Evolution Flashcards
What is the phrase Darwin used to define evolution?
A descent with modification
How did Geological Gradualism and Uniformitarianism influence Darwin
Geological gradualism caused Darwin to agree that the earth must be older than a few thousand years old. And uniformitarianism proves that things can’t just spontaneously which helps prove geological gradualism.
What is Use and Disuse
The idea that parts of the body that are used extensively become larger and stronger, while those not used deteriorate
What is the inheritance of acquired characteristics
An organism could pass modifications to offspring. Why it’s wrong, the characters acquired by an organism during its lifetime due to use or disuse do not affect the genetic makeup of the organism. They are simply phenotypic changes
What are examples of modification
- Finch Beaks
- Webbed Feet
What inferences did Darwin make
- Traits are heritable
- Competition for resources
What are homologous structures
Structures in two species that are similar because of a common ancestor
What are vestigial structures
A feature of an organism that is historically remnant of a structure that used to serve a function
What is an analogous structure?
Similar function but no common ancestor
What is Biogeography, and how does continental drift and endemic affect it
Biogeography is the scientific study of the past and present geographic distributions of species. Continental drift allows scientists to know where fossils originated from. Endemic species explain evolution and common ancestry more.
Define Adaptation
the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness
Artificial Selection
Selective breeding is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits by choosing which typically animal or plant males and females will sexually reproduce and have offspring together.
Define convergent evolution
is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time
Define Natural Selection
Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype
What does the fossil record reveal about whale ancestor
help reveal the whale’s deep history, from extinct species that originally lived on land to today’s cetaceans
