Name: ____________________ Date: ____________ Section: _______

Evolution Review Worksheet

Early Ideas about Evolution and Darwin’s Observations

1. What do scientists call the process of biological change, by which descendants come to
differ from their ancestors?_________________________________________________

2. A horse and a donkey can produce a mule, therefore horses and donkeys are of the same
species.
Circle one: True or False
Explain your answer:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. For the following choose either: VARIATION or ADAPTATION

a. ______________________ The difference in the physical traits of an individual from

those of other individuals in the group to which it belongs.

b. ______________________ A feature that allows an organism to better survive in its

environment.

c. ______________________ A tortoise population lives in an area with tall grass. These

tortoises have longer necks than tortoises that live in other areas. Having a long neck is
an example of this.

d. ______________________ One fish in a population has slightly darker scales than its
relatives. The difference in color of scales is an example of this.

4. What observations did Darwin notice between the finches on Equator and those on the
different islands of the Galapagos?

________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
The Theory of Natural Section

5. Fill in the blanks: Artificial selection is where certain traits are manipulated by
______________________, while in natural selection, _____________________ is the
selective agent.

6. Natural selection explains how evolution can occur. Match the 4 main principles of
natural selection with the correct definition: Variation Overproduction Adaptation
Descent with Modification

a. __________________________ Producing many offspring, some of which may not

survive.

b. __________________________ Heritable differences that make an individual unique.

c. __________________________ An advantageous trait; one well-suited for the

environment.

d. __________________________ A heritable, advantageous, trait becoming more

common in a
population.

7. Circle one: Natural selection acts on existing traits or Natural Selection works directly on
DNA

8. Complete the sentence: In biology, an organism is said to have a high fitness if...
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

9. Fill in the blanks: Sexual selection occurs when certain traits increase mating success.
_________________________ selection involves fighting (competition) among males for a
female, whereas ________________________ selection involves males displaying traits to
impress females.

10. What are the 5 factors that can lead to evolution?

a. _________________________________

b. _________________________________
c. _________________________________

d. _________________________________

e. _________________________________

Evidence for Evolution

11. Match the type of evidence to its description.

Fossils Geography Embryology Anatomy Biochemical

a. _____________________ Different organisms share similar structures that have very

different functions, or have remnants of structures/organs that had a function in the past.

b. _____________________ In DNA sequencing, the more closely related two organisms

are, the more similar their DNA.

c. _____________________ Fossil organisms found in bottom (older) layers are more

primitive than those in the upper (newer) layers; often times, these extinct fossils
resembled modern life.

d. _____________________ During the early stages of life, embryos of very different

organisms appear to be very similar. As they continue to develop, they become
increasingly different.

e. _____________________ Different habitats favor different traits and can establish

separate populations that have a common ancestor.

12. Which types of structures in organisms have evolved separately and are NOT evidence of a
common ancestor? __________________________________ (hint: wings of a bat and of a fly
would be an example of this)

Speciation through Isolation

13. Define: Gene Flow ______________________________________________________

14. Name the three barriers than can isolate populations & list an example of this barrier:
a.____________________________________________________

b.____________________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________________
 15. Fill in the blanks with the words below:
Speciation Environment Gene Flow Mutation Species Mate Genetic Drift

Two populations are said to be isolated if there is no longer any

____________________________ between them. Over generations, the members of
isolated populations may become more and more different. Isolated populations may
become genetically different as those that are better adapted to the new
________________________, survive and reproduce. Random processes such as
mutations & _______________________ can also affect evolution. When members of
two isolated populations can no longer successfully __________________, the
populations are said to be reproductively isolated. Reproductive isolation is the final step
prior to ___________________________, which is the evolution of a new
_________________________.

Patterns in Evolution

16. Describe convergent evolution using an example. Would structures in this example be
homologous or analogous?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

17. Describe divergent evolution using an example. Would structures in this example be
homologous or analogous?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

18. In the table below, fill in the spaces about the two ways in which species can co-evolve.
Type of Coevolution How it works Example
Beneficial Relationship
 Evolutionary Arms Race


19. Mammal evolution exploded after the age of dinosaurs. This rapid period of growth was
followed by a slow period of speciation. Circle the letter of the TWO patterns that explain this.
a. Convergent evolution e. Mass extinction

b. Divergent evolution f. Punctuated equilibrium

c. Adaptive radiation g. Gradualism

d. Coevolution h. Background extinction

20. Match the correct term to the proper hypothesis:

Ribozymes Miller-Urey Iron-sulfide bubbles Meteorite Endosymbiosis

Lipid Membrane

a. ________________ Demonstrated organic compounds could be made by passing electrical

current (simulate lightening) through a closed system that held a mixtures of gases (early
atmosphere).

b. _________________ Amino acids may have arrived on Earth through meteorite/asteroid

impacts.

c. _________________ A relationship in which one organism lives within the body of another,
and
both organisms benefit from the relationship.

d. __________________ Biological molecules combined in compartments of chimney like

structures
on the ocean floor. The compartments acted as the first cell membranes.

e. __________________ Lipid spheres, or liposomes, could form around a variety of organic

molecules, acting as early cell membranes.

f. ___________________ RNA molecules that can catalyze specific chemical reactions without
the use of additional enzymes. May have been the first genetic material of cells.