Prentice Hall Biology - Chapter 15

Front 1

What did Darwin observe about the finches?

What could this mean?

Back 1

That all the birds were finches and each species was slightly different from island to island and also the mainland species. He decided that all the birds could have descended with modifications from a common mainland ancestor.

Front 2

What did Darwin Wonder about the species of organism that were living on different islands?

Back 2

How they came to be similar, yet distinctly different from one another. Each species was slightly different from every other species.

Front 3

How did Darwin use Malthus' theory of population control?

Back 3

That high birth rates and a shortage of life's basic needs would eventually force organisms into competition for resources. (Struggle for existence)

Front 4

Why did Darwin decide to publish his theory of evolution?

Back 4

Alfred Wallace sent Darwin a manuscript asking for his opinion. Darwin realized that Wallace had independently come up with the same concept (evolution by natural selection) as he (Darwin) had

Front 5

What did Darwin do when he returned from his voyage on the Beagle?

Back 5

wrote about his ideas but waited many years to publish them

Front 6

Why did Darwin wait to publish his ideas about evolution?

Back 6

he was disturbed by his feelings, which challenged fundamental scientific beliefs

Front 7

What type of organisms are successful in natural selection?

Back 7

predators that are faster or better at ensnaring can catch more prey. Prey that are faster, better camouflaged or protected can avoid being caught.

Front 8

Define Natural selection. What does natural selection result in (in regards to traits)?

Back 8

Survival of the fittest. Over time, natural selection results in changes in the inherited characteristics of a population.

Front 9

Darwin's theory of evolution was based on what 2 ideas? What did not influence his idea?

Back 9

Heritable variation and natural selection. HE was not influenced by the knowledge of the structure of DNA.

Front 10

What is meant by the term Evolution and give an example.

Back 10

it is the change over time . The brown finches from the Galapagos island's were similar yet different from each species and probably descending from a mainland finch.

Front 11

How did Hutton's and Lyell's views of Earth differ from that of most people of the time?

Back 11

That Earth is many millions of years old, and the processes that changed Earth in the past are the same processes that operate in the present.

Front 12

Explain Lamarck's principal of use and disuse.

Back 12

By selective use or disuse of organs, organisms acquired or lost certain traits during their lifetime. These traits could be passed along to their offspring. Over time this process led to change in the species.

Front 13

How does natural variation affect evolution?

Back 13

Without natural variation, no trait could be selected for or against as everything would be the same. Therefore, things would not evolve.

Front 14

What is artificial selection? How did this concept influence Darwin's thinking?

Back 14

Nature provided the variation, and humans selected those variations that they found useful. Darwin believed that variation mattered and this could lead to improved crops and livestock.

Front 15

Distinguish between fitness and adaptation. Give an example of each.

Back 15

Fitness - the ability to survive and reproduce in it's specific environment. (ex. Lions speed and strength make it a strong predator).

Adaptation - is any inherited characteristic that increases an organisms chance of survival.(ex. porcupines sharp quills)

Front 16

How is the process of survival of the fittest related to a population's environment?

Back 16

species low levels of fitness will reproduce slowly or die off, species with high levels of fitness will survive and reproduce successfully.

Front 17

How does Darwin's principal of descent with modification explain the characteristics of today's species?

Back 17

over long periods of time natural selection produces organisms that have different structures, establish different niches, or occupy different habitats. Today they look different from their ancestors.

Front 18

What does fossil evidence show about evolution?

Back 18

the geographical distribution of living species, homologous structures of living organisms and similarities in early development or embryology.

Front 19

What evidence of evolution can be found in the geographic distribution of living animals?

Back 19

similar animals in different locations were the product of different lines of evolutionary descent. Because of similar pressures of natural selection, the animals ended up evolving certain striking features in common.

Front 20

How do scientists use similarities in embryology as evidence for evolution?

Back 20

the same groups of embryonic cells develop in the same order and in similar patterns to produce the tissues and organs of all vertebrates, proving a common ancestry.

Front 21

Summarize the main ideas in Darwin's theory.

Back 21

- individual organisms differ, and some of this variation is heritable.

-Organisms produce more offspring than can survive and many do survive do not reproduce.

- Because more organisms are produced than can survive they compete for limited resources.

-Natural selection causes species to change over time.

-Species today are from a single tree of life.

Front 22

What is a vestigial organ? Give an example of one.

Back 22

when a homologous structure does not serve a purpose it may reduce in size and may resemble miniature legs, tails, etc. An example would be the skink.

Front 23

evolution

Back 23

changes of time

Front 24

fossil

Back 24

preserved remains of an ancient organism.

Front 25

natural variation

Back 25

differences among individuals within a species

Front 26

struggle for existence

Back 26

competition for food, space, and other resources among members of a species

Front 27

fitness

Back 27

ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in a specific environment.

Front 28

adaptation

Back 28

inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival.

Front 29

natural selection

Back 29

survival of the fittest

Front 30

common descent

Back 30

all species are derived from common ancestors

Front 31

homologous structures

Back 31

structures that develop from the same embryonic tissues, but have different mature forms.

Front 32

vestigal organ

Back 32

organ with little or no function.

Front 33

theory

Back 33

well tested observation that unifies a broad range of observations.