Back to AI Flashcard MakerBiology /Honors Biology B: Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
How did Darwin believe new species were created?
Darwin believed that new species descended, with modifications, from other species.
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Term
Definition
How did Darwin believe new species were created?
Darwin believed that new species descended, with modifications, from other species.
How did Darwin define natural selection?
Darwin defined natural selection as the process by which organisms possessing variations that best suit their surroundings are the most likely to surv...
What happens in the process of natural selection?
Natural selection is the process by which organisms with the variations that are most suited to their environment survive and leave more offspring tha...
Why do organisms with greater fitness generally leave more offspring than organisms that are less fit?
Individuals with high fitness have adaptations that make them better suited for their environment, so they survive and reproduce more than individuals...
How are natural selection and artificial selection similar? How are they different?
Similar: Certain individuals in a population disproportionately pass on their traits to the next generation. Different: In artificial selection, human...
Why were Hutton's and Lyell's ideas important to Darwin?
Hutton and Lyell concluded that the Earth is very old, which contributed to Darwin's theory by allowing enough time for natural selection to work.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
How did Darwin believe new species were created? | Darwin believed that new species descended, with modifications, from other species. |
How did Darwin define natural selection? | Darwin defined natural selection as the process by which organisms possessing variations that best suit their surroundings are the most likely to survive and leave offspring. |
What happens in the process of natural selection? | Natural selection is the process by which organisms with the variations that are most suited to their environment survive and leave more offspring than individuals without the adaptations. |
Why do organisms with greater fitness generally leave more offspring than organisms that are less fit? | Individuals with high fitness have adaptations that make them better suited for their environment, so they survive and reproduce more than individuals who are less fit. |
How are natural selection and artificial selection similar? How are they different? | Similar: Certain individuals in a population disproportionately pass on their traits to the next generation. Different: In artificial selection, humans determine which individuals pass on traits; in natural selection, the environment does. |
Why were Hutton's and Lyell's ideas important to Darwin? | Hutton and Lyell concluded that the Earth is very old, which contributed to Darwin's theory by allowing enough time for natural selection to work. |
What do evolutionary trees show? What does a tree of life imply about all species living and extinct? | They show ancestor-descendant relationships among groups of related organisms. A tree of life implies that all species living and extinct are descended from ancient common ancestors. |
What is an inherited modification of structure or function that allows an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment? | Adaptation |
What is evolution; the idea that organisms change over time through modification from an ancient ancestor? | Descent with modification |
What is a species with no surviving members? | Extinct |
What is a nonrandom mechanism of evolution in which the fittest organisms survive and leave the most offspring? | Natural selection |
What is the idea that all organisms share an ancient common ancestor? | Principle of common descent |
What is the idea that organisms adapt to their environment through natural selection so that the best suited organisms survive and pass their genes on to their offspring? | Survival of the fittest |
Individuals in a population must compete for | Food; living space; water |
Camouflage and mimicry are examples of | Adaptation |
When Darwin described certain organisms as 'more fit' than others, he meant that they | Were better suited to survive and reproduce |
Natural selection tends to increase | Fitness |
Darwin's theory of descent with modification refers to | The process of species evolving from common ancestors. |
What is the difference between Darwin's theory of evolution and Lamarck's theory of evolution? | Lamarck believed that organisms could acquire characteristics during their lifetime that they could pass down to their offspring, but Darwin did not believe these traits could be passed down. |
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection explains each of the following except how | Inherited traits are passed from parent to offspring |
The idea that any pair of organisms share an ancestor is called | Common descent |
Which of the following explains why a tree is often used as a model to represent the principle of common descent? | When the relationships between species are mapped out, branches spread out from a common trunk, resembling a tree. |
The principle of common descent helps explain why birds and reptiles share a number of inherited characteristics. | Birds and reptiles share a number of inherited characteristics. |
What is a Scientific Theory? | A collection of observations and predictions based upon repeatable experimentation and results. |
What is the principle of common descent? | The idea that all organisms share an ancient common ancestor. |
How does natural selection affect a population over time? | It increases the frequency of advantageous traits in the population. |
What is the role of adaptations in natural selection? | Adaptations improve an organism's fitness, increasing its chances of survival and reproduction. |
How did Darwin's observations of the Galapagos Islands influence his theory? | He noticed that species varied from island to island, suggesting adaptation to different environments. |
What is the significance of 'survival of the fittest'? | It describes the process where organisms best adapted to their environment survive and reproduce. |
How does artificial selection differ from natural selection? | Artificial selection is driven by human choice, while natural selection is driven by environmental factors. |