1. Mutation, Variation & Adaptation
By Dr π Rat

2. A change in the base sequence in DNA
Mutations
A change in the base sequence in DNA
Can occur randomly (naturally)
Or can be deliberately caused in the laboratory by scientists or by mutagens in the environment
Inherited if occur in the gametes
Not always harmful

3. Mutation during Mitosis
Only affects new body cells.
The mutation cannot be passed on to the affected individual’s offspring.
Examples: Individual with two differently coloured eyes
Skin cancer as a consequence of UV damage

4. Mutation during Meiosis
Mutation occurs during the formation of gametes (eggs, sperm, pollen).
The zygote will be mutated if a mutated gamete is creating it.
Every subsequent cell of the new organism will be mutated (mitosis).
The mutation will be passed on to the next generation (inheritable mutation).

5. Natural Mutations: ALBINOS
Little or no pigmentation in the eyes, skin, and hair (or in some cases in the eyes alone).
Inherited an altered copy of a gene that does not work correctly.
The altered gene does not allow the body to make the usual amounts of a pigment called "melanin".
True albinos have pink eyes and skin.

6. Albinos

7. These are not albinos; they have pigmented eyes.

8. White Bengal Tiger

11. Variations
Either/or or discrete variation – you either have it or you don’t; usually produced by a single gene with a dominant or recessive allele (expressed as a % of the population). E.g. tongue rolling
Continuous variation - (expressed as a bell shaped curve) E.g. hand span, size, shoe size, colouring
Non-inheritable variations

12. Non-inheritable Variation
Variation resulting from the organism’s lifestyle or environment are called non-inheritable.
Example: Neptune’s Necklace seaweed in high wave action areas  small beads in calmer water  bigger beads

13. Variation of Phenotype triggered by temperature – Non-inheritable Variation
Tuatara eggs are turning out as follows: cold temperature  females warm temperature  males

14. Variation of Phenotype triggered by pH – Non-inheritable Variation
Hydrangeas change their colour with the pH of the soil:
Alkaline soil makes them go red
Neutral and acidic soil makes them go blue

15. Variation of Phenotype triggered by Light – Non-inheritable Variation
Leaf size of trees changing with the light intensity (and wind exposure)

16. Variation of Phenotype triggered by Wind – Non-inheritable Variation

17. Variation of Phenotype triggered by Wind – Non-inheritable Variation

18. Phenotype Genotype + Environment  Phenotype
Phenotype = how the organism looks
is dependent on the genotype plus
non-inheritable (environmental) effects.

19. Mutation is the Mother of Evolution
Mutation is the source of all variation
Variation gives an opportunity for adaptation: If the varied new organism has an advantage relative to its non-mutated siblings, it will be more successful to survive and it will adapt better to its environment.
E.g. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria Pesticide resistant bugs

20. Adaptations
Organisms need to have special features which help them to survive in their habitat.
These special features are called ADAPTATIONS.
For example: You have plenty of adaptations to survive in your habitat.
Your fingers are an excellent adaptation.
Without their ability to grip you would not be able to do all of that schoolwork!
Can you think of other adaptations that you have?

21. Types of Adaptations
Anything that helps an organism survive better in its environment is an adaptation. 
There are three basic types of adaptations
Structural adaptations (how something is built)
Behavioural adaptations (what an organism does)
Physiological adaptations (what happens inside an organism, its bio-chemistry)

22. Structural Adaptations
are design features in the organism (plant or animal) that help it to survive better in its habitat.
Examples
A bird has wings to fly
An elephant has a trunk to grab food
A Kiwi has a long beak to probe for worms
Alpine plants grow close to the ground
You have two feet for upright walking
Worms are long and thin

23. Behavioural Adaptations
are learned actions or “innate” actions (a behaviour an animal is born with) or movements that make an organism survive better.
Examples
A chicken scratches the ground to find worms for food
A stick insect stops moving when it sees a predator bird
A hedgehog rolls itself into a ball when attacked by a dog
A plant turns its leaves towards the sun
Small fish swim as a school

24. Physiological adaptations
Are biochemical features of an organism that help it to survive better in its habitat.
Examples
You are warm-blooded so that you can move faster in spite of very cold temperatures.
Tropical fish require temperatures of 25°C or higher in order to have their digestive enzymes work (they starve to death in cold water despite having plenty of food)
Dogs can digest meat but not cellulose (cell walls of plants)
Sheep can digest cellulose but not meat

25. What type of Adaptations are the following?
Mimicry
Hibernation

26. What type of Adaptations are the following?
Migration
Camouflage

27. Table of Adaptations: Name of organism Feature Type of adaptation
Function
Reason
Rabbit
big ears
structural
better hearing
to escape predators
behavioural
physiological

28. List Adaptations for the following
totara
Totara tree

29. List Adaptations for the following
piwakawaka
Fantail

30. List Adaptations for the following
aihe Hector’s Dolphin

31. List Adaptations for the following
kōtare
NZ Kingfisher

32. List Adaptations for the following
katipo
Katipo Spider

33. Human Intervention

34. Selective Breeding
The selection of certain seeds or animals for reproduction in order to influence the traits inherited by the next generation.

35. Selective Breeding in Farming
We select desirable traits in plants and animals we work with.
We do not breed from weak or undesirable organisms.
Over decades of “selective breeding” the genetics of our “domesticated” animals and plants has changed from “wild” organisms.
The feral traits have been bred out of the stock or cultured plants.

36. SELECTIVE BREEDING
The Liger is the result of breeding a female Tiger to a male Lion.
The liger has both stripes and spots. The stripes are inherited from its tiger parent and the spots from the lion parent.
On their hind legs, ligers stand approximately 12 feet tall. At most, ligers may weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

37. The Cama is the result of breeding a Llama to a Camel
The Cama is the result of breeding a Llama to a Camel. Parents in background of picture.

38. The Zebroid is the result of breeding a female Horse and a male Zebra.
The Zedonk / Zonkey is the result of breeding a female Donkey and male Zebra.

39. The Mule is the result of breeding a female horse (mare) to a male donkey (jack). The mule is superior to the horse in strength, endurance, intelligence and disease resistance.

40. The selective, deliberate change of genes (genetic material) by man.
Genetic Engineering
The selective, deliberate change of genes (genetic material) by man.
The technique of removing, modifying or adding genes to a DNA molecule in order to change the information it contains.

41.                                                             
                                                      
French genetic researchers created Alba for artist Eduardo Kac. Thanks to genes borrowed from a jellyfish, the albino rabbit glows green when placed under special lighting. In regular light, Alba appears like any other furry white rabbit. But place her under a black light, and her eyes, whiskers and fur glow a otherworldly green.

42.                                                              
                                                                                        
"Glow in the dark" fish. these genetically modified fish were developed by a Taiwanese aquatic firm, Taikong Group. They are planning to reproduce these fish in numbers and sell them for pets.

43.                                          
                                                                                         
Scientists in the agriculture department of the Hebrew University in Rehovot have genetically engineered a chicken that has no feathers.