Darwins theory of evolution
This is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.
What is natural selection?
The study of this reveals the development of organisms from embryos to adults, showing shared traits in early stages.
What is embryology?
This type of genetic drift occurs when a small population becomes isolated from a larger one.
What is the founder effect?
This type of evolution occurs when two unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.
What is convergent evolution?
This biologist, known for his work on evolutionary synthesis, helped integrate Darwin's theory of evolution with modern genetics.
Who is Theodosius Dobzhansky?
Darwin made his famous observations about evolution during his trip to this archipelago in the Pacific.
What are the Galápagos Islands?
This type of evidence involves comparing the DNA sequences of different species to determine evolutionary relationships.
What is molecular biology?
When a population experiences a dramatic reduction in size due to an event, leading to a loss of genetic variation, it's known as this.
What is the bottleneck effect?
This is the type of evolution that occurs when two species evolve in response to each other, like predators and prey.
What is coevolution?
This British scientist is known for developing the modern concept of genetics and evolutionary theory with his work on pea plants.
Who is Gregor Mendel?
This scientist, who independently proposed the theory of natural selection, is known for his work in biogeography.
Who is Alfred Russel Wallace?
Fossils found in these rock layers show that life has evolved over millions of years.
What are sedimentary rocks?
This is the process by which mutations, natural selection, and genetic drift lead to the gradual changes in a population.
What is microevolution?
This type of evolution occurs when a species becomes more specialized for a particular ecological niche.
What is adaptive radiation?
This biologist coined the term "punctuated equilibrium" and proposed that evolution occurs in bursts rather than gradually.
Who is Stephen Jay Gould?
The name of the ship Darwin traveled on during his voyage around the world.
What is the HMS Beagle?
These structures, like the human appendix or whale pelvic bones, are vestiges of evolutionary ancestors.
What are vestigial structures?
The formation of new species as a result of genetic divergence is known as this.
What is speciation?
This type of evolution refers to the changes that occur in a single species over time, not involving the formation of new species.
What is anagenesis?
This biologist is known for his work on the theory of kin selection, explaining how natural selection operates at the level of genes and family.
Who is W.D. Hamilton?
Darwin’s famous book, published in 1859, that laid out his ideas on evolution.
What is On the Origin of Species?
The similarity in the bone structure of vertebrate limbs, such as the human arm and bat wing, is an example of this.
What is homologous structures?
When individuals with extreme traits at both ends of a spectrum have higher fitness, this form of selection is called this.
What is disruptive selection?
The gradual evolution of a species in response to changing environmental factors, such as climate, is referred to as this.
What is gradualism?
This scientist was instrumental in developing the modern theory of evolution by studying populations and genetic variation.
Who is Richard Dawkins?