Transcript for:
Understanding Evolution and Natural Selection

EVOLUTION: What causes a specie to change (evolve)? * Variation: changes found in a species * Mutation: Random change in the DNA * Overpopulation: Overproduction of a species that can’t be contained by the environment * Competition: Fighting for resources, the best trait will win * Inheretance: Traits are passed down from parent to offspring * Environmental change: natural selection Does an environment cause a mutation? No because the mutation already existed but yes because the environment caused the mutation to spread through adaptation. Definitions: Evolution: A gradual change of a species characteristics over generations due to natural selection and environmental changes. Homologous structuresL Features found in different species that share a common evolutionary ancestor. Fossil: The preserved remains or traces of past life, typically found in sedimentary rock Embryology: Study of organisms before birth. Adaptation: An inherited trait that helps for the survival of a species Natural Selection: A process where organisms with traits best suited to the environment survive and reproduce Explain how homologous structures are used as evidence for evolution: Homologous structures show us similarities between organisms, showing that they could have a common ancestor. List three types of evidence that scientists use: 1. Comparative anatomy: fossils and homologous structures 2. Embryology 3. Molecular biology What is the role of variation in natural selection? Variation helps a specie survive with its best tait. It allows the specie to adapt and evolve.