Evidence Of Evolution

Question 1

What is a common ancestor?

Answer 1

2 or more species that evolved from the same species ex. Dogs & Wolves

Question 2

What are analogous traits?

Answer 2

Traits that evolve similar to one another but don’t come from a common ancestor
Evolve similar because of similar environmental conditions

Question 3

What are homologous traits?

Answer 3

Inherited traits from a common ancestor, comes from previous generations of a species

Question 4

What are vestigial structures?

Answer 4

Structures in a animal that no longer serve a purpose but is their from past generations - shows they evolved past a point from needing a certain adaptation

Question 5

What is the difference between volcanic and continental islands?

Answer 5

Volcanic: created from volcanic eruption, animals come from swimming or flying

Continental: a piece of continent breaking off and moving away from the mainland, brings animals previously habituating the mainland

Question 6

What is biogeography?

Answer 6

Study of the distribution of types of life

Question 7

What animals are present on an island?

Answer 7

Birds - can fly to islands
Reptiles - can swim to islands
Marine life - islands are surrounded by marine habitat
Insects - can fly to islands

Question 8

What animals are absent on islands?

Answer 8

Large mammals
Predators
Invasive species

Question 9

What biogeography example provides evidence to evolution?

Answer 9

Ancient climate change - Antarctica had a warm climate 53 million years ago, now is known for its glacial landscape and the coldest temperatures on earth

Question 10

How are fossils formed?

Answer 10

Commonly impressions made in rock formed by mineral deposit that replaced remains of animals or plants
* underwater fossils formed from organisms being covered with layers of sediment on the ocean floor, stopping decomposition from the lack of oxygen and causing chemical changes in the body that mineralizes the remains

Question 11

What are the two theories to dating fossils?

Answer 11

Catastrophism: patterns of fossils are accounted for by global catastrophes that wipe out species

Uniformitarianism - geological changes are slow and gradual, natural laws do not change over time

Question 12

What are transitional fossils?

Answer 12

Fossilized remains of animals or plants organism that exhibits common traits to the ancestral and current group in a species

Question 13

How do fossils account for evidence of evolution?

Answer 13

Transitional fossil of a whale: the nose of the transitional fossil was in the middle of the skull, which was a transition from the past ancestor, who’s nose was at the front of its skull. This adaptation led to the modern day whales blowhole