Essential Idea:
There is overwhelming evidence
for the evolution of life on earth
Understandings:
- Evolution occurs when heritable characteristics of a species change
- The fossil record provides evidence for evolution
- Selective breeding of domesticated animals shows that artificial selection can cause evolution
- Evolution of homologous structures by adaptive radiation explains similarities in structure when there are differences in function
- Populations of a species can gradually diverge into separate species by evolution
- Continuous variation across the geographical range of related populations matches the concept of gradual divergence
Applications:
- Development of melanistic insects in polluted areas
- Comparison of the pentadactyl limb of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles with different methods of locomotion