A | B |
Over reproduction | Darwin's first observation |
Stays constant | What happens to the number of most populations over time (2nd observation) |
Competition | Happens when too many offspring have a limited supply of resources |
Population | A group of organisms of the same species |
Variation | Caused by both environmental and genetic differences |
Genetic | The cause of variation which can be inherited |
Mutation | The cause of new genetic variation |
Natural selection | A process which must happen if Darwin's observations are correct |
Evolution | Change in organisms over a period of time |
Environmental | Cause of variation which is not inherited |
Fossil | Evidence of an organism's preserved in rock (usually) after it has completely decomposed |
Minerals | Often replace the hard parts of animals during fossilisation |
Peppered moth | Insect often used as an example of natural selection |
Camouflaged | Dark moths on soot covered bark |
Flourescent light | Used to attract peppered moths when you want to count how many have survived |
Extinction | Happens to species which don't adapt to changes in their environment |
Species | A group of organisms which can mate to produce fertile offspring |
Charles Darwin | 19th Century scientist who worked out that natural selection could explain evolution |
Sedimentary | Type of rock which contains fossils |
Adaptation | A trait which helps an organism to survive |