Evidence for Evolution Notes

Key Points:

Anatomy- species may share similar physical features because the feature was present in a common ancestor

Molecular Biology- DNA and the genetic code reflect the shared ancestry of life

Biogeography- the global distribution of organisms and the unique features of island features reflect evolution and geological change

Fossils- document the existence of organisms now-extinct species that are related to present-day species

Macroevolution- refers to large-scale changes that occur over extended time periods, such as the formation of new species and groups

Microevolution- refers to large-scale changes that affect just one or a few genes and happen in populations over shorter timescales

these aren't different processes

Evidence for Evolution