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Study guide
Evolution
1. What term explains how populations change over time?
Biological evolution
2. What is the term for a change in behavior or physical trait that
helps an organism survive in its environment? adaptation
3. A group of organisms that can mate with each other and produce
fertile offspring is called species
4. What do you call a group of individuals of the same species?
Population
5. Organisms with traits best suited to their environment are more
likely to survive. This is called natural selection
6. He is the father of evolution and came up with the theory of natural
selection Darwin
7. Charles Darwin did not understand the role genetics played in
evolution when he was developing his theory.
8. Darwin’s theory of natural selection had four elements. They are
overproduction, inherited variation, struggle to survive, and
reproduction.
9. Fossils are trace remains of an organism that lived long ago, most
commonly preserved in sedimentary rock.
10. What are two things scientists can look at when comparing species
to see if they share a common ancestor? Similar DNA and similar
traits
11. A trait can be passed from parent to offspring through genes.
12. Organisms who reproduce sexually have offspring that are not
identical. The difference in the offspring’s traits is called inherited
variation.
13. A mutation in the DNA can be a source of new traits in an
organism. Examples of this are an insertion, deletion, and substitution.
14. Speciation is the formation of new species as a result of evolution.
What are the three steps in this process?
Separation, adaptation, and division
15. A historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in the
layers of the Earth’s crust fossil record.
16. Generation time is the period between the birth of one generation
and the birth of the next generation. Insects have a very short one.
17. How something lives, eats, and survives in its ecosystem is called
niche.
18. Variation is the difference in structure or characteristics from
others of the same species or group. This happens as a result of
differences in the genes.
19. What trait of the finches did Darwin study? beaks
What did he conclude was the reason for the differences in this
trait? Differences in their diet caused them to evolve differently
over generations.
20. Darwin’s theory of natural selection was influenced by Mathus’
study on population. What did this study state about the relationship
between food and population growth? The food supply cannot support
unlimited population growth.
21. In every population and species there are 4 limiting factors. They
are (1) starvation, (2) disease, (3) competition, and (4) predation.
22. Scientists are observing the genetic makeup of two organisms by
looking at their DNA. The DNA is very similar. What might they
conclude about these organisms? They share a common ancestor.
23. The process consisting of separation, adaptation, and division is
called speciation.
24. Adaptation is when animals change behavior or physical appearance
in response to the changes in the environment.
25. Gradualism is the process in which populations slowly change over
time.
26. Speciation is when a portion of a population becomes physically or
geographically separated.
27. A characteristic that improves an organism’s ability to survive is
adaptation
28. What does speciation create? A new species
29. A change occurring gradually over a long period of time is called
evolution.
30. Explain what factors are necessary for natural selection to occur
in a species. Genetic variation within a population
31. Describe Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest.”
Must survive and reproduce
32. Relative dating is the process comparing the ages of different
fossils by the rock layer in which they were found.
33. Mutations is a source of new traits in an organism.