+ Evidence and Examples of Evolution Chapter

+ Evolution By Natural Selection Charles Darwin: Sailed around the world on the HMS Beagle in Found evidence on the Galapagos Islands that species evolved. Ex. Finch Population (Individuals of a species that lives together) Published his ideas in 1859 “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”

+ Evidence of Evolution Fossil Records: Provide an actual record of Earth’s past life-forms Paleontologists: Scientists who study fossils Ex. Whale Evolution: In 1990, fossilized remains of two whale ancestors provides new evidence that whales evolved from four-legged land mammals.

+ Evidence of Evolution Cont. Molecular Biology Record: Proteins: Species that shared a common ancestor (Ex. Human & Gorilla) have few amino acid sequence differences. Nucleic Acids: By comparing the exact nucleotide sequence of genes, scientists see the changes that have taken place in a gene since 2 species diverged from a common ancestor

+ Evidence of Evolution Cont. Anatomy and Development: Vestigial Structures: Structures reduced in size and function Ex. Human Tailbone Homologous Structures: Structures that share a common ancestry.

+ Examples of Evolution Natural selection changes the makeup of populations Ex. European Peppered Moth Industrial melanism: The darkening of populations of organisms over time in response to industrial pollution. Ex. Galapagos Island Finches The number of finches with different beak shapes changed by natural selection in response to the available food supply.

+ Examples of Evolution Cont. Formation of new species begins with small changes. Within populations, divergence (Accumulation of differences between groups) leads to speciation. Process by which new species form Reproductive Isolation: The inability of formerly interbreeding groups to mate or produce fertile offspring.