90 What You Know So Far

Summarise what you know about this topic so far under the headings provided. You can draw diagrams or mind maps, or write short notes to organise your thoughts in preparation for the NCEA style essay question that follows. Use the points in the introduction and the hints provided to help you:

Variation, selection, and fitness HINT: What is variation and how does it arise? What is fitness and what is its significance?

Mutations HINT: What effect does mutation have on variation? Provide examples of mutations.

Natural selection HINT: Describe how natural selection acts upon phenotypic variation. Describe the three types of natural selection.