natural Causes can be related to Climate Change

• Species that exist only in a small area could be easily wiped out by a local natural disaster, such as a flood or a volcanic eruption

• Species that eat only one type of food could disappear quickly if their food source suddenly disappeared

Ice Age - example of climate change1/3 of Earth was covered with ice11 different ice ages – last one 25,000 years agoWoolly MammothWooly RhinosCave bears

Catastrophic Event A large number of living

organisms die

Human Threats to ExtinctionHabitat DestructionInvadersPollutionOvergrazing, overlogging, forest burningOver harvestingClimate changePoaching, overhunting, overfishing

“Global Impact”

Scientists estimate 99.9% of all species that

have ever lived on Earth have become extinct. Passenger

pigeon

Passenger Pigeon

Dodo Bird

Tasmanian Wolf

Scientists estimate 99.9% of all species that have ever lived on Earth have become extinct.

What caused the dinosaurs to become extinct?

Asteroid Theory

An asteroid is a large piece of rock hurling through space

Climate Change occurred when it hit

Material thrown into atmosphere and blocked out the sun – Earth cooled!

Photosynthesis stopped! Plants died - Animals died

Evidence of this asteroid theory is found in the K/T layer of rock. This rock contains an abundance of the element “iridium”

Gradual TheorySome scientists believe that the movement

of tectonic plates and increase in volcanic activity on Earth caused global climate change.

As volcanoes erupted, thick clouds of dust and soot entered the atmosphere,Blocked out sunCooled EarthPlants diedAnimals died

Why are we concerned when an organism becomes extinct?

Evolution Biological Geologica

l Technological

Charles Darwin

Alfred Wegener

Societal and Business Needs

Finches – birds Galapagos Islands

Continental Drift Plate Tectonics

ComputersPhotocopiers

Natural Selection

Asthenosphere

Internet

Adaptation Boundaries Business -efficient

Biological EvolutionCharles Darwin proposed that over time new species developed from old species. He proposed the

“Theory of Natural Selection?

Finches

Natural Selection

Darwin observed that

the shapes of the beaks

varied according to the

type of food the finches

ate.

This theory explains how populations evolve(change) into newspecies over TIME

Natural Selection

“Survival of the Fittest”

Natural selection refers to reproduction as a function of traits that have a genetic basis

Preservation of a species is the natural struggle for life."[1]

A natural part of evolutionOnly the fittest organisms will prevail – not the weak, injured, sick

Adaptations A trait that improves an organism’s chance for survival and reproduction

Memory TrickA B C D E FAdaptation

BiologIcal

Finches

Evolotion

Darwin

Charles

Geological EvolutionAlfred Wegener

A German scientist who observed that the continents appeared to fit together .

He proposed that all the continents had once been a single landmass called Pangaea.

He suggested they gradually split apart and continents moved to their present positions.

Continental Drift

Geological Evolution Continental Drift

Distribution of Living Things

Mesosaurus: lizard, reptile

South America

Africa

ContinentsWere OnceConnected

Continental Drift-vs-

Plate TectonicsThe theory of Continental Drift couldnot explain how the continents move.

So, the Theory of Plate Tectonics was proposed and it showed that the continents were part of larger plates that appeared to move and change over time

Geological Evolution Plate TectonicsPhysical Evidence

The Theory of Plate Tectonics states that Earth’s lithosphere, or land, is broken into large sections called tectonic plates that move and change over time.

Plate Tectonics explains how the continents

float on a dense, molten material known as asthenosphere. The rock of the asthenosphere is partially melted, which allows it to flow slowly.

Lithosphere – land part of the Earth

Asthenosphere

Interior of the Earth

Astheonosphere

The continents floated on a dense,

molten material called the Asthenosphere

(demonstration)

Fault - A crack in the Earth’s crust where

movement has occurred.

Volcanoes Earthquakes

Lava - molten (melted) material that flows out of a volcano onto the surface of the Earth

Magma – molten material below the surface of the Earth

Earthquakes occur along faults in the Earth

Convergent

Divergent Transform

Plate Boundaries

Convergent BoundaryOceanic and Continental Plate

Volcanoes are formed

Divergent Boundaries

Sea-Floor Spreading

Technological EvolutionSociety Needs

TechnologyBusiness Needs

Computers Personal Computers

Communication DevicesAutomotive Industry

Communication Devices – Fax

Internet Internet

Medical FieldPhotography

Military Technology

GPS – Satellites

EntertainmentVideo MoviesVideo Games

Technology has made businesses more

efficient

Question 1What is the relationship betweengeological and biological evolutionary theories? a. they both explain historyb. they both provide evidence of change on Earthc. they both do not agree on evolutiond. they both do not give specific instances of

changes

Answer: b- provide evidence of change

Question 2• A scientist finds fossils from the same

organism in both India and Africa. What is a possible explanation for this occurrence?

a.Adaptationb.Continental driftc. Climate changed.Plate tectonics

Answer: b - Continental Drift

Question 3What forces can cause technologicalevolution?

a.Societal forcesb.Natural forcesc. Physical forcesd.Geological forces

Answer: a - Societal forces

Question 4What kind of plate boundaries occurs when the plates are pulling apart?

a.Convergentb.Transformc.Faultd.Divergent

Answer: d - divergent

Question 5What kind of geological feature is formedwhen an oceanic plate converges with acontinental plate?

a. Chains of volcanic mountainsb.Chains of undersea volcanoesc. High continental mountainsd.Flat plains

Answer: a- chains of volcanic mountains

Question 6Which theory explains the way populationscan change over time?a.Adaptationb.Natural Selectionc. Geneticsd.Continental Drift

Answer: a - Natural Selection

Question 7What is the main cause of the naturalextinction of species?

a.Plate tectonicsb.Diseases and predatorsc. Environmental changed.Habitat destruction

Answer: c - Environmental change

The End