Evidence of Evolution
Change in a species over time
What is evolution?
Similar structures found in organisms, with different functions, indicating a common ancestor.
What are homologous structures?
The father of evolution
Who is Charles Darwin?
Type of evolution whereby new species evolve or branch out from a common ancestral species
What is divergent evolution?
All of the alleles of all of the members of a population
What is a gene pool?
Evidence of evolution based on the similarities of structures and their functions among organisms
What is comparative anatomy?
Remnant of a structure that seemingly has no purpose and was probably inherited from an ancestor
What is a vestigial structure?
The changes in DNA that drive evolution
What are mutations?
Name for the theory proposed by Darwin that suggests that evolution by natural selection occurs gradually over long periods of time
What is gradualism?
Factor that causes genetic drift as a result of some chance event that causes a drastic reduction in the size of a population
What is the Bottleneck Effect?
This type of dating method uses the position of rock layers to determine the age of the fossils. Newer rock layers are on top of older rock layers.
What is relative dating?
Structures that are used for the same purpose in different species, but are NOT evidence of evolution from a common ancestor
What are analogous structures?
The mainland that Darwin believed the finches on the Galapagos Islands migrated from
What is South America?
When allele frequencies remain constant, a population is said to be in genetic equilibrium. This principle applies to non-evolving populations.
What is the Hardy-Weinberg Principle?
Mode of natural selection that favors the extreme phenotypes over intermediate phenotypes of a phenotypic range
What is disruptive (diversifying) selection?
Evidence of evolution based on similarities among organisms in early stages of development
What is embryology?
Scientists have found similarities in the protein of turtles and sharks. This is an example of this type of evidence for evolution.
What is biochemical evidence?
Another term for natural selection
What is survival of the fittest?
Theory that suggests that there can be rapid leaps in evolution
What is punctuated equilibrium?
The three modes of natural selection
What are directional selection, disruptive (diversifying selection), and stabilizing selection?
5 sources of evidence for evolution
What are fossils, embryology, comparative anatomy, geographical distribution, and biochemical(DNA) evidence?
The type of evidence for evolution whereby island species most closely resemble species found on the nearest mainland
What is geographical distribution?
The mechanism of evolution that Darwin developed that includes the idea that those individuals in a population with an advantageous trait/adaptation will survive and pass those genes on to the next generation.
What is natural selection?
The name for the currently accepted theory of evolution which suggests that evolution may occur both gradually over long periods of time and in rapid leaps
What is Modern Synthesis?