Biology IHChapter 15 Reading Guide

Name _________________________________ Assignment # ___________

Chapter VocabularyStudy the definitions for each of the following words by preparing flash cards with the word on one side and a context sentence on the reverse side.

artificial selectionnatural selectionevolutionancestral traitderived trait

homologous structureanalogous structurevestigial structureembryobiogeography

camouflagemimicryfitnessfossil

15.1 Darwin’s Theory1. In 1832 most people believed the world was about ________________ years old and that

animals and plants were ______________________.

2. During his voyage, Darwin read a book titled _______________________________ written

by Charles Lyell.

3. This book proposed that the Earth was __________________________________________.

4. How did Lyell’s book influence Darwin’s thought? __________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

5. Summarize Darwin’s observations made in his research on the Galápagos Islands.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

6. After his return from the Galapagos, Darwin hypothesized that a new species could appear

______________________________.

7. Darwin also read an essay by Thomas Malthus that greatly influenced his thinking. In this

essay, Malthus that suggested that ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

8. This led Darwin to propose his theory of ____________________ __________________ as

the mechanism whereby new species appear.

9. List the four principles of natural selection.

1) ________________________________________________________________________

2) ________________________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________________________

4) ________________________________________________________________________

10. What does the term evolution mean to biologists? ________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

11. Compare and contrast the terms natural selection and artificial selection.

Similarity __________________________________________________________________

Difference__________________________________________________________________

15.2 Evidence for Evolution

1. List 5 the categories of evidence for evolution.

1) ___________________________________________

2) ___________________________________________

3) ___________________________________________

4) ___________________________________________

5) ___________________________________________

2. How does the fossil record provide evidence for evolution? ___________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

3. The structures shown above are considered to be ________________________ structures

because ___________________________________________________________________

Chapter 15 Reading Guide 2

4. What are analogous structures? ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

5. How do homologous and analogous structures differ?

__________________________________________________________________________

6. The structures indicated by the arrows in the above illustrations are called

_____________________ structures because ___________________________________.

7. List three other examples of such structures:

1) ___________________________________________

2) ___________________________________________

3) ___________________________________________

8. How does comparative embryology suggest evolutionary relationships?

__________________________________________________________________________

9. Comparative biochemistry also shows common ancestry. Look at Figure 15.9 in your text.

Would the cytochrome c of a reptile of a duck be expected to have more amino acid

differences when compared with that of a human? ___________ Explain your answer

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 15 Reading Guide 3

10. How do DNA and RNA demonstrate a similar biochemical pattern? ____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

11. Define the term biogeography. __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

12. What is an adaptation? _______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

13. How do organisms “adapt” to an environment. (e.g., can individuals evolve?) _____________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

14. What is meant by the term “fitness?” _____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

15. How do mimicry and camouflage increase the fitness of a species? _____________________

__________________________________________________________________________

16. How might an albino of a species that is normally green and lives among leaves, be less fit?”

__________________________________________________________________________

17. From your experience and personal observations, list three adaptations each for animals

and plants that increase their fitness:

Animals

1) ______________________________________________________

2) ______________________________________________________

3) ______________________________________________________

Plants

1) _____________________________________________________

2) _____________________________________________________

3) _____________________________________________________

Chapter 15 Reading Guide 4