Ch 15 Test Review - Evolution
provides physical evidence of organisms that lived long ago
fossil record
What sources of evidence did Charles Darwin consider when he presented his concept of evolution by natural selection?
fossils
When geographic isolation occurs, ________flow between separated populations ceases, which can then lead to speciation.
gene
Mutations are important because they bring about
genetic variation needed for a population to evolve.
The hypothesis that evolution of a species occurs gradually over time as a slow and constant process is known as ___________________.
gradualism
_________ structures are similar because they originated in a common ancestor.
homologous
Reproductive isolation that occurs before fertilization is called _________ isolation.
prezygotic
The hypothesis that evolution of a species occurs in periods of rapid change separated by periods of little or no change is called _____________________________.
punctuated equilibrium
A technique used to determine which of two fossils is older
relative dating
The key element in the biological concept of species is that individuals within a species can __________.
reproduce
The process by which molten material adds new oceanic crust to the ocean floor
sea floor spreading
Farmers breed cows to produce high amounts of milk. This is an example of...
selective breeding
In convergent evolution, organisms share physical similarities because they live in ________________________________.
similar environments
Evolution is _____________ changing over time.
species
How do you "win" at natural selection?
survive & reproduce
What is the collection of life's remains found in sedimentary rock?
the fossil record
A yellow morph and green morph of an insect lives in the rainforest canopy. You would expect:
the green population to increase and the yellow to decrease
Similarities in bone arrangements support the hypothesis that...
the organisms share a common ancestor
What type of speciation occurs when new species arise as a result of geographic isolation?
Allopatric speciation
What is an analogous structure and give an example.
Analogous structures are similar structures in unrelated organisms. They do the same job, but they DON'T share common ancestry. Ex. dolphin and shark fins
When humans select specific traits that they desire when breeding organisms
Artificial selection
Who came up with the idea of natural selection?
Charles Darwin
What theory is this? Organisms change slowly over many generations as the environment changes. They gain adaptations over time.
Darwin's Theory of Evolution
Why is it hard to find very old rocks on Earth?
Erosion, volcanic eruptions and other processes destroy rocks
How do fossils provide evidence that evolution has happened on Earth?
Fossils show how life forms present today are different than those from the past
How does geographic isolation cause speciation?
Geographic isolation causes individuals of an original species to accumulate sufficient genetic differences to prevent them breeding with each other when they are reunited.
The oldest rocks found on Earth are approximately:
4.2 billion years old
The Earth is estimated to be approximately:
4.5 billion years old
During Darwin's time how old did people think the age of the earth was?
6,000 years old
Earth's early atmosphere did NOT include which gas?
O2
What is coevolution and give an example.
Occurs when species evolve together. Ex. flowering plants and their pollinators.
How does reproductive isolation differ from geographic isolation?
Reproductive isolation is the separation of two populations of the same species, preventing interbreeding and production of a fertile offspring. Geographic isolation is the physical separation of two populations by the geographical barriers.
What is a vestigial organ and what are some examples of vestigial organs in humans?
Structures that have no apparent function and appear to be residual parts from a past ancestor. Ex. appendix, tailbone
What is temporal isolation and behavioral isolation?
Temporal isolation - separation in time such that reproduction occurs at different times of the day, or season or even years. Behavioral Isolation - two species could breed but have different ways of attracting their mates
According to Darwin, why would the finches he observed have different shaped beaks?
The birds developed different food tastes.
What is meant by the term descent with modification?
The idea that species change over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor.
What happened on the surface of the Earth shortly after it formed?
The molten rock cooled and formed a crust
What is convergent evolution and give an example.
When different organisms independently evolve similar traits. Ex. sharks and dolphins look relatively similar despite being entirely unrelated.
A technique used to determine the actual age of a fossil
absolute dating
Inherited trait that helps an organism survive is an _____________________.
adaptation
What is the process by which a population becomes better suited to its environment?
adaptation
A single species that has evolved into several different forms that live in different ways has undergone _____________________________.
adaptive radiation
Cichlid fishes in lakes of the East African Rift. The lakes in this area are believed to support and sustain about 2,000 different species of these fish, each with different ecological and morphological characteristics such as body size. These lakes form a fragmented landscape that bio-geographically isolates the different species of cichlid fish from one another, allowing them, and many of the organisms they live with, to evolve separately.
adaptive radiation
Life on Earth started as:
amino acids from meteorites
How did the Earth get its moon?
an impact with a protoplanet that flung debris into space
Butterfly wings and bat wings are:
analogous structures
Structures that are similar in appearance but not in structure
analogous structures
Dogs such as Chihuahuas are examples of....
artificial selection
The initial explosion that resulted in the formation and expansion of the universe
big bang
___________ occurs as two or more species change over time due to each other's influence.
coevolution
What type of evidence about organisms does homologous structures show?
common ancestry
Sharks and dolphins both have streamlined bodies that allow them to move through water efficiently, this is an example of which type of evolution?
convergent
The elements on Earth were arranged according to their:
density
The process by which organisms with traits well suited to an environment survive and reproduce more successfully than organisms less suited for that environment is called________.
divergent evolution
What is the term for the accumulation of differences between populations that once formed a single population?
divergent evolution
A heritable change in a species over time is called __________.
evolution
What statement about Earth's moon is false? It formed by accretion It is a capture asteroid It is similar in composition to Earth It is almost as old as Earth
It is a capture asteroid
What is macroevolution?
Largest-scale evolutionary changes via speciation or extiniction that occur over time
According to Darwin what do organisms do when there are limited resources?
Organisms with inheritable traits that favor survival and reproduction will leave more offspring.
What is natural selection, what does it mean, what must it have to occur?
The process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change. Four conditions are required: reproduction, heredity, variation in fitness, and variation in individual characters among members of the population.
What will happen to populations of the same species if they live in different places?
They will undergo adaptive evolutionary change via divergent natural selection. The populations can evolve into separate species.
What would happen if the Giraffes never evolve?
They would become extinct
Within 200 million years from the formation of Earth, what was present on Earth?
Water
bottom layers are older and top layers are newer
law of superposition
Where did the water in the oceans originate?
meteorites
In the earliest stages of Earth's development, our planet was made of what?
molten rock
It was difficult for scientists to explain the formation of Earth because:
much of the evidence on Earth has been destroyed
According to Darwin, what is the mechanism that causes evolution?
natural selection
Earth's core is made up of:
nickel and iron
When offspring are too many and they died from not enough resources
over-reproduction
Does natural selection act on an organism's genotype or phenotype?
phenotype