The Theory
Charles Darwin
Mechanisms of Evolution
Vocab
Wild Card
100
Something that can be inherited through genetic characteristics... means that everyone is different!
What is variation?
100
Where did Charles Darwin sail to?
What is the Galapagos Islands?
100
In natural selection, this is the agent that "selects" for or against traits of an organism.
What is the environment?
100
the vocab word that means change through time. The theory that existing life forms have evolved from earler forms over long periods of time.
What is evolution?
100
What do we call any trace or remains of a once-living organism that has been preserved by natural processes in rock and how is it used to support the theory of evolution?
What is a fossil and by observing that over time fossils ancient species begin to look like fossils of more recent species.
200
Organisms often have more ____________ than will survive.
What is offspring?
200
What did Darwin notice when examining species on the islands?
He observed differences among the same species on multiple islands.
200
Any kind of inherited trait that improves an organism's chances of survival and reproduction in a given environment.
What is an adaptation?
200
animals that have certain beneficial traits will survive better over time- survival of the best adapted- nature determines who will "win"
What is natural selection
200
Type of diagram that shows the relationship of organisms to their ancestors as well as common ancestry.
What is a phylogenetic/evolutionary tree?
300
When organisms try to get their fair share of a limited amount of resources.
What is competition?
300
What was the name of the boat that Darwin sailed in?
What is The Beagle
300
Slang term that descibes how organisms that posess the best traits or adaptations for a particutlar environment are the ones that will successfully pass down their traits to their offspring.
What is "Survival of the Fittest?"
300
An explanation of events in the natural world based on observations. Unlike a scientific law, this can be falsified or changed.
what is a Scientific Theory?
300
What are organisms classified by?
They are classified based on evolutionary descent and NOT shared characteristics.
400
The process whereby organisms that have advantages survive and pass their genes onto their offspring.
What is natural selection?
400
What animals did Charles Darwin observe that helped lead him to his theory of evolution- and what did he notice about these animals?
What is either finches beaks or tortoise shells
400
The frequency of beneficial alleles in a population will _______________ over time as successful individuals _____________ and _____________.
Increase, survive, reproduce
400
A group of genetically similar organisms that can mate and produce fertile offspring.
What is a species?
400
The random appearance of a new trait in an organism.
What is a mutation?
500
True or false: New traits appear because of the needs of the individual organism.
False! New traits appear due to genetic drift and random mutations.
500
State one reason why Darwin needed evidence to support his theory?
1: Theories must be supported by evidence and proof.
2: At the time, his theory was in direct opposition to cultural and religious teachings.
3: The concept of a common ancestor among all life on Earth was new and difficult to believe.
500
How does competition impact evolution and natural selection?
Organisms with shared needs will compete for resources and those with better traits will win and survive to pass on the trait.
500
True or false: Organisms that share a genus are more closely related than organisms that share the same phylum.
True
500
Other than the fossil record, state two other pieces of evidence for evolution.
Homologous structures, Molecular or DNA evidence, Ancient remains.
600
Explain the concept of a common ancestor?
A common ancestor is a species that other species split off from. They share many characteristics.
600
What is the name of the book Darwin published after his famous trip?
The Origin of Species
600
What are these structures called and what are they used for?
Homologous structures, they are used to show common ancestry.
600
What is geographic isolation?
These are ecosystems which have not and never been connected to any other land mass.
600
Define the term biodiversity and how it affects the stability of a species and ecosystem.
Biodiversity is all the variations of life. It gives stability to the species and the ecosystem.
1000
What is meant by "fitness" in natural selection?
The organisms with traits that help them to survive better are more suited to the environment.
1000
Describe why the image below is incorrect.
Evolution is not linear, but branched like a tree, otherwise chimpanzees would not still be around. That is why we use phylogenetic trees.
1000
Mutations can only be passed down if they are in what type of cells?
What is Gametes?
1000
The study of how organisms develop during gestation is known as _________. It allows us to compare patterns of ________________ to support the idea of a shared ____________ ________________ .
Embryology, development, common ancestor
1000
State one other theory that opposed natural selection?
Creationism (religion), spontaneous generation and Lamarckian