This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.
Charles Darwin
1809-1882
British naturalist
proposed the idea of evolution by natural selection |
Voyage of the HMS Beagle
travel around the world
1831-1836
made observations about the natural world
main mission was to chart South American coastline |
Unique Species of Galapagos
Galapagos birds
22 of the 29 species of birds on the Galapagos are endemic (found only on those islands)
Darwin studied the finches and their different breaks |
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The Theory of Natural Selection
variation exists in natural populations |
many more offspring are born each season than can possibly survive to maturity |
as a result, there is a struggle for existence |
characteristics beneficial in the struggle for existence will tent to become more common in the population, changing the characteristics of a species |
over time, and given a steady input of new variation into a population, these processes lead to the emergence of new species |
Mutations and Adaptations
genetic variation and mutation play roles in natural selection
a diverse gene pool is important for the survival of a species in a changing environment
an adaptation is a genetic variation that is favored by selection and is manifested as a trait that provides advantage to organisms |
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Forms of Natural Selection
predation selection |
camouflage, speed, behaviors and habits, defenses (physical and chemical) |
physiological selection |
fitness, physiology efficiency, disease resistance, protection from injury, biochemical versatility |
sexual selection |
attractiveness to potential mate, fertility of gametes, differential reproductive success |
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