Evolution and Natural Selection Flashcard

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What is evolution?

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The process by which species of organisms CHANGE over time.

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What happens if an organism can't adapt fast enough?

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It may become extinct.

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How does adaptation relate to natural selection?

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Adaptation is the result of natural selection favoring traits that increase an organism's fitness in a particular environment.

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Why do peppered moths tend to be the same color as the trees on which they live?

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It makes the moths harder to see.

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What is an analogous structure?

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Structures in different species that have similar functions but different evolutionary origins.

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What is a homologous structure?

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Structures in different species that share a common ancestry but may have different functions.

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What are vestigial organs?

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Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

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What is natural selection?

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The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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What is fitness in the context of evolution?

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The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

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What is genetic variation?

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Differences in DNA among individuals within a species.

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