Evolution
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22 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Adaptation | a structure, trait or behavior that improves an organism's chance of survival |
| Ancestor | an early kind of animal from which later ones have developed; a forerunner. |
| Camouflage | to hide by blending in with surroundings |
| Classification | the process of grouping things based on their similarities |
| Competition | the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources |
| Descendants | a person or animal that is descended from a specific ancestor; an offspring. |
| Evolution | the gradual change in a species over time |
| Extinction | The evolutionary termination of a species caused by the failure to reproduce and the death of all remaining members of the species |
| Fossil record | a historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layers of the Earth's crust |
| Evolutionary fitness | the probability that the line of descent from an individual with a specific trait will survive |
| Fossil | the remains (or an impression) of a plant or animal that existed in a past geological age and that has been excavated from the soil |
| Gradualism | a model of evolution in which gradual change over a long period of time leads to biological diversity |
| Homologous structures | Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry. |
| Kingdoms | a grouping system that divides organisms into 6 major categories |
| Natural selection | process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest |
| Offspring | new organisms produced by a living thing |
| Overproduction | organisms produce more offspring than can survive |
| Punctuated equilibrium | long periods of stability are interrupted by short episodes of rapid species formation |
| Species | a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring |
| Survival of the Fittest | The ones who survive are the ones best adapted to exist in their environment and to on to reproduce. |
| Theory | A well-tested concept that explains a wide range of observations. |
| Variation | Different characteristics of the individuals in any one species. |
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