evolution and natural selection

• what is the definition of evolution

  the process by which phenotypes change within populations and new species are formed over a long period of time
• what is Darwin's theory of evolution

  natural selection
• What is natural selection?

  The idea that the fittest survive and pass along their traits to their offspring.
• why will variation occur

  due to mutations and genetic variation
• what is overproduction


  More offspring than environment can support
• what will cause some animals to struggle for survival

  competition
• what types of animals are favoured in natural selection

  ones that have a selective advantage
• what will natural selection hinder

  the transmission of negative alleles
• what is the first stage of natural selections

  variation within a population will arise due to mutations
• what is meant by carrying capacity

  the largest population that an environment can support over a long period of time
• why is competition in a population good

  it prompts the transmission of good allele with selective advantages and the death of those with bad alleles
• what is meant by survival of the fittest

  the fit survive to reproduce
• what will happen to those animals with selective advantages as they keep on reproducing

  the frequency of the advantageous alleles will increase
• after generations and long periods of time what will happen due to natural selection

  the initial organism will charge so much that a new species is formed