Evidence for evolution
This Scientist studied finches in the Galapagos islands and helped develop the theory of natural selection.
Who is Charles Darwin?
Random changes in DNA that introduce new traits into a population
What are mutations?
Organisms compete for limited resources like food and space
What is competition?
This mode of selection favors individuals at one extreme of a trait
What is directional selection?
This concept says a species is a group that can mate and have fertile babies
What is the Biological species concept?
These preserved remains or traces of organisms provide direct evidence of past life
What are fossils?
When organisms choose mates based on traits like color or behavior
What is sexual selection?
More offspring are produced than can survive in an environment
What is overproduction?
This mode of selection favors the average trait and reduces variation
What is stabilizing selection?
This concept groups species based on how they look
What is the Morphological Species Concept?
The Presence of similar embryos in early stages of development suggests this type of evolutionary evidence
What is embryological evidence?
This occurs when individuals move into or out of a population, bringing new alleles
Traits that improve survival and reproduction are passed down through this process
What is inheritance?
This mode of selection favors both extreme of a trait over the average
What is disruptive selection?
This concept uses DNA and evolution to classify species
What is the Phylogenetic Species Concept?
This process explains how populations become better suited to their environment over generations
What is natural selection?
A random change in allele frequencies, especially in small populations
What is genetic drift?
This term refers to how well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment
What is fitness?
Stabilizing selection is common in stable environments because it eliminates these, which are less suited to the environment
What are extreme phenotypes?
When species live in different places and don't meet to reproduce, this type of isolation occurs
What is Geographic Isolation?
These structures serve no current purpose but hint at evolutionary history, like pelvic bones in whales
What are vestigial structures?
This type of selection favors individuals at both extremes of a trait
What is disruptive selection?
Natural selection does not create new traits but instead acts on this
What is existing variation?
Bell
When animals have different mating behavios and don't reproduce together, this is called..
What is Behavioral Isolation?