Evolution 101
A change in species over time
What is Evolution
A change in an organism that increases its survival
What is Adaptation
Deoxyribonucleic acid, passed from parent to offspring; genes
Occurs when a segment of population becomes separated from the main population
What is Geographic isolation
Species have long periods of stability, lasting 4-5 million years and then suddenly change as a result of some geological or environmental change
Punctuated equilibrium
A group of organisms that share similar characteristics and that interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What is Species
Provide some of the best evolutionary evidence (Can monitor changes from the past)
What are Fossils
When did Darwin (HMS Beagle) set on a 5 year sail and when did he visit the Galapagos islands
What is 1831 and 1835
What is a place that is geographically isolated and what animal is popular there
What is Australia and what are marsupials
Unit of heredity, passed from parent to offspring
What is Gene
Structures that evolve from the same ancestral body parts
What are Homologous structures
The survival and reproduction of organisms that are best suited to survive in their environment
“Survival of the fittest”
What is Natural selection
Over 150 cichlids
As lake level rose species of cichlid could breed with isolated species in segregated parts of the lake
What is Lake Tanganyika
One of the driving forces behind evolution
What is Mutations
Physical structures that were fully developed in ancestral organism but are reduced and unused in the later species
What are Vestigial structures
Production of more gametes and/or organisms that can possibly survive and what is an animal that does this
What is Overproduction and what are Salmon
The idea that one species through evolution can “give rise to” several different species
Adaptive Radiation
Idea that evolutionary change is slow, gradual and continuous
What is the Concept of gradualism
Based on similar embryonic development of different species
What is Embryological evidence
Forming of one or more new species from a species already in existence
What is Speciation
What are traits of Adaptive Radiation
all share common ancestors, have similar characteristics, physiological, morphological , genetic