Evolution Latest Update 100% Pass

Evolution Latest Update 100% Pass evolution The slow, gradual change in populations over time. scientific theory A well supported, testable explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world. Charles Darwin English naturalist who made numerous observations during his travels on the Beagle which led him to pose a hypothesis about how life changes over time. fossils Preserved remains of ancient organisms that provide evidence for how life changes over time. James Hutton He proposed that the Earth is shaped by geological forces over extremely long periods of time, and that the Earth is very old. Thomas Malthus He predicted that the human population would grow faster than the resources needed to sustain it. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck He proposed that the selective use or disuse of an organ led to a change the organ that was then passed on to the offspring. Charles Lyell He explained that the geological processes seen happening on the Earth now have shaped Earth's geological features over long periods of time. Alfred Wallace He published his own theory of evolution by natural selection about the same time as Charles Darwin. struggle for existence The __________ ____ __________ means that members of each species compete regularly for food and other necessary resources. fitness The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in its specific environment. adaptation Any inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival, like webbed feet, sharp claws, or speed. natural selection The process whereby individuals are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully. survival of the fittest Darwin's nickname for natural selection. common descent The idea that all species - living and extinct - were derived from common ancestors linked by a single "tree of life" homologous structures Structures that have different mature forms but develop from the same embryonic tissues. vestigial organs Structures that are so reduced in size that they no longer function. artificial selection Choosing to breed cows that produce the most milk or the fastest horses is called... descent with modification The idea that each living species has descended with changes over time from one species. Galapagos Islands Place where Charles Darwin made observations of finches and turtles. inheritance of acquired traits A giraffe that stretches its neck longer by reaching for food and then passes this long-necked trait on to offspring is an example of... convergent Dolphins, penguins, and sharks are distantly related species that share similar characteristics which help them live in water. This is an example of _____________ evolution. divergent Even though the Galapagos finches share a common ancestor, they have evolved to fit the ecosystems of their individual traits. This is an example of _____________ evolution. adaptive radiation Another name for divergent evolution. Beagle Darwin's voyage on the H. M. S. ______________ led him to propose a revolutionary hypothesis about life. natural variation The natural differences between individuals of a species. gradualism Darwin believed in the idea that evolution happened slowly over a long period of time called... founder effect A situation in which the allele frequencies change as a result of the migration of a small subgroup of individuals. mutation Any change in the relative frequency of alleles in a population. mass extinction At the end of the Cretaceous period an asteroid hit the Earth causing the loss of many species including the dinosaurs. This is an example of... ... lilili