1. Natural Selection

2. What is natural selection? Natural selection is the process by which certain individuals of a species are better adapted to the environment that they live in and are therefore more likely to survive and reproduce than other individuals.  An adaptation is a trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

3. Charles Darwin Charles Darwin was a naturalist who proposed that evolution occurred as a result of natural selection. Evolution is the gradual change over time of a species. Much of Darwin’s research came from his observations of organisms on the Galapagos Islands.

4. Survival of the fittest Natural selection is also referred to as survival of the fittest. This means only the organisms best suited or most fit for their environment will survive to reproduce.

5. Example of natural selection Galapagos finches: Darwin noted that finches of the same species had different beak structures depending on what part of the islands they lived on.  Food types varied on different islands so over time the birds beaks evolved to become better suited to the food type available to them and then passed those traits to their offspring.  The birds whose beaks did not adapt would not survive to reproduce and pass their traits to their offspring.

6. Finch beaks For example, you can imagine a bird who lives in an area with nuts as the main food source would need a thick strong beak to break the nuts open. A finch in an area with insects as the main food source would need a skinny beak to dig for and pick up insects.