From: Making evolution stick: using sticky notes to teach the mechanisms of evolutionary change
A. Central concepts | 1. Evolution does not occur in individuals, only in populations | |
2. Evolution is change in a population’s allele frequency | ||
3. Natural selection and genetic drift require genetic variation, which arises from mutation and gene flow | ||
4. Evolution can occur through random chance | ||
5. Simple demonstrations can make abstract processes easier to understand | ||
B. Common misconceptions | 1. All traits of organisms are adaptations | Anderson et al. (2002) |
2. All members of a population develop new traits at the same time | ||
3. “Fitness” refers to the strength, size, or speed of an individual | Padian (2013) | |
4.* Evolutionary mechanisms serve a purpose or strive for perfection. Natural selection involves individuals trying to adapt. Natural selection gives organisms what they need | Bishop and Anderson (1990), Anderson et al. (2002) and Nehm et al. (2010) | |
5.* Individuals can evolve. “Adaptation” means adjustment within an individual’s lifetime | Bishop and Anderson (1990) | |
6. All mutations are harmful | Anderson et al. (2002) | |
7.* Natural selection and evolution are the same thing | ||
8.* Genetic drift only occurs in small populations | Price et al. (2014) | |
9.* Evolution is slow and gradual | Price et al. (2014) |