Charles Darwin The Theory of Natural Selection

to medical school
Study to be a clergy man
Finally became a

naturalist

Who was Charles Darwin?

as naturalist aboard the H.M.S. Beagle which was a ship

that was on a British science expedition traveling around the world.
In South America Darwin found fossils of extinct animals that were similar to modern species.
On the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean he noticed many variations among plants and animals of the same general type as those in South America.
The expedition visited places around the world, and Darwin studied plants and animals everywhere he went, collecting specimens for further study.
Darwin studied the specimens he collected on his journey on the H.M.S. Beagle for many years and reviewed the journals of observations from his trip to develop his “Theory of Natural Selection”.

survival are the ones that are chosen for reproduction. Only

those organisms that reproduce pass on their traits.

their environment are the ones that survive and reproduce.
More young

are produced than can survive.

Organisms compete for needed resources.

Variations are passed from parents to offspring.

Only those organisms that reproduce pass traits to the next generation.

Major Points of Natural Selection

type of adaptation organisms have are structural adaptations. A structural

adaptation is a body structure that enables the animal to perform specific functions.
Camouflage is a structural adaptation that enables an animal to blend with its surroundings.

are mated to produce offspring with the desired traits of

both parents. The desired traits are produced by the combination of genetic material that the offspring inherit from both of their parents.