Question

WRITE ABOUT A THEME: Organization You have seen many examples of how form fits function at all levels of the biological hierarchy. However, we can imagine forms that would function better than some forms actually found in nature. For example, if the wings of a bird were not formed from its forelimbs, such a hypothetical bird could fly yet also hold objects with its forelimbs. In a short essay (100–150 words), use the concept of “evolution as tinkering” to explain why there are limits to the functionality of forms in nature.

Short answer

Evolutionary innovation occurs through tinkering, which means the evolution of new forms from pre-existing ones. The constraints allow variation at the species level, hence enhancing biodiversity.

As the evolutionary events are random and limited by several biological and environmental conditions, one can say that evolution is tinkering.

Step-by-step solution

Evolution

Living organisms tend to have varying levels of changes in their morphology, physiology, and behavior over several generations; this is called evolution. Evolution provides better survival chances to the population, which facilitates their sustainability over a prolonged period. Evolution occurs with the incorporated efforts of gene flow, mutation, and natural selection.

Limits to evolution

Evolution has its limits. It is majorly limited by the absolute need for evolutionary changes. If a population fails to adapt to the necessary evolutionary changes, the population is less favored and eventually becomes less reproductive.

Evolutionary changes and tinkering

Evolution is a process that allows changes in living organisms over an extensive period. But evolution is limited and cannot provide unlimited changes.Several fossils have shown a prolonged duration of morphological stasis, while some show significantly slow evolutionary advancements.

Experts speculate that every species experiences an evolutionary dead-end at a certain point where the species cannot evolve further and experience ecological constrain.

The evolutionary changes are marked by new traits that are formed by the combination of older pre-existing ones. The traits are not created rather formed by recombination of alleles for existing characters. Hence, the evolution is called a tinkering process.