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The Living Environment . Chapter 5: Evolution. The Theory of Evolution. Key Terms Fossil record- a collection of fossils that provides clues to the history of earth’s organisms Geological time- the billions of years of earth’s history
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The Living Environment Chapter 5: Evolution
The Theory of Evolution • Key Terms • Fossil record- a collection of fossils that provides clues to the history of earth’s organisms • Geological time- the billions of years of earth’s history • Natural selection- term used by the creator of this theory, Charles Darwin, to indicate that the process of evolution is controlled by nature rather than by people
Overview of Evolution • Interactions and Evolution • A major part of the Theory of Evolution is that individual organisms interact with their environment • Conditions that are vital to the process of evolutionary change are: • Limited supply of resources needed for life • Overproduction
Overview of Evolution Continued • The genetic variation of offspring due to mutation • The selection by the environment of those offspring better able to survive and reproduce • Key Terms • Genetic variation- the unique combination of traits each organisms inherits from its parents • Adaptive value- any trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce under a given set of environmental conditions
Change • Patterns of Change • Change in species are often related to environmental change • The failure to adapt to a changing environment may result in the death of a species • Species with short reproductive cycles that produce many offspring tend to evolve quicker than those with long lifespans and low offspring