Biology Quiz: Evolution and Natural Selection

Study Notes

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution." - Theodosius Dobzhansky
Descent with modification is the concept that species change over time through small variations that accumulate and lead to new species.

Each species was uniquely created for its niche.
Species are unchanging, so they have no history.
Species are parallel to each other, with no particular relationship.
Species are perfect images in the mind of the Creator, but gather imperfections when put in physical form on Earth.
Variation is imperfection.

Amassed evidence supporting the observable pattern that species change over time, establishing it as a law (fact of evolution).
Developed a mechanism to explain why species change over time and diverge, creating the wide diversity of life (theory of evolution - natural selection).
Embarked on a five-year journey around the world on the HMS Beagle at age 22.
Noted that species on islands are similar, but with differences that enable them to survive in their specific habitats.

Fossils of extinct species were found in different geological strata.
The magnitude of difference between organisms increases as the distance between their strata increases.
Transitional fossils exist between fish and amphibians.
Fossil species are found that exhibit traits of two taxonomic groups.

The study of the geographical distribution of species.
Species don't live everywhere they can.
Species on islands resemble species on the nearest mainland, even if the mainland has very different habitat.
Species in an area resemble one another, even if the area has a wide variety of habitats.

Homologous structures have the same underlying form but different functions.
Vestigial structures resemble functional structures found in other groups, but are non-functional, smaller in size, and reduced in complexity.

The early stages of species tend to look similar, even though they look very different as adults.
Homologous structures follow the same developmental path, even though they look quite different in the end.

Descent with modification explains why species fall into groups based on shared similarities.
Descent with modification explains why groups are hierarchical and inclusive.

All organisms have the same DNA structure.
Nearly all organisms use the same genetic code.
All organisms use the same method of DNA replication.
Eukaryotes partition their chromosomes before cytokinesis through the shared process of mitosis.
All cells use similar sensing and signaling systems.
There are many orthologous genes shared by a variety of widely different species.

Can be found in every area of biology: fossil record, biogeography, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, taxonomy and systematics, and molecular biology.