Evolution-Natural Selection & Evidence

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What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. It is a key mechanism of evolution.

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What is a vestigial structure?

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A vestigial structure is a body part that has lost its original function through the course of evolution, such as the human appendix.

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What is a cladogram?

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A cladogram is a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on similarities and differences in their physical or genetic characteristics.

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What does homologous structure mean?

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Homologous structures are body parts in different species that have a similar structure but may serve different functions, indicating a common ancestor.

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What is an analogous structure?

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Analogous structures are body parts in different species that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry, such as the wings of birds and insects.

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What is the significance of amino acid differences in evolution?

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Amino acid differences in proteins can indicate how closely related different species are; fewer differences suggest a more recent common ancestor.

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What is the role of mutations in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in DNA that can lead to new traits in organisms, providing raw material for natural selection to act upon.

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What is adaptive radiation?

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Adaptive radiation is the process by which a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into a wide variety of forms to adapt to different environments.

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What is the difference between microevolution and macroevolution?

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Microevolution refers to small-scale changes within a species, while macroevolution involves large-scale changes that can lead to the formation of new species.

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What is the fossil record?

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The fossil record is the collection of all known fossils and their placement in chronological order, providing evidence for the history of life on Earth.