Natural Selection
Who is considered the father of evolution?
Charles Darwin
What is the term for an inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival?
Adaptation
What is directional selection?
Directional selection is when one of the extremes are favored.
True or false: evolution happens quickly and can change in one generation
False
What is natural selection?
When species change over time due to inherited traits
What are random changes in an organism's DNA that create variation in a population?
Mutations
What is stabilizing selection?
When the moderate or the average phenotype is favored.
what is evolution?
When a population changes over time to better suit their environment
What is an adaptation? Provide an example.
An adaptation is any inherited characteristic that increases an organism’s chance of survival.
A giraffe's long neck allowing it to reach food higher in trees
What is overproduction?
When organisms produce more offspring than can survive, leading to competition
What is disruptive selection?
When both of the extreme traits are favored over the moderate or average.
Why does competition play a role in evolution?
Competition for resources shows us which variation is the best able to survive in the environment
What does "survival of the fittest" mean?
Organisms best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce
What is the struggle for existence?
Because many resources like food and shelter are limited, members of a species must compete to survive
What type of selection is this:
Birds with either very large or very small beaks survive better than birds with medium sized beaks
Disruptive selection
Using the peppered moths as an example, explain how they evolved
As the trees got darker we saw the population of moths shift to be darker because those moths were able to blend in and avoid predators, allowing them to live long enough to reproduce
What must exist in a population for natural selection to occur?
Genetic variation, a favorable trait, overproduction, competition
True or false : populations evolve, not individuals.
True
What type of natural selection is this:
In a population of birds those with larger beaks survive better because they can crack harder seeds
Directional Selection
DAILY DOUBLE:
What is a population?
A species that lives and inbreeds within a specific area