Evolutionary Theory Online Quiz

Darwin's theory of natural selection is supported by a vast array of evidence from genetics, paleontology, and comparative anatomy. Lamarck's theory of acquired characteristics has been disproven by our understanding of genetics.

Homologous structures are traits inherited from a common ancestor. They may serve different functions in different species but share a similar underlying anatomical structure.

Artificial selection is the process by which humans breed plants or animals for specific, desirable traits. This is distinct from natural selection, where the environment dictates survival.

Vestigial structures are anatomical features that have lost most or all of their original function through evolution. They are remnants of structures that were functional in ancestors.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed the theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics, which suggested that organisms could change their physical traits during their lifetime through use or disuse and pass those changes to offspring.

Divergent evolution occurs when two or more species share a common ancestor but evolve different traits over time due to different environmental pressures.

Phylogeny is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Charles Darwin is the scientist most famously associated with the concept of descent with modification from a common ancestor, as detailed in his work 'On the Origin of Species'.

Convergent evolution is the process where unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

Evolution is defined as the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Both Lamarck and Darwin recognized that species change over time, though they differed significantly in their proposed mechanisms for how that change occurs.

Analogous structures perform similar functions but do not share a common evolutionary origin. They are the result of convergent evolution.

An adaptation is a trait that has evolved through natural selection to help an organism survive and reproduce in its specific environment.

Charles Darwin is the primary scientist credited with the theory of natural selection, which explains how populations evolve over time.

Natural selection is the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics posited that traits developed during an organism's life could be passed on to its offspring.

Coevolution occurs when two or more species reciprocally affect each other's evolution, such as a predator and its prey, or a flower and its pollinator.

Fossils are the preserved remains, impressions, or traces of organisms from the past, providing a record of life on Earth.