Question about evolution...see details!!?

Question

Two same populations of elephants are separated on a continent and have been for 10,000 generations. How would they be different?

Answer 1

Separation on different parts of a continent is called geographic isolation. In the time the populations have been separated, each population has accumulated differences that help them survive in their particular environment. Since the populations have been separated, they have not shared these differences with each other through interbreeding. So they will have drifted apart genetically. In fact, this is called genetic drift.

They might have different ear size according to how hot the climate is in their location since their ears help dissipate heat. They may have differently shaped teeth to deal with different foods. They may have different vocalizations or mating behaviors. All kinds of traits could have changed.

Answer 2

A prerequisite for natural selection to result in adaptive evolution, novel traits and speciation, is the presence of heritable genetic variation that results in fitness differences. Genetic variation is the result of mutations, recombinations and alterations in the karyotype (the number, shape, size and internal arrangement of the chromosomes).

By the definition of fitness, individuals with greater fitness are more likely to contribute offspring to the next generation, while individuals with lesser fitness are more likely to die early or fail to reproduce. As a result, alleles which on average result in greater fitness become more abundant in the next generation, while alleles which generally reduce fitness become rarer. If the selection forces remain the same for many generations, beneficial alleles become more and more abundant, until they dominate the population, while alleles with a lesser fitness disappear. In every generation, new mutations and recombinations arise spontaneously, producing a new spectrum of phenotypes. Therefore, each new generation will be enriched by the increasing abundance of alleles that contribute to those traits that were favored by selection, enhancing these traits over successive generations

so, by the natural selection, the gene pool of the elephants are separated. (if u really rely on darwin's theory), speciation may occur becouse the large generation time. the elephants may shows different phenotype becouse of natural selection eliminates some character. and this may differ between 2 geological separated area.so, there may 2 species of elephant occur (hahaha).


ps: i do not believe in Darwin!!

Answer 3

Depends on the enviornment. Like Darwin and his finches at the Galapago's Islands. They start out at one location. Then seperate somehow. Then they adapt to their new environment. Then after a few generations are inable to mate with elephants from the species they were once of.

Answer 4

1. type of evironment forces the animal to adpat through changing thier physical features to adapt to thier environment.
ie. elephants in cold place grow fur, where as elephants in warm place grow less hair

2. predators - how can they defend themselves. do they need to grow larger tusks?

3. food - can the reach food or change thier ability to gather food? etc.

Answer 5

Without knowing the mutational rate and selection pressures; the question can not be answered. It could only be conjectured.

Answer 6

Easily. They could have went through divergent evolution, to better adapt to their environment.

Answer 7

That kind of depends on their environment, doesn't it?