Adaptation Vocab Flashcards

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Adaptation

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A change that causes an organism or species to become better suited to its environment. Example: Bugs that are camouflaged into their environment to hide from predators.

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Natural Selection

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The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce. Example: Birds with beaks best adapted to their food source survive.

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Population

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A group of organisms of one species that live in the same place at the same time and are capable of breeding. Example: Total number of gray squirrels in the Plainsboro preserve.

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Environment

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Consists of all the places, resources, light, nutrients, water, plants, and more in a place.

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Ecosystem

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The interaction between the environment and the living organisms.

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Biodiversity

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The variety of species in an ecosystem. Work together to keep an ecosystem healthy. Example: All the animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms.

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Invasive Species

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An organism that causes harm in a new environment where it is not native. Example: The spotted lanternfly in New Jersey.

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Native Species

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A species that originated and developed in its surrounding habitat and has adapted to living in that particular environment. Example: White-tailed deer are native to New Jersey.

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Competition

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Relationship between organisms when they are trying to use the same resource. Example: Burmese Python and Alligator trying to eat storks in Florida.

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Survival of the Fittest

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Organisms that are best adapted to the environment will survive, others will become extinct. Example: The fastest alligators catch the most prey and pass on this trait.