Evolution & The Fossil Record

Question 0

What is the Catastrophe Theory?

Answer 0

 Floods and earthquakes must have periodically killed off organisms in parts of the world
 New organisms from other parts of the world moved in to repopulate these regions

Question 1

What is Evolution?

Answer 1

The continuous genetic adaptation of organisms or species to their environment.

Question 2

Fossils?

Answer 2

The remains of or trace of the presence of an ancient organism.
(Two types: body & trace fossils)

Question 3

Body fossil

Answer 3

Preserved remains of an ancient organism.

Question 4

Trace Fossil?

Answer 4

Indication of the presence of an ancient organism.

Question 5

What is replacement?

Answer 5

During fossilization bones are covered into solid rock

Question 6

Lemarckian Evolution (transmutation)

Answer 6

• Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829): physical characteristics were acquired due to inner needs and inherited by future generations (transmutation)

Question 7

Natural Selection

Answer 7

Process by which favorable traits become common and unfavorable traits become less common in successive generations of a population.

Question 8

What are Homologous Structures?

Answer 8

body parts of similar origin, structure, and development but adapted for different functions.
(derived from the same structures in the embryo)
○ Ex. Limb structures

Question 9

What are Vestigial Organs?

Answer 9

reduced or useless structures in
plants or animals that are useful in other organisms.
○ Human appendix
○ Human tail bone
○ Whale pelvis

Question 10

What is Biochemistry?

Answer 10

study of chemical processes in living organisms): the metabolism of vastly different organisms is based on the same complex biochemical compounds

Question 11

What is mutation

Answer 11

permanent inheritable change in genetic material within cells. (creates variation in the gene pool)

Question 12

What is Speciation?

Answer 12

The origin of a new species from two or more individuals of a pre-exsist inc one.

Question 13

What is a species?

Answer 13

Group of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing fertile off spring.

Question 14

What’s is Allopatric Speciation?

Answer 14

process through which populations of the same species are physically isolated (due to geographic barriers) and evolve separately

Question 15

What is Sympatric Speciation?

Answer 15

process by which new species evolve from a single ancestral species inhabiting the same geographic region
 Speciation through biological isolation

Question 16

Phyletic Gradualism

Answer 16

Species continue to adapt to new environmental & biological conditions overtime, gradually becoming new species.

Question 17

Punctuated Equilibrium

Answer 17

Proposes that species split into two distinct species rather than one species gradually transforming into another (phyletic gradualism)

Question 18

What is Convergent Evolution

Answer 18

process where organisms not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

Question 19

Divergent Evolution

Answer 19

process by which a species diverges into two or more descendant species resulting in once similar species becoming more and more dissimilar.

Question 20

Cope’ Rule

Answer 20

Body size increases during the evolution of a species.

Question 21

Evolutionary Radiation

Answer 21

Rapid expansion of a species over a relatively short period of time.

Question 22

Adaptive Breakthroughs

Answer 22

Appearance of key features or traits that allow the species to succeed.

Question 23

Extinction events

Answer 23

The death of one species can present opportunities for another one. Ex.