Skills Worksheet Section Review Change Over Time UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS 1. Describing What are three lines of evidence that support the theory of evolution? 2. Summarizing What evidence about the ancestors of whales do fossils provide? 3. Describing How does comparative anatomy support the idea that organisms share ancestors? CRITICAL THINKING 4. Making Comparisons Name some ways in which whales differ from fishes. 5. Forming Hypotheses Is a person s DNA likely to be more similar to the DNA of his or her biological parents or to the DNA of one of his or her first cousins? Explain your answer. Holt California Life Science 37 The Evolution of Living Things
Name Class Date 6. Evaluating Data A poodle and a wolf have similar physical characteristics. In addition, by using current DNA technology, scientists have learned that the DNA of a poodle is similar to the DNA of a wolf. Describe how DNA technology can be used to support the theory that poodles and wolves share a common ancestor. 7. Making Comparisons Modern whales share many similarities with the animals that are thought to be their ancestors. However, whales also differ from their ancestors. Name three or more adaptations that whales have for living in water. INTERPRETING GRAPHICS Use the diagram of rock layers below to answer the next question. A B C 8. Making Inferences The diagram shows the layers of sedimentary rock exposed during the construction of a road. Imagine that a species that lived 200 million years ago is found in layer b. Would the ancestor of the species, which lived 250 million years ago, most likely be found in layer a or in layer c? Explain your answer. Holt California Life Science 38 The Evolution of Living Things
CHALLENGE 9. Forming Hypotheses You are drawing a branching diagram that shows the relationships between cows, horses, and zebras. Which two organisms would you indicate as having the closest common ancestor? Explain your answer. Holt California Life Science 39 The Evolution of Living Things
Skills Worksheet Section Review How Does Evolution Happen? USING VOCABULARY 1. Write an original definition for trait. UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS 2. Describing Describe Darwin s observations about the finches on the Galápagos Islands. 3. Describing Describe the four parts of Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection. 4. Identifying What ideas from geology influenced Darwin? CRITICAL THINKING 5. Identifying Relationships Summarize Malthus s ideas about population. How did Darwin relate Malthus s ideas to evolution by natural selection? Holt California Life Science 40 The Evolution of Living Things
6. Evaluating Assumptions Explain overproduction in natural selection. Can a species that reproduces at a slow rate, such as a whale that produces one offspring every six years, still overproduce? 7. Analyzing Processes How did Darwin use scientific methods, such as making observations, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions, before presenting his ideas on the theory of evolution by natural selection? 8. Making Comparisons How are selective breeding and natural selection similar? How are they different? CHALLENGE 9. Identifying Relationships Although both Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel lived during the same time period, Darwin was unaware of Mendel s work. How do Mendel s ideas about the inheritance of traits relate to Darwin s theory of evolution by natural selection? Holt California Life Science 41 The Evolution of Living Things
Skills Worksheet Section Review Natural Selection in Action USING VOCABULARY 1. Write an original definition for genetic variation. UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS 2. Describing Describe how the introduction of a new predator can cause a species to go extinct. 3. Identifying What environmental factors may affect an organism that lives on a rocky beach? 4. Describing Describe how new species of Galápagos finches may have formed. 5. Describing Explain how genetic variation and environmental factors affect evolution by natural selection. Holt California Life Science 42 The Evolution of Living Things
CRITICAL THINKING 6. Forming Hypotheses Suppose that the distance between some islands is small enough for birds to fly frequently between all of the islands. Is this situation likely to lead to speciation? Explain. 7. Making Inferences Mass extinctions are periods in Earth s history when many species have become extinct. Some evidence suggests that major environmental changes occurred during mass extinctions. Explain how changes in the environment could be related to mass extinctions. CHALLENGE 8. Forming Hypotheses When dinosaurs were alive, most of the mammals were small. After the dinosaurs became extinct, mammals evolved into many different forms, such as cats and elephants. Explain how the extinction of dinosaurs may be related to the increase in the number of species of mammals. Holt California Life Science 43 The Evolution of Living Things