FOSSIL RECORD
These are the preserved remains or traces of once-living organisms.
What are fossils?
This is the process where individuals with helpful traits survive and reproduce more.
What is natural selection?
A characteristic like fur color or eye shape is called this.
What is a trait?
These are body parts that are similar in structure but may have different functions.
What are homologous structures?
Humans do this when they choose which plants or animals to breed based on traits.
What is selective breeding?
This layer of rock usually contains the oldest fossils.
What is the bottom layer?
This is needed in a population for natural selection to occur.
What is variation in traits?
This term describes differences in traits within a population.
What is variation?
Studying early development of animals can show similarities not seen in adults.
What is embryology?
This is the scientific method of directly changing DNA to produce desired traits.
What is genetic engineering?
The fossil record shows this about life over time.
What is that life has grown more complex and diverse over time?
If an animal has a trait that helps it hide from predators, this is more likely to happen.
What is survival and reproduction?
This kind of trait increases an organism's chance of survival in its environment.
What is an advantageous or adaptive trait?
Two animals with similar bone structures may share this.
What is a common ancestor?
Humans have used technology to make crops resistant to this.
What are pests or disease?
This type of event is shown in the fossil record when many species disappear suddenly.
What is a mass extinction?
This kind of change in the environment can cause some traits to become more helpful.
What is a change in climate, habitat, or available food?
This is the source of most new variations in traits.
What are genetic mutations?
Similarities in embryos of fish, birds, and humans suggest this.
What is that they evolved from a shared ancestor?
An example of a human-influenced trait in dogs.
What is size, fur length, or behavior?
Scientists assume this about natural laws when analyzing fossils.
What is that natural laws today are the same as in the past?
Over many generations, natural selection can cause this to happen to the frequency of traits.
What is an increase in helpful traits and a decrease in less helpful ones?
If a population has a lot of trait variation, this makes it more likely to survive environmental change.
What is increased survival of some individuals?
These two types of evidence help scientists study evolutionary relationships.
What are fossil evidence and anatomical comparisons?
These tools have allowed humans to influence inheritance more precisely in recent years.
What are gene editing tools like CRISPR?