1. characteristics of organisms that enhance their survival and reproduction in specific environments.

 differences in traits among organisms.

 a mechanism by which individuals that have inherited beneficial adaptations produce more offspring

1. Species tend to produce more offspring than the environment can support

study of embryos and their development

 study of fossils or extinct organisms

study of the distribution of organisms around the world

1. branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms and with relationships between their structures; also called comparative anatomy

1.  structures that are similar in related organisms because they were inherited from a common ancestor 

Structures that are similar in unrelated organisms.

 Small leftover organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor.

1. the total genetic information available in a population

 the movement of alleles into or out of a population as a result of the migration of individuals

a series of chance occurrences can cause a change in allele frequency.

1. many species do not mate randomly; they choose who they reproduce with; may cause amplification of certain traits

evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species

elimination of a species

 slow, constant changes over a long period of time

1. bursts of change followed by periods of stability

1. when closely related species evolve in different directions, and become increasingly different

when unrelated species evolve similar characteristics because they live in similar environments.

1. occurs when species evolve together

 a diagram used to predict evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms

1. an evolutionary diagram that suggests how species may be related (shows sequence of divergence)

the parts of the Earth where life exists

groups of ecosystems with a similar climate

all the living and non-living components of an area

All the various populations in an area that interact

group of the same species that interbreed.

includes all the similar organisms which can interbreed and produce viable offspring

study of the interactions among organisms and their environments

non-living factors in an ecosystem

1. living or once living factors in an ecosystem

the variety of organisms in an ecosystem

any single living thing within an ecosystem

place where an organism obtains the food, shelter, and moisture and temperature levels that it needs

Organisms have close relationships with other organisms within an ecosystem.

relationship when both species benefit

One organism is helped; the other is harmed

 One organism benefits and there is no harm/benefit to the other organism

model of population growth that describes a population that is increasing rapidly

 any factor that restrains the growth of a population

the number of individuals the environment can support over a long period of time.

model of population growth in which growth slows or stops following a period of exponential growth

process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another

the decrease in trees means an increase in the CO2 that’s taken out of the atmosphere

1. the process of ecological change in an ecosystem where one community is replaced by another community over time

occurs when a community forms in an area that was previously uninhabited

the first organisms that arrive

occurs in an area that was previously occupied by living organisms, but the community was destroyed by a disturbance

1. meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

1. The amount of land necessary to produce and maintain enough food, water, shelter, energy and waste