Chapter 17: Darwin's Theory of Evolution Vocab

Artificial Selection

• Selective breeding of plants and animals to promote the occurrence of desirable traits in offspring.

• A natural process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

• The process of creating genetically modified organisms through laboratory techniques.

• A method of breeding that involves random mating to increase genetic diversity.

Fossil

• Preserved remains of, or traces of, ancient organisms.

• Ancient tools used by early humans.

• Rock formations that contain minerals.

• Living organisms from prehistoric times.

Evolution

• Change over time; the process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.

• A sudden change in an organism's DNA that leads to immediate adaptation.

• The belief that all species were created in their current form and do not change over time.

• A method of breeding plants and animals for specific traits.

Homologus Structure

• Structures that are similar in different species of common ancestors.

• Structures that serve the same function but have different evolutionary origins.

• Structures that are completely unrelated in different species.

• Structures that are identical in structure and function across species.

Biogeography

• Study of climate patterns and their effects on ecosystems.

• Study of past and present distribution of organisms.

• Study of genetic variations in populations.

• Study of the interactions between species in an ecosystem.

Adaptation

• Heritable characteristic that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in an environment.

• A temporary change in an organism's behavior due to environmental factors.

• A physical feature that does not affect an organism's survival.

• A learned behavior that helps an organism find food.

Natural Selection

• Process by which organisms that are most suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest.

• A method of breeding plants and animals for specific traits.

• The theory that all species of organisms arise and develop through natural selection.

• A process where organisms are artificially selected by humans for desired traits.

Analogous Structure

• Body parts that share a common function, but not an evolutionary history.

• Body parts that share a common evolutionary history, but not a common function.

• Body parts that are similar in structure and function due to common ancestry.

• Body parts that have no functional relationship or structural similarity.

Fitness

• The ability to run fast and jump high.

• How well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment.

• The amount of exercise one does in a week.

• The total number of species in an ecosystem.

Vestigial Structure

• A structure that is fully functional and essential for survival.

• A structure that is inherited from ancestors, but which has lost much or all of its original function.

• A structure that is newly developed and serves a specific purpose.

• A structure that is found only in certain species and has no evolutionary significance.