Final 2012 - Modern Biology Ch. 15 Set 1
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21 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Evolution | Development of new types of organisms from preexisting types of organisms over time |
| Strata | layers of rock |
| Natural selection | a natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment |
| Adaptation | a trait that makes an individual successful in their environment, such as thick fur in cold climates |
| Fitness | Measure of an individual's hereditary contribution to the next generation |
| Acclimatization | the act of getting accustomed to a new climate or environment |
| Fossil | Remains or traces of an organism that dies long ago |
| Superposition | a principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed |
| Relative age | age of one fossil compared to another |
| Absolute age | time since formation |
| radiometric dating | Using a radioactive process to determine the age of an item |
| Biogeography | The study of the locations of organisms around the world |
| homologous structure | structures that have different mature forms in different organisms but develop from the most recent common ancestor of a species |
| analogous structure | structures that do not have a common ancestor but are similar in function |
| Vestigial structure | parts of an organism that are no longer functioning and do not affect survival |
| phylogeny | relationships by ancestry among groups of organisms |
| Convergent evolution | process by which different species evolve similar traits |
| Divergent evolution | process by which descendants of a single ancestor diversify into species that fit different parts of the environment |
| Adaptive radiation | when a new population in a new environment undergo divergent evolution until the population fills many parts of the environment |
| Artificial selection | when human breeder chooses individuals that will parent next generation |
| Coevolution | When two or more species have evolved adaptations to each others influence |
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