Evolution Flashcards
What is darwins theory of evolution
Darwins theory of evolution by natural selection states that all species of living things have evolved from simple life forms that first developed more than three billion years ago
Why was the theory of evolution by natural selection only gradually selected
The theory challenged the idea that God made all the animals and plants that live on earth There was insufficient evidence at the time the theory was published to convince many scientists The mechanism of inheritance and variation was not known until 50 years after the theory was published
What was many other theories including lamarcks based on
The idea that changes that occur in an organism during its lifetime can be inherited
What does studying these multitudes and differences between organisms allow us to do
It allows us to classify living organisms into animals, plants and microorganisms, and helps us to understand evolutionary and ecological relationships
How does evolution occur
Via natural selection
Basic outline of the process of natural selection
-Individual organisms within a particular species show a wide range of variation because of differences in their genes -Individuals with characteristics most suited to the environment are most likely to breed successfully -The genes that have enabled these individuals to survive are then passed on to the next generation
