Evolution Flashcards
Natural selection
a theory developed by Charles Darwin that states that as the environment changes, different characteristics are selected to be more favorable for survival.
Artificial selection
process by which humans choose which organisms reproduce
5 principles of natural selection
Overproduction, Competition, variation, survival of the fittest, speciation (sisters fight over cute vetements)
5 key pieces of evidence for natural selection
Biogeography, Biochemistry, Comparative anatomy, Embryology, Fossil Record
Overproduction
many members of a species will be born, not all with reach reproductive age
Competition
the presence of many members of a species will create competition for resources
Variation
There is variety in inherited traits
Survival of the fittest
only individuals with advantageous variations will survive
Speciation
over many generations of passing on inherited (successful) traits, new generations will not look like their ancestral stock.
Biogeography
identifies similar organisms in different continents with similar environmental conditions.
Biochemistry
Proteins, DNA, and chromosome that may suggest relatedness (genetic markers, tests)
Comparative anatomy
Homologous and Analogous structures that can point to degrees of relatedness
Embryology
the process by which embryos develop (laying eggs, or giving birth to live animals. Ex: dolphins are closer to mammals, they give birth to live animals, not tuna bc they lay eggs)
Fossil Record
Studies the remains of organisms in rocky layers and the way their positioned in strata (the law of superposition)
The law of superposition
lower strata contain older organisms, higher strata contain newer organisms. (older at bottom, newer at the top)