9b Rates of Change in the Fossil Record Vocabulary

Front

What does 'abrupt appearance' refer to in evolutionary biology?

Back

A sudden change in the physiology or structure of a species reflected in its fossil record

Front

The 'fossil record' is the arrangement of fossils and their places in rock strata, which provides information about the history of ____.

Back

Earth

Front

Scientific explanation of evolutionary change through small variations adapting a population over time.

Back

Gradualism

Front

'Punctuated equilibrium' refers to a scientific explanation describing evolutionary changes occurring suddenly in the fossil record, followed by periods of ____.

Back

Stasis

Front

What is 'stasis' in the context of evolutionary biology?

Back

A long period of time during which there is little to no change in a species

Front

A 'transitional fossil' is a fossil of an organism that has the characteristics of both older and newer organisms, providing evidence for a gradual evolution from one species to ____.

Back

Another