Evolution Review

how well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment

• fossil

• fitness

• inherited trait

A characteristic encoded in DNA and passed from parents to their offspring

• heterozygous

• fitness

• inherited trait

change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information

• mutation

• fitness

• transformation

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

• fitness

• natural selection

• evolution

a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring

• population

• crowd

• species

the gradual change in a species over time

• natural selection

• evolution

• adaptation

inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

• adaptation

• evolution

• fitness

All the genes, including all the different alleles for each gene, that are present in a population at any one time

• genotype

• genetic drift

• gene pool

differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs

• adaptation

• variation

• homologous structure

Which is not an example of an adaptation?

• A bird's beak allows it to crack open hard nuts.
• A zebra's stripes allow it to confuse its predators.
• A frog's large hind legs allow it to jump from danger.
• A cat sleeps on the sofa to avoid the vacuum cleaner.