13 Questions
What is the smallest biological unit that can evolve over time?
population
What is the term for the evolution of similar traits due to similar environmental pressures rather than a common ancestor?
convergent evolution
What is the term for the differential contribution of offspring to the next generation by various genetic types belonging to the same population. The mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin.
natural selection
What is the term for any gradual change; most often refers to organic or Darwinian evolution, which is the genetic and resulting phenotypic change in populations of organisms from generation to generation.
evolution
What is the term for a structure in an organism that has lost all or most of its original function such as the human appendix or a snake's pelvic girdle bones?
vestigial structures
Which scientist was responsible for the incorrect theory which suggests that individuals who acquire characteristics during their lifetime can pass these acquired characteristics on to their offspring? For example, a giraffe might permanently stretch out and lengthen his neck from spending a lot of time reaching for higher leaves during its lifetime. The incorrect theory of which scientist suggests that the giraffe's stretched-out neck can be passed on to his offspring?
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Which scientist independently developed a theory similar to Darwin's theory of natural selection?
Alfred R. Wallace
Which scientist wrote, "On the Origin of the Species"?
Charles Darwin
How did the scientists James Hutton & Charles Lyell contribute to Darwin's thinking on evolution?
They noted how geological landscapes transform over time; the accumulation of tiny changes results in big changes to the landscape
How did Georges Cuvier contribute to Darwin's understanding of evolution?
He noted that fossil layers show that some fossils appear & disappear from one layer to the next
What 3 word phrase describes natural selection?
differential reproductive success
What is the term for the understanding and application of the mechanisms of evolutionary change to biological problems?
evolutionary theory
What 3 word phrase describes organic evolution?
descent with modification
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