Chapter 15 - Evolution Flashcards
What is evolution?
The process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms.
Example: Evolution explains how species adapt over time to their environments.
What is a theory in the context of science?
A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that is based on a body of evidence.
What is a fossil?
The preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived in the past.
What is artificial selection?
The process by which humans breed specific plants or animals for desired traits.
What does ‘struggle for existence’ refer to?
The competition among organisms for resources necessary for survival.
What is fitness in evolutionary terms?
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
What is adaptation?
A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.
What does ‘survival of the fittest’ mean?
The concept that individuals better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
What is natural selection?
The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
What is descent with modification?
The principle that each generation is slightly different from the previous one, leading to diversity over time.
What is common descent?
The concept that all living organisms share a common ancestor.
What is a homologous structure?
An anatomical feature in different species that is similar due to shared ancestry.
What is an analogous structure?
An anatomical feature in different species that serves a similar function but does not share a common ancestry.
What is a vestigial organ?
An organ that has lost most or all of its original function through the course of evolution.
What is evidence of evolution?
The various types of data that support the theory of evolution, including fossils, genetic similarities, and anatomical structures.
What are types of adaptation?
Behavioral, physiological, and structural adaptations that enhance survival.
Who was Jean-Baptiste Lamarck?
A French naturalist known for his early theory of evolution based on the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
Who was Thomas Malthus?
An economist whose ideas about population growth influenced Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
Who was Charles Darwin?
A naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Who was Charles Lyell?
A geologist whose work on uniformitarianism influenced Darwin’s thinking about gradual change.
Who was James Hutton?
A geologist known as the ‘father of modern geology’ whose ideas about deep time influenced evolutionary theory.
Who was Alfred Wallace?
A naturalist who independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection.
