Natural Selection, Adaptations, and Patterns of Evolution

Praying mantis

The praying mantis has several adaptations,
like front legs that are spiked to grab onto prey
and a green/brown camouflage

Organisms that are better able to adapt to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This phenomenon is called natural selection, and it is how species to evolve over time. In this topic, you will learn more about natural selection, and how adaptations make organisms more suited for their environments. You will also explore several different patterns of evolution.

Essential Questions

  • What are the ways in which natural selection can impact how a trait appears in a species?
  • What is speciation, and how does it occur?
  • What are the different patterns of evolution?