Regular Biology: Unit 9 (Darwin's Theory of Evolution)

Theory.

*A well-supported explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world is a(an) what?*

Separate species evolved from a common ancestor after becoming isolated from one another on different islands of the Galápagos.

*After he returned to England, what hypothesis did Darwin develop to explain his findings?*

He wondered why so many species had disappeared and how they were related to living species.

*As Darwin studied fossils, what new questions arose?*

Fernandina is much younger than Isabela. This makes Fernandina much harsher than Isabela due to the extreme climates over such a short period of time.

*Compare the age of Fernandina island to that of Isabela island; and why does that make Fernandina much harsher than Isabela?*

Populations (not individuals) change - natural selection. This is differential survival and reproduction.

*Contrast Darwin's theory to Lamarck's theory. What was Darwin's theory?*

Individual organisms can change - use/disuse. They can then pass these changes onto their offspring.

*Contrast Darwin's theory to Lamarck's theory. What was Lamarck's theory?*

Beaks.

*Darwin observed that small brown birds on the Galápagos Islands differed in the shape of their what?*

Cooler/wet, abundant/varied vegetation.

*Describe the climate(s) of the Galápagos Islands on high mountains.*

Hot/dry, sparse vegetation.

*Describe the climate(s) of the Galápagos Islands on lower elevations.*

They had a good relationship. They both respected each other.

*Describe the relationship between Darwin and Wallace.*

Variation.

*Differences among individuals of a species are referred to as what?*

Darwin begins his investigation by looking at domesticated plants and animals. Darwin notes that there is greater variation observed in domesticated species than would be seen in the wild.

*Explain (in your own words) the idea behind Darwin's first argument.*

If someone can artifically change any organism, it is unimaginable what changes nature can make to the organism once given a very long time.

*Explain (in your own words) the idea behind Darwin's second argument.*

Darwin thought that Hood Island tortoises had curved shells to allow them to reach the sparse vegetation on their island, whereas Isabela Island tortoises had dome-shaped shells because vegetation on their island was more abundant and closer to the ground.

*How did Darwin explain differences in bell shape of tortoises from Hood Island and Isabela Island?*

1. Early forms of each type of life no longer exist. (Species once lost do not reappear.) 2. Organisms in the top layers most closely resemble what currently live on earth. 3. There's no evidence life originated all at once. (Species come and go...)

*How did Darwin use the fossil record to support his idea of descent with modification?*

Not having your usual distractions in life can help you fully immerse yourself in your surroundings.

*How did Darwin's travels impact the development of his evolutionary views?*

Layers of earth were laid down slowly - takes time (Theory of Gradualism). The earth is old (millions of years old).

*How did Hutton influence Darwin? What was his theory?*

Necessary traits could be acquired or lost.

*How did Lamarck influence Darwin? What was his theory?*

Lamarck was one of the first to develop scientific hypotheses of evolution and to realize that organisms are adapted to their environments.

*How did Lamarck pave the way for the work of later biologists?*

Lamarck proposed that by selective use or disuse of organs, organisms acquired or lost certain traits during their lifetime. These traits could then be passed on to their offspring. Over time, this process led to change in a species.

*How did Lamarck propose that species change over time?*

The present is the key to the past. Past events are explained by what we see in the present.

*How did Lyell influence Darwin? What was his theory?*

He reasoned that if the human population continued to grow unchecked, sooner or later there would be insufficient space/food for everyone. Darwin applied this idea to all living things - the production of more individuals that the environment can support leads to a struggle for existence. If all the offspring survived for several generations, they would overrun the world.

*How did Malthus influence Darwin? What was his theory?*

Independently speculates on evolution - ideas similar to Darwin.

*How did Wallace influence Darwin? What was his theory?*

Nature is powerful; Nature creates...

*How did the Fuegians impact Darwin's thinking?*

1. The earth changes over time. Could life (on earth) change as well? 2. Life would need a long time to change. Geology ---> an ancient earth (Hutton/Lyell).

*How did the study of geology impact Darwin's thinking about life?*

The islands move 2-3 inches a year and have moved 30 feet since the time of Darwin.

*How fast do the islands move? And how far have they shifted since the time of Darwin?*

The feral goats were being killed. The feral goats were eating vegetation. The current solution isn't quite the correct way to deal with the problem.

*How is the feral goat situation being handled? Why is it a problem? And is the current solution the correct way to deal with the problem?*

The origin of life on the Galapagos can be traced back to when four ocean currents emerged. Madagascar broke away from Africa. Life had to get to the Galapagos, but life was already on Africa.

*How is the origin of life on the Galapagos different from life on Madagascar? Both are islands...*

26.

*How old was Darwin when he was in the Galapagos Islands?*

Some islands emerged later in time because of tectonic plates.

*If all the islands emerged from the same 'hot spot' why are they of different ages?*

Knowing that Earth could change over time helped Darwin believe that life might change as well. Knowing that Earth was very old assured Darwin that there had been enough time for life to change.

*In what two ways did an understanding of geology influence Darwin?*

1859.

*In what year was "The Origin of Species" published?*

True.

*Is the following sentence true or false? Darwin was looking for a scientific explanation for the diversity of life on Earth.*

True.

*Is the following sentence true or false? Lamarck proposed that all organisms have an innate tendency toward complexity and perfection.*

True.

*Is the following sentence true or false? Lamarck was among the first scientists to recognize that living things have changed over time.*

False.

*Is the following sentence true or false? The overwhelming majority of a species' offspring survive.*

False.

*Is the following sentence true or false? When Darwin returned to England, he rushed to publish his thoughts about evolution.*

History of change.

*Life has a...*

Descended from ancestral species.

*Organisms living on earth today...*

It has pulled away from the hot spot and the volcanoes have been swallowed up by an abundance of rich, diverse life.

*Santa Cruz island is forested and has an abundance of rich, diverse life. Why?*

Certain temperature water can bring certain life in the water and onto the land.

*Several ocean currents converge at the Galapagos Islands. How does that affect the climate of the Galapagos Islands?*

Alfred Russel Wallace.

*The naturalist whose essay gave Darwin an incentive to publish his own work was who?*

Fossils.

*The preserved remains of ancient organisms are called what?*

Evolution.

*The process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms is called what?*

To eat certain foods not available to them on the ground. Also, so that undergrowth doesn't snag them.

*Tortoise shells differ from island to island. Why?*

False.

*True or False:* Darwin bred finches in the backyard of his house in England.

False.

*True or False:* Darwin published his book 'On the Origin of Species' the same year he arrived home to England after his voyage on the Beagle.

False.

*True or False:* Darwin spent 5 months investigating and exploring the Galápagos Islands.

False.

*True or False:* Darwin was 42 years old when he began the voyage on the Beagle.

True.

*True or False:* Darwin's voyage on the Beagle lasted five years and took him around the world.

False.

*True or False:* No invasive species can be found today on the Galápagos Islands.

True.

*True or False:* Not all Galápagos tortoises have the same shell shape; some have a dome-shaped shell while others have a saddle-back shaped shell.

False.

*True or False:* On his journey on the Beagle, most of the organisms that Darwin observed were poorly suited to the environment in which they lived.

False.

*True or False:* Since the Galápagos Islands are geographically close to one another, they all have similar, if not identical, climates and living conditions.

False.

*True or False:* The Galápagos Islands were once attached to the South American continent; at some point in the past they broke away from South America and drifted away, and are now approximately 600 miles west of the South American continent.

False.

*True or False:* The mockingbirds Darwin collected from these islands all looked the same.

False.

*True or False:* While traveling throughout the Galápagos Islands, Darwin discovered the skeletal remains of a giant sloth and a creature that resembled an armadillo.

James Hutton and Charles Lyell.

*Two scientists who helped Darwin and others recognize how old Earth is were whom?*

There were remnants of a pelvis; hind limbs. Movement of the blowhole began to shift backwards over time.

*Whales are thought to be descendants of land dwelling ancestors. Why?*

Nasal glands that sneeze salt out.

*What 'special glands' are found on marine iguanas?*

The island was being torn apart by feral goats.

*What are the current threats to the Galapagos Islands?*

A. An enormous number of species inhabit Earth. B. Some species that lived in the past no longer live on Earth.

*What are two observations that Darwin made?*

1. Because it was in the correct fossil record layer. 2. It had bones like a tetrapod and had parts of a fish.

*What are two reasons Tiktaalik is thought to be a transitional fossil?*

1. Genetic variation. 2. Overproduction of offspring. 3. Struggle for existence. 4. Differential survival and reproduction.

*What did Darwin mean by natural selection?*

Finch characteristics of birds from different islands of the Galápagos varied considerably.

*What did Darwin observe in regard to the finches?*

They typically dove into large bodies of water to eat seaweed.

*What did Darwin observe in regard to the marine iguana?*

He could tell what island they came from based on their shells.

*What did Darwin observe in regard to the tortoises?*

Darwin thought about how the characteristics of many animals and plants, including mockingbirds and tortoises, varied noticeably among the different islands of the Galápagos.

*What did Darwin think about on his journey home to England?*

Salty Lightfoot Crabs groom marine iguanas while Galapagos Lava Lizards rid sealions of flies.

*What do Sally Lightfoot Crabs and Galapagos Lava Lizards have in common?*

A. Layers of rock are moved by forces beneath Earth's surface. B. Most geological processes operate extremely slowly.

*What idea(s) was(were) proposed by James Hutton?*

There are BIRD characteristics - feathers, bird-like beak, wishbone. There are REPTILE characteristics - teeth, long/bony tail, claws.

*What is Archaeopteryx?*

Similar to existing sloths - but not identical to existing sloths.

*What is Megatherium?*

They were similar to but not identical to currently living organisms.

*What is a glyptodon?*

Descent with Modification which basically means that new species originate from older species.

*What is the main idea of "The Origin of Species?"*

A lot of life is on the island despite it being volcanic.

*What is the significance of the Galapagos being volcanic - in terms of what life is there and what life is not there?*

A. It contained evidence for evolution. B. It described natural selection.

*What is true about Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species"?*

A. His work explained how awesome geological features could be built up or torn down over long periods of time. B. His publications helped Darwin appreciate the significance of the geological phenomena that he had observed. C. He stressed that scientists must explain past events in terms of processes that they can actually observe.

*What is true about Lyell's work?*

A. He was an important influence on Darwin. B. He believed that war, famine, and disease limit the growth of populations.

*What is true about Thomas Malthus?*

The earth changes slowly in a uniform way.

*What is uniformitarianism?*

Galápagos Islands.

*What island is outlined in a red box on the map?*

Animal characteristics varied from island to island.

*What pattern did Darwin observe among organisms of the Galápagos Islands?*

A. He was born in 1809. B. He was an English naturalist. C. The voyage lasted five years and took him around the world.

*What three things are true about Charles Darwin?*

Variation Under Domestication.

*What was Darwin's first argument?*

Variation Under Nature.

*What was Darwin's second argument?*

Fossil Record.

*What was Darwin's third argument?*

Feathered Dinosaur.

*What was discovered between reptiles and birds in the fossil record?*

Each of the islands had mockingbirds with different feathers and beaks. He could tell what island each of the mockingbirds came from.

*What's the biological significance of the mockingbirds Darwin collected?*

The fossils that he found differ from the species that we see today. Therefore, we can conclude that's it's possible that the fossils changed into what we see today.

*What's the significance of the fossils Darwin found in South America?*

600 miles off of the coast of South America.

*Where are the Galápagos Islands?*

The East.

*Where are the oldest islands in the Galapagos?*

The West.

*Where are the youngest islands in the Galapagos?*

1. Because it had a transitional jaw and ear bone. 2. It was found in the right layer.

*Why are mammal-like reptiles thought to be transitional between reptiles and mammals?*

1. It was transitional. 2. It was discovered in 1861.

*Why did Archaeopteryx hasten the acceptance of evolutionary theory?*

It was in between a mammal and a whale because it had fish-like bones and hip bones that come from mammals.

*Why is Rhodocetus thought to be a transitional fossil in the evolution of whales?*

Adapted to their environments.

*Why/How did Lamarck's incorrect theory influence Darwin? He realized organisms are what?*

Annie.

She was Darwin's daughter who died at the age of 10.

Emma.

She was Darwin's wife.

Jenny.

She was the orangutan in the London zoo who Darwin studied in some depth.

Fuegia.

She was the tribal girl brought back to England from South America - in an attempt to 'civilize' her.

Etty.

She was the younger daughter of Darwin.