Evolution Vocabulary

Group Names

100

An individual animal 

Organism

200

A group of the same organism that have similar characteristics

Species

300

All of one type of species in a certain area

population

400

Different species that share the same area and environment

Community 

500

The differences between all living things (even organisms of the same species)

Biodiversity 

Evolutionary Processes

100

A change that makes an organism better suited to survive in its environment 

Adaptation

200

When organisms undergo changes over many generations, potentially leading to new species

Evolution

300

When new, distinct species evolve from existing populations

Speciation 

400

The best adapted organisms will survive to reproduce

Survival of the fittest

500

Organisms with strong adaptations reproduce and pass on those adaptations

Natural Selection

Examples of Evolution in the World

100

This fruit used to have giant seeds and much less fruit before humans selectively bred them

What are bananas

200

darker varieties of this insect survived better during the industrial revolution because of pollution

The  black peppered moth

300

Global temperatures dropping from this event led to many species going extinct, and others evolving adaptations like long fur, larger, stockier bodies, camouflage, and high fat storage. 

Ice Age

400

Darwin discovered 18 different species of this variety of organism in the Galapagos islands

Finches

500

This plant has been bred into Kale, Cabbage, Broccoli and Cauliflower by humans to encourage specific traits

Wild Mustard Plant