Evolution Study Guide
Explain how the work of Charles Lyell, James Hutton, Jean Baptiste-Lamarck, Thomas Malthus and Alfred Wallace influenced Darwin's thinking on the theory of evolution by natural selection.
*Charles Lyell- In his book, Lyell explains that processes occuring now have shaped Earth's geological features over long periods of time. *James Hutton- Proposes that Earth is shaped by geological forces that took place over extremely long periods of time. He estimates Earth to be millions of years old. *Jean Baptiste-Lamarck- He publishes a book that proposes a mechanism explaining how organisms change over time. *Thomas Malthus- Malthus predicts that the human population will grow faster that the space and food supplies needed to substain it. *Alfred Wallace- Wallace writes to Darwin, speculating on evolution by natural selection, based on his studies of the distribution of plants and animals.
Explain how "survival of the fittest" corresponds to natural selection.
Because of its similarities to artificial selection, Darwin referred to the survival of the fittest as natural selection. In both artificial selection and natural selection, only certain individualsof a population produce new individuals. However, in natural selection, the traits being selected- and therefore increasing over time- contribute to an organism's fitness in an enviroment.
Describe the evidences that Charles Darwin used in proposing his theory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin argued that living things have been evolving on Earth for millions of years. Evidence for this process could be found in the fossil record, the geographical distribution of living species, homologous structures of living organisms, and similarities in early development, or embryology.
Use data from the Galapagos Islands, specifically the tortoises and finches, to support the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin observed that the characteristics of many animals and plants varied noticeably among the different Galapagos Islands. -Tortoises- Darwin learned that the giant tortoises varied in predictable ways from one island to another. The shape of the tortoises shell could be used to identify which island a particular tortoise inhabited. -Finches- Darwin saw several types of small, ordinary- looking birds hopping around, looking for seeds. He collected many specimens. However, he didn't find them to be unusual. He noticed that they all had different shaped beaks.
Explain how the theory of evolution by natural selection is supported by many kinds of evidences including the fossil record, comparative anatomy, similar embryology, biogeography, molecular biology and observed evolutionary change.
Fossil record: fossils show that animals have adapted to the environment to live; an example is the armidillo. Comparative anatomy: animals who are related have the same anatomy but are different slightly because of the different environments they live in. Similar embryology: most living beings look similar when being formed as an embryo. Biogeography: same decent but different depending on environment. Molecular biology: same type of trait, in the same species. Observed evolutionary change: over time we can notice that a species or animal is changing by looking at fossils and most of the evidence above.
Describe the conditions required for natural selection.
Four general conditions necessary for natural selection to occur are: *More organisms are born than can survive. *Organisms vary in their characteristics, even within a species. *Variation is inherited. *Differences in reproduction and survival are due to variation among organisms.
