U9 Evolution & Natural Selection

Front

What traits were selected for in whale ancestors?

Back

Traits that helped them move in water.

Front

What are body parts that function like each other, but are different in structure and NOT shared by a common ancestor?

Back

Analogous structures.

Front

What most likely caused the finches on the Galapagos Islands to have beaks that were different from the finches on the mainland?

Back

There were different food types on each island.

Front

What are body parts of organisms that are the same in structure and position but different in function and shared by a common ancestor?

Back

Homologous structures.

Front

What do closely related organisms have in common regarding their DNA?

Back

Very similar DNA sequences.

Front

What is natural selection?

Back

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Front

What is the significance of vestigial structures in evolution?

Back

They are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor.

Front

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Back

Homologous structures share a common ancestor but have different functions; analogous structures have different structures but similar functions.

Front

What role does genetic variation play in evolution?

Back

Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon.

Front

What is adaptive radiation?

Back

The process by which organisms diversify rapidly into a variety of forms to adapt to different environments.