Genetics
Change in a species over time; process of biological change by which descendants come to differ from their ancestors.
What is Evolution
The product of the reproductive processes of living organisms
What is offspring
Mechanism by which individuals that have inherited beneficial adaptations produce more offspring on average than other individuals.
What is Natural selection
Collection of all an organism’s physical characteristics.
What is a phenotype
A framework that chronologically organizes major events in Earth’s history by measuring the age of geologic formations (rocks).
What is Geologic Time
All of the individuals of a species that live in the same area.
What is Population
The transmission of genetic traits from parents to offspring
What is inheritance
Provides the conditions and resources necessary for an organism's development, survival, and interaction with its surroundings.
What is an Enviornment
A body part that is similar in function to a body part of another organism but is structurally different.
What are Analogous Structures
The study of the form, structure, and arrangement of an organism’s parts (physical features), both external and internal.
What is morphology
Inherited trait that is selected for over time because it allows organisms to better survive in their environment.
What is an Adaptation
The biological process by which new organisms (offspring) are produced from their parents
What is Reproduction
Measure of an organism’s ability to survive and produce offspring relative to other members of a population.
what is Fitness
A body part that is similar in structure to another organism but performs different functions.
what is a Homologous Structure
A diagram hypothesis about the evolutionary history of life, showing how different groups of organisms are related through common ancestors.
what is a Phylogenetic Tree
Change in the DNA sequence.
What is a Mutation
Differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs.
What is Genetic Variation
Organisms that have traits better adapted to environment are more successful at leaving the maximum number of offspring, ensuring the continuation of their favorable genes.
What is survival of the fittest.
Remnants of an organ or structure that functioned in an earlier ancestor.
What is a Vestigial Structure
A single species from which other species have diverged/evolved from, sharing similar traits.
Common Ancestor
Molecules that store genetic information in all organisms.
What is DNA
Specific region of DNA that codes for a particular protein.
What is a Gene
Characteristics that are inherited.
What is a trait
The evolutionary relationships between species and how anatomical features have adapted to various environments by studying the similarities and differences.
What is Comparative Anatomy
Trace of an organism from the past.
What is a fossil