Evolution Study Guide

Evolution

Process by which modern organisms descend from ancient organisms.

Charles Darwin

Naturalist who proposed theories of evolution based on observations made during his trip around the world beginning in 1831.

Galapagos Islands

A group of islands in South America where Darwin observed diverse species adapting to their environment.

Natural Selection

Process where only the 'strong' will survive, leading to species changing over time.

Homologous Structure

Same structure but different function, e.g., human arm, whale fin, cat leg.

Analogous Structures

Different structures performing the same function, e.g., dolphin fin and shark fin.

Vestigial Structure

An organ that is no longer needed, e.g., wisdom teeth or tailbone.

Comparative Embryology

Study of embryonic similarities across species, indicating common ancestry.

James Hutton

Geologist who proved the Earth is millions of years old through rock layering.

Charles Lyell

Author of 'Principles of Geology' who supported Hutton's theories.

Jean Baptiste Lamarck

Naturalist who proposed that organisms change over time and introduced concepts like inheritance of acquired traits.

Thomas Malthus

Economist who stated that population growth is regulated by resources such as war, famine, and disease.

Fossil Evidence

Provides age of the planet/organisms and shows common ancestry.

Adaptive Radiation

The process by which organisms adapt to their environment and diversify.

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies in a population.

Founder Effect

A type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population.

Bottleneck Effect

Genetic drift that occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced.

Isolating Mechanisms

Barriers to reproduction that prevent species from mating.

Gradualism

The theory that evolution occurs slowly but steadily.

Punctuated Equilibrium

The theory that species evolution is marked by periods of rapid change.