Darwin’s Theory Review and Reinforce

1. Who was Charles Darwin, and what did he do on the Beagle’s Voyage? Darwin was a naturalist who developed ideas about natural selection and its effect on the evolution of a species. His ideas were iniated after a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

Evolution is defined as the gradual change over time. 2. What is evolution? Evolution is defined as the gradual change over time.

3. Explain how the shape of a finch’s beak is an example of adaptation? The varied shapes and sizes of the finch’s beak is an example of adaptation because it allows the bird to survive and reproduce by reducing competition for necessities.

4. When members of a species compete, what do they compete for? Species will compete for food, shelter, and mates.

5. What happens when species overproduce offspring? Over population within a species can be harmful or detrimental to a species because it increases competition for necessities need for survival.

6. Suppose a variation makes an individual member of a species better adapted to its environment, how might variation affect the individual’s reproduction? The better its chances of reproducing and surviving compared to a species that is not as well adapted.

7. How does the environment “select” organisms? Because those organisms that can survive in a particular environment or those that can adapt to changes will survive, reproduce, and thrive.

8. How do helpful variations accumulate in a species over time? Helpful variations/adaptations within a species help an organism survive and get passed on from generation to generation.

9. Why can only traits controlled by genes be acted upon by natural selection? Hereditary traits are affected by natural selection because these are traits that can be passed through generations of offspring.

10. Species 11. Adaptation 12. Theory 13. Natural Selection 14 10. Species 11. Adaptation 12. Theory 13. Natural Selection 14. Variation