STAAR Year Review Part 2
Theory of Evolution- the change in a __________ over time. (not a change in individuals!)
Mechanisms of Evolution- How does evolution happen?
 ________ _________: a gradual process where traits become more or less common in a
population. “Survival of the fittest” fittest- does not mean fastest or strongest. It means the one
who had the most offspring.(know the three types, stabilizing selection, directional selections,
disruptive selection)

_________: change in a gene; alteration of a nucleotide sequence
 Migration: Movement of some individuals to another population
 Genetic Drift: some individuals may by chance and not because of “fitness” leave more
descendants and therefore pass on their genes.
Evidence for Evolution- The different type of support for the theory of evolution.
1. _______ ________- buried animal and plant remains become fossilized in different layers
of sedimentary rock.
Newest fossils
Oldest fossils
2. _____________-Fossils and certain species are found in similar areas along lines where
continents divided. Which is evidence for Pangea.
STAAR Year Review Part 2
3. Homologies- root word “homo” means same. Having the following things in common is
evidence of a common ____________.
a. Anatomical: similar body structure
i. ___________ structures: structures from one creature are similar to that of
another, evidence for common ancestry.
Ex: Human arm and bat wing 
ii. Analogous structure: Look similar but do
not provide evidence for common
ancestry. These traits have been
developed because of adaptation to
similar environments.
iii. __________ Structure: organs in the
body that have no purpose but were used
a previous ancestor. Ex: hip bone on a
snake.
by
b. Molecular- Comparing segments of DNA . The more nitrogenous bases the two
species have in common, the more closely related they are. The more nitrogenous bases
are different, the more distantly related the organisms are.
c. Developmental: (Embryology) The study of vertebrate organisms at the embryonic
stage of life. They follow the same steps of development.
Taxonomy- the classification of all living organisms on the basis of what they have in common.
Domain
Kingdom
Phyllum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Doctor
King
Phillip
Came
Over
For
Good
Soup
Most broad/ general
Most specific
STAAR Year Review Part 2
Ex: If you are in the same genus as another organism you are in all the other classifications
above genus. (domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family)
However, you would not necessarily be in the same classifications below genus. (species)
The Six Kingdoms
STAAR Year Review Part 2
Kingdom Plantae:
 __________- an organism that creates organic compounds (glucose, food) from inorganic
compounds (Carbon dioxide, water, sunlight).
 Reproductive system of a plant:
o
 Vascular Transport system of a plant:
o _______: Moves water up. From the roots to the rest of the plant.
o _______: Moves sugar that is produced in the leaves down throughout the rest of the
plant
 Response (Stimuli) system of a plant:
o __________: Downward growth of the roots showing positive geotropism. The
upward growth of the stem showing negative geotropism.
o __________: The movement of a plant towards a light source.
o __________: The response of a plant to touch. Ex: venus flytrap
_______________- In plants only. Converts radiant energy (sun) into chemical energy (food) Occurs
in the chloroplast or in the chlorophyll of cells with no membrane bound organelles.
STAAR Year Review Part 2
_________ _________- A process done by both animals and plants. Where chemical energy
(food) is converted into usable energy for the organism (ATP). Occurs in the mitochondria.
Ecological Succession-