What is evolution?
Evolution is a central concept in biology, describing how living species change over time and share common ancestry. It explains both the unity and diversity of life on Earth.
What is descent with modification?
Living species are descendants of ancestral species, with changes accumulating over generations.
What is microevolution?
Microevolution is evolutionary change within a population, often observable over short timescales.
What is macroevolution?
Macroevolution is evolutionary change above the species level, such as the emergence of new species or groups.
What was the prevailing belief about species before Darwin?
The prevailing belief was that species were created by God and were unchanging (fixity of species).
Who proposed the idea of gradualism?
James Hutton proposed gradualism, the idea that geological features are the result of slow, continuous processes.
What did Georges Cuvier contribute to evolutionary thought?
Georges Cuvier developed paleontology, noting that deeper strata contained older fossils, and that species appeared and disappeared over time.
What was Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck’s theory?
Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck suggested that species change through use and disuse of traits and inheritance of acquired characteristics (now discredited).
What did Charles Lyell advocate?
Charles Lyell advocated uniformitarianism, the idea that geological processes are ongoing and have shaped Earth over long periods.
What was Darwin’s synthesis of ideas?
Darwin synthesized these ideas, proposing that populations evolve through natural selection, where advantageous traits become more common over generations.
What provided crucial evidence for Darwin’s theory?
Darwin’s voyage to South America, especially the Galápagos Islands.
What did Darwin find that suggested descent with modification?
Fossils resembling living species.
What did Darwin observe about species on nearby islands?
They were similar but had distinct differences, indicating adaptation to local environments.
What is the conclusion about species and common ancestry?
All species share a common ancestor, but can change due to different environmental pressures.
How do adaptations arise according to Darwin?
Through natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits survive and reproduce more successfully.
What is Neo-Darwinism?
The modern synthesis of Darwin’s theory with Mendelian genetics, emphasizing genetic variation from mutations as a source of evolutionary change.
What is natural selection?
Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
What are the main mechanisms of natural selection?
The main mechanisms include: 1. Overproduction, 2. Limited Resources, 3. Genetic Variation, 4. Differential Reproductive Success.
What is overproduction in natural selection?
Overproduction refers to species producing more offspring than the environment can support, leading to competition.
What does limited resources mean in the context of natural selection?
Limited resources result in competition for survival and reproduction among individuals.
What is genetic variation?
Genetic variation refers to the differences in traits among individuals in a population, some of which are heritable.
What is differential reproductive success?
Differential reproductive success occurs when individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
What are the sources of genetic variation?
Sources of variation include mutations, genetic recombination during sexual reproduction, and gene flow.
How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have?
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
