chapter 11: Evolution Flashcards
how did he end up on HMS Beagle?
The person that was supposed to entertain the captain committed suicide so 26-year-old Darwin volunteer to go on the voyage to entertain the captain
what was HMS Beagle and what was it supposed to do?
Dallen voyage from 18 31–18 36 on the HMS Beagle, a shit mapping the world coastlines. Darwin observed firsthand different plants and animals in various locales. These observations played an important role in the development of his thoughts about the nature of life on earth
natural selection versus artificial selection
natural selection is adaptation to the environment. Artificial selection is man made.
Darwin made several observations that helped lead him to believe that species evolve rather than remain fixed.
fossils of extinct organisms resemble those of living organisms; geographical patterns suggested that organismal lineages change gradually as individuals move in to new habitats; islands have diverse animals and plants that are related to, yet different from, their mainland sources.
descent with modification
Darwin observed that, although all the finches shared a common ancestor, their beak sizes had evolved to suit their food
how is adaptation importance for survival? A.k.a. survival of the fittest?
if the organism doesn’t adapt to their environment, then they cannot eat the food and then they go extinct
what does Thomas Malthus’ statement about population and food source mean?
while human populations tend to increase geometrically, the capacity for humans to be this population only grows arithmetically. meaning that if the food is not an issue,then death will keep human population in control. however, food amount will be directly proportional to human population.
what was David lack’s Study and why did it seem to contradict Darwin?
David did a year-long study of finches and noticed that all of them were eating the same seed. therefore, their beak size did not changeto accommodate their food like Darwin suggested.
what was Rosemary and Peter Grant’s Study and what were their findings?
Rosemary and Peter analyzed finches for several years and noticed there were dry years and wet years. during the wet years, rainfall increased every seed size to make them appear like the same seed. therefore, David was wrong. Additionally, they found out that Darwin had come to the Galapagos islands during the dry years.
what does adaptive radiation mean?
in adaptive radiation, a cluster of species changes to occupy a series of different habitats within the region. Each habitat offers different niches to occupy. A niche represents how a species interact both biologically and physically with its environment in order to survive. Each species evolves to become adapted to that niche
what are fossils?
fossils are the preserved remains, Tracks or traces of once – living organisms. They are created when organisms or their traces become buried in the sentiment. By dating the rocks in which the fossils occur, one can get an accurate idea of how old the fossils are.
Who is Darwin?
18 09–18 82; English naturalist who first suggested an explanation for why evolution occurred; published in 1859, on the origin of species by means of natural selection
