Galapagos Evolution

The Theory of Evolution

What is the Theory?

• States that species change over time

• Living things evolve in response to environmental changes

• Based on the idea that all species are related and gradually change over time

Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes the process of evolution?

• Populations can survive in different locations on earth

• Environmental conditions limit the number of species on Earth

• Populations grow when resources are abundant

• The traits of a species can change over time

Charles Darwin

• The "Father of Evolution"

• Introduced theory in his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859

• Famous work is observing finches in the Galapagos Islands

The Finches

Charles Darwin observed birds known as finches

Darwin observed that beak shape varies among finch species. He postulated that the beak of an ancestral species had adapted over time to equip the finches to acquire different food sources.

Multiple Choice

What gave Charles Darwin the idea of evolution?

• Wikipedia

• Google

• Finches in the Galapagos Islands

• A book

Multiple Choice

Charles Darwin’s observation that finches of different species on the Galápagos Islands have many similar physical characteristics supports the hypothesis that these finches...

• have the ability to interbreed

• acquired traits through use and disuse.

• descended from a common ancestor.

• all eat the same type of food.

Natural Selection

• The process where the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring

• As random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival

Mutation Effects

• Beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation

• Over time, beneficial mutations accumulate and the result is an entirely different organism

Multiple Choice

What happens to beneficial mutations over time?

• They disappear

• They accumulate

• They turn into superpowers

• They adapt

Multiple Choice

• organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring is known as:

• Mutation

• Evolution

• Natural Selection

• Extinction

Open Ended

What do you think "survival of the fittest" means?