Summary

Life is created and altered through evolution throughout years. Five processes are covered within the video: population, mating, mutation, movement and natural selection. Also covered is the way each of these types of processes impact future species and areas.

Key Questions

Have you ever wondered why people have different features, such as different coloured hair?

Would you like to know the different ways evolution is impacted?

Have you ever been confused by the difference between natural selection and evolution?

Key Terms

Natural Selection- the process through which environmental conditions “choose” winners and losers among individuals within a population, allowing the winners to reproduce and eventually dominate that environment.

Evolution- When the genetic makeup of a species changes over time, altering the characteristics of that species.

Microevolution- a small change within the genetic makeup

Loose Ends

When talking about natural selection and evolution, it is common to see phrases like “species must adapt to their surroundings.” This phrase is misleading because it sounds as though adapting is something the species is choosing to do. In fact, that decision is being made for that species by the environment when individuals with some traits are able to thrive and reproduce to make the population more like themselves, and individuals without those traits come to represent less and less of that population.

Gene flow is the process of species moving in and out of the same area, changing the gene pool within the contained area.

Self-Test Questions