Theory of Evolution
This biological process explains how populations of organisms change over long periods of time
What is evolution?
This classification level includes organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
What is a species?
This triangular diagram shows how energy decreases as you move up through trophic levels
What is an energy pyramid?
This gas is released during cellular respiration and taken in by plants during photosynthesis
What is carbon dioxide?
This term describes the variety of species, genes, and ecosystems within a region
What is biodiversity?
This scientist developed the theory of evolution by natural selection after studying organisms on the Galápagos Islands
Who is Charles Darwin?
The system of nomenclature in which two Latin terms are used to denote a species of living organism, the first one indicating the genus and the second the species
What is binomial nomenclature?
This term describes animals that must eat other organisms for energy
What are consumers?
OR
What are heterotrophs?
Plants use this process to convert light energy, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose
What is photosynthesis?
The gradual rebuilding of an ecosystem after a disturbance—including pioneer species—describes this process
What is succession?
These structures have similar internal anatomy but may serve different functions, showing descent from a common ancestor
What is a homologous structure?
This branching diagram shows evolutionary relationships based on shared traits
What is a cladogram?
This term describes a species' role in an ecosystem, including its habits, habitat, and interactions
What is a niche?
This term describes organisms that produce their own food using sunlight or chemicals
What is an autotroph?
OR
What is a producer?
These environmental conditions—such as food, water, or space—restrict the growth of a population
What are limiting factors?
These leftover body parts, such as the human appendix, once had a function but have lost most or all of their original use
What is an analogous structure?
These long chains of nucleotides can be aligned and compared to show genetic similarity between species
What is a DNA sequence?
This occurs when organisms fight for the same limited resources, such as food or space
What is competition?
Bacteria in soil and plant roots perform this process, converting nitrogen gas into usable forms for plant
What is nitrogen fixation?
An ecosystem’s ability to recover after a disturbance is referred to as this
What is resilience?
In biology, this term refers to an organism’s ability to survive and produce fertile offspring
What is fitness?
This term describes a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants located on a separate branch of a cladogram
This term describes a close and long-term relationship between two different species
What is symbiosis?
This part of the nitrogen cycle converts nitrates back into nitrogen gas, returning it to the atmosphere
What is denitrification?
Benefits that humans receive from natural environments include clean water, pollination, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation
What are ecosystem services?