unit 5 evolution Flashcards
what is evolution?
the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth
what made the theory of evolution/natural selection?
Charles Darwin
what are the 3 biggest pieces of evidence supporting evolution?
fossil records, homologous body structures, embryonic development
what animal did Darwin extensively research in the Galapagos?
Galapagos finches
What are vestigial organs?
Organs that have no use but do not threaten our survival
What are 3 vestigial organs?
Wisdom teeth, tonsils, appendix
what are the 3 types of reproductive isolation?
behavioral, geographic, temporal
what is speciation?
formation of a new species
what is natural selection?
Populations change over time because individuals who inherit traits best suited to their environment leave more offspring than less suited ones, leading to favorable changes in the population
what are homologous structures?
structures that are similar in related organisms because they were inherited from a common ancestor
what are analogous structures?
features of different species that are similar in function but not necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestral feature
what is a gene pool?
set of all genes, or genetic information, in any population, usually of a particular species
what is the definition of a species?
a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
why are the Galapagos so diverse?
there are many different habitat zones on the islands
what is phylogeny?
the representation of the evolutionary history and relationships between groups of organisms
