2 Flashcards
(28 cards)
How can you explain Lamarck’s theory of acquired characteristics?
Lamarck proposed that traits acquired during an organism’s life can be passed to offspring, unlike Darwin’s natural selection.
What is the mechanism of natural selection proposed by Darwin and Wallace?
Natural selection involves organisms with advantageous traits surviving and reproducing more successfully.
What is the significance of Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species?
It introduced the theory of natural selection and explained how species evolve through survival of the fittest.
What did Darwin propose about competition for resources?
Organisms compete for limited resources, and those with favourable traits are more likely to survive.
How does natural selection lead to changes in populations?
Natural selection alters the gene pool over time, leading to evolutionary changes in the population.
What causes variation in organisms that drives evolution?
Mutations in DNA create genetic variation, which is the basis for evolutionary change.
What is an adaptation in evolutionary terms?
An adaptation is a trait that increases an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction in a given environment.
What is the difference between allopatric and sympatric speciation?
Allopatric speciation involves geographic isolation, while sympatric speciation occurs without physical barriers in the same environment.
How does sympatric speciation occur without geographic isolation?
Sympatric speciation can result from genetic, behavioral, or ecological changes that lead to reproductive isolation within the same area.
Why is the Grants’ finch evolution study significant?
It provides real-world evidence of natural selection in action, showing how environmental factors can lead to evolutionary changes.
How do paleontologists use fossils to study evolution?
Fossils allow scientists to trace evolutionary history and observe how species have changed over time.
What types of evidence support evolution from living organisms?
Studies of anatomy, genetics, and biochemistry show similarities between species that support the theory of evolution.
How can human activity influence evolution in species?
Human actions, like the overuse of antibiotics, can drive evolutionary changes, such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
How does biogeography explain the distribution of species today?
Geographic separation has caused species to evolve differently in various parts of the world, shaping their current distribution.
What is convergent evolution?
Convergent evolution occurs when unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.
What is divergent evolution?
Divergent evolution happens when related species evolve distinct traits due to differences in their environments.
What is Darwin’s theory of natural selection?
Darwin’s theory states that organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass those traits to their offspring.
What are the key differences between Darwin and Lamarck’s theories of evolution?
Darwin proposed natural selection, while Lamarck believed in the inheritance of acquired traits during an organism’s lifetime.
What was Malthus’s key argument, and how did it influence Darwin’s theory?
Malthus argued that populations grow faster than food supplies, leading to competition, which influenced Darwin’s ideas on survival of the fittest.
Why were Darwin and Wallace’s travels crucial for their theories?
Observing diverse species in different regions provided the key insights that helped them develop the theory of natural selection.
What are the two types of speciation?
Allopatric speciation involves physical separation, while sympatric speciation occurs without physical barriers.
Why are cheetahs more at risk of extinction than lions?
Cheetahs have low genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to environmental changes, while lions have greater genetic variation.
How might sympatric speciation eventually lead to geographic isolation?
Sympatric speciation can result in reproductive isolation within the same area, which over time might lead to new species that are geographically distinct.
What are the two types of evidence for evolution, and how do they complement each other?
Living organisms provide evidence through DNA and anatomical similarities, while fossils show transitional forms and evolutionary history.
