Verified Study Quiz
evolution ANS change in the genetic composition of a population from generation to generation
descent with modification ANS the passing on of traits from parent organisms to their offspring
Microevolution ANS evolutionary change within a species or small group of organisms, especially
over a short period.
genetic drift ANS random change in allele frequencies that occurs in small populations
natural selection ANS A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the
environment.
Mutation ANS A change in a gene or chromosome the that may be transmitted to subsequent
genrerations
Biodiversity ANS the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Ecology ANS Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their
environment
selection pressure ANS factor causing differences in survival or reproduction
Adaptation ANS a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better
suited to its environment
artificial selection ANS process by which humans modify a species by breeding it for certain traits
,homologous traits ANS traits shared by related species inherited from a common ancestor but
modified for different purposes
vestigal structures ANS anatomical structures of organisms in a species which have lost much or all of
their original function (tail)
Biogeography ANS study of the distribution of organisms around the world
transitional fossils ANS Fossils that provide patterns of evolutionary change from the early ancestors
to modern life forms
Aristotle ANS -first to start classifying animals
-ideas consistent with old testament
-scala naturae- arranged life forms on a ladder or scale of increasing complexity
Linneaus ANS -attributed match of organisms to environments, to Creator, designed with a particular
purpose
-binomial nomenclature- nested classification scheme grouping similar species into increasingly general
categories
Cuvier ANS -first to observe fossils
-inferred extinction must be common
-opposed the idea of evolution
-advocated catastrophism
Darwin ANS English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection
Lamarck ANS Hypothesis of Evolution
-recognized that evolutionary change explains fossils
-first to propose testable mechanism for how life changes over time
, Lyell ANS principle of uniformitarianism
-mechanisms of change are constant overtime
-some geologic processes operating today as in the past, at the same rate
Hutton ANS proposed that Earth's geologic features could be explained by gradual mechanisms
How does natural selection lead to evolution? ANS Natural selection leads to evolutionary change
when individuals with certain characteristics have a greater survival or reproductive rate than other
individuals in a population and pass on these inheritable genetic characteristics to their offspring
How do homologous traits shared by living organisms support the conclusion that those species shared a
common ancestor? ANS without a common ancestor, there is no underlying cause
Describe our evidence that selection can lead to evolution over short time scales. ANS Direct
observations
-humans have seen small scale evolution in organisms with short life spans ex. butterflies, drug resistant
bacteria
How do transitional fossils provide insight into the evolution for new groups of organisms? ANS they
show stepwise how a trait evolved
How do biogeographical patterns provide evidence for evolution? ANS -species in the same region
(even in different habitats) often have many traits in common
-living species look similar to fossils from the same region
3 mechanisms of evolution ANS mutation
natural selection
genetic drift
3 common types of diversity ANS biodiversity
genetic diversity
species diversity