Chapter 15 Darwin's Theory of Evolution
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14 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Evolution | change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms |
| Theory | well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations |
| Fossil | preserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism |
| Natural Variation | differences among individuals of a species |
| Artificial Selection | selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms |
| Adaption | inherited characteristic that increases an organisms chance of survival |
| Survival of the Fittest | process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called natural selection |
| Natural Selection | process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest |
| Descent with Modification | principle that each living species has descended, with changes, from other species over time |
| Common Descent | principle that all living things have a common ancestor |
| Homologous Structure | structures that have different mature forms in different organisms but develop from the same embryonic tissues |
| Vestigal Organ | organ that serves no useful function in a organism |
| Struggle for Existance | compitition among members of a species for food, living space, and the other necessities of life |
| Fitness | ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment |
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