History of life 1
This scientist developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Who is Charles Darwin?
This process explains how organisms with helpful traits survive and reproduce more successfully
What is Natural Selection?
These are inherited characteristics that help an organism survive in its environment.
What are adaptations?
These remains or traces of ancient organisms provide evidence of evolution
What are Fossils?
This term describes the variety of living things on Earth.
What is Biodiversity?
This type of structure has the same function but evolved independently in different species.
What are analogous structures?
These structures are similar in different species because they share a common ancestor.
What are Homologous Structures?
The environment where an organism lives.
What is a habitat?
This term describes a trait that improves an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction.
What is an adaptation?
A population of birds develops longer beaks over many generations because birds with longer beaks could reach food more easily.
What is natural selection causing adaptation?
When members of the same species show different traits such as size or color, it is called this.
What is variation?
If a climate change causes only thicker-fur animals to survive, this type of trait is favored.
What is advantageous adaptation?
These structures have no current function but are remnants of structures that once had a function.
What is vestigial structure?
When organisms compete for food, water, and space, this occurs.
What is resource competition?
The process in which organisms that are better suited to the environment survive and reproduce.
If two animals share similar bone structures in their limbs, scientists may conclude this.
What is they sharing a common ancestor?
This is the main reason populations evolve rather than individual organisms.
What is that traits are passed through generations of a population?
A population of insects becomes resistant to a pesticide after several generations.
How does natural selection affect pesticide resistance?
A desert lizard population becomes lighter in color as the environment becomes sandy
Why would natural selection favor lighter coloration?
Two different species of birds develop similar beaks even though they are not closely related.
Why might analogous structures develop in different species?
A fossil record shows gradual changes in horse size and teeth structure over millions of years
How does the fossil record provide evidence of evolution?
In a cold environment, animals with thicker fur survive and reproduce more than animals with thin fur.
How does the environment influence natural selection?
A population has many different traits, but only some become more common over time.
Why do certain traits increase in frequency through natural selection?
Scientists observe that island species resemble mainland species but show unique adaptations.
How does geographic isolation contribute to evolution?
If a population lacks genetic variation, it may struggle to survive environmental changes.
Why is variation important for natural selection and survival?