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Natural Selection

Natural Selection. Darwin’s Breakthrough Theory. The Struggle for Existence. Darwin believed that there is a constant struggle for survival in the natural world The faster or “smarter” the predator the more likely it is to capture food

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Natural Selection

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  1. Natural Selection Darwin’s Breakthrough Theory

  2. The Struggle for Existence • Darwin believed that there is a constant struggle for survival in the natural world • The faster or “smarter” the predator the more likely it is to capture food • The better camouflaged, protected, or cunning the prey the more likely it would not be eaten

  3. Survival of the Fittest • Fitness – how well an individual is able to survive and reproduce in a specific environment • Adaptation – an inherited trait which makes an individual more fit in its environment • Darwin called this natural selection because of its similarity to artificial selection

  4. How Natural Selection Works • All populations have genetic diversity (they are not 100% identical) • If an individual is born/produced that has trait which make it more fit it then is more likely to survive and reproduce • When it reproduces there is a higher chance that the beneficial traits will be passed on to its offspring

  5. Natural Selection • Over very long periods of time this selection can lead to the entire population having the similar beneficial traits which then makes the entire population more fit • Peppered moth activity • Survival of the Sneakiest

  6. Evidence of Evolution • The fossil record • Shows the gradual change in species over LONG periods of time

  7. Geographic Distribution of Living Species • The existence of similar but different species on different continents leads to two conclusions • The species evolved from a common ancestor • The continents where once connected (Pangea)

  8. Homologous Body Structures • Structures with the same developmental origins and internal structures but are used for different things

  9. Vestigal Organs • “left over” structures from a common ancestor

  10. Similarities in Embryology • The early stages of development of animals with backbones are very similar

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