The ABC’s of Evolution Danielle Donahue

Aa Adaptation: a well fitted feature that aids in the survival of a population Example: the blind cave salamander has no use for eyes because they live in complete darkness

Bb Batesian Mimicry: a type of adaptation that aids in the survival of harmless species by evolving to resemble dangerous species

Cc Charles Darwin: in 1859 published On the Origin of Species, where he defined evolutionary theory. He said all species descended from a common ancestor

Dd Descent with Modification: change in gene frequency over time

Ee Evolution: life originated from a common ancestor through descent with modification.

Ff Fitness: the concept that the “fittest” organisms swill survive to pass on their genes Fitness includes the ability to survive and reproduce. For example, male peacocks have elaborate feathers to attract mates and produce offspring

Gg Genetic Drift: chance changes in a population that results in a genetic shift Example: Green beetles being stepped on, results in less green beetles passing on genes (see picture)

Hh Heredity: changes in heredity result in evolution

Ii Isolating Mechanisms of reproduction: mechanisms that prevent different species from producing offspring Example: mules are hybrids of a donkey and horse but are sterile because of isolating mechanisms of reproduction

Jj Jean-Baptiste Lamarack: created the theory of Lamarckian inheritance, also known as soft inheritance

Kk Kin Selection: the evolutionary strategy of favoring a relatives reproductive success over their own Example: worker and soldier ants do not reproduce, rather they aid the reproductive success of their related queen

Ll Lamarackism: organisms pass on traits to offspring that it acquires during its lifetime. The idea was created by Jean- Baptise Lamarck Example: In Lamarackism, the giraffe is said to have a long neck because of past generations stretching their neck to reach leaves

Mm Mutation: change in DNA, that can result in evolution of species

Nn Natural Selection: traits are passed to offspring because they enhanced survival and allowed the parents to reproduce

Oo On the Origin of Species: published in 1859 by Charles Darwin where he describes the theory of evolution through natural selection

Pp Phylogeny: a representation of the pattern of relationships between species

Qq Quagga: an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra that survived until the 19 th century. This is an example of a species extinction.

Rr Rate of Evolution: the changes of evolution measured over time

Ss Survival of the fittest: the idea that fitter individuals will survive and reproduce, therefore passing their genes to future generations

Tt Taxonomy: the classification of organisms Example: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species

Uu Uniformitarianism: the theory that natural laws operate the same as they did in the past. Charles Darwin accepted and widely supported uniformitarianism.

Vv Variation: the idea that individuals in a population are genetically variable

Ww Wallace: Alfred Russel Wallace was a scientist who independently defined evolution through natural selection

Xx X Club: a dining club of scientist who supported theories of natural selection in the late 19 th century England

Yy Young Earth Creationism (YEC): is a realigous belief of Creationism that the Universe and all life were created by God

Zz Zoology: study of biology that relates and classifies the animal kingdom, including evolution of species

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