Tracing Evolutionary History

Macroevolution

Dating Prehistoric Material

• Radioactive Isotopes

• Carbon 14

• Potassium 40

Continental Drift

San Andreas Fault

Extinction events

Potential Causes

• Bottom line is we’re not totally sure.

• What evidence do we have?

• Many theories– Meteor– Continental drift– Increased volcanic activity

Key Adaptations

• Extinctions followed by explosive increase in diversity among remaining species

• What allowed certain species to survive?– Key adaptations

• Cretaceous adaptations

Paedomorphosis

Taxonomy

• Classification & naming of life

• Carolus Linnaeus– Binomial nomenclature– Name includes Genus & species levels of

organization

Systematic Classification

Phylogenitics