Terms : Hide Images
| 7633334770 | taxonomy | The branch of biology that groups and names organisms based on studies of their different characteristics | 0 | |
| 7633334771 | binomial nomenclature | A system for giving each organism a two-word scientific name that consists of the genus name followed by the species name | 1 | |
| 7633334772 | Natural Selection | A process in nature in which organisms possessing certain genotypic characteristics that make them better adjusted to an environment tend to survive, reproduce, increase in number or frequency, and therefore, are able to transmit and perpetuate their essential genotypic qualities to succeeding generations. | 2 | |
| 7633334773 | adaptations | inherited characteristics of organisms that enhance their survival and reproduction in specific environments | 3 | |
| 7633334774 | Artificial selection | Selective breeding of plants and animals, by humans, to promote the occurrence of desirable traits in offspring | 4 | |
| 7633334775 | homology | Similarity in characteristics resulting from a shared ancestry. | 5 | |
| 7633334776 | homologous structure | Physical structures in two different organisms that have structural similarity due to a common ancestor, but may have different functions. Homologous structures arise from divergent evolution. | 6 | |
| 7633334777 | Divergent evolution | A form of evolution in which the same organism is placed into different environments with different selection pressures. This causes organisms to evolve differently, to diverge from their common ancestor. The resulting (new) species may share structural (but not necessarily functional) similarity; produces homologous structures. | 7 | |
| 7633334778 | Embryonic homologies | Comparison of early stages of animal development reveals many anatomical homologies in embryos that are not visible in adult organisms. E.g. All vertebrate embryos have a post-anal tail and pharyngeal pouches. | 8 | |
| 7633334779 | Vestigial | genetically determined structures or attributes that have apparently lost most or all of their ancestral function in a given species, but have been retained through evolution. | 9 | |
| 7633334780 | Molecular homologies | shared characteristics on a molecular level through composition of proteins or DNA. This homology is used to build evolutionary trees. | 10 | |
| 7633334781 | Convergent evolution | Process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve similarities when adapting to similar environments. | 11 | |
| 7633334782 | Analogous structure | Structures, such as a bat's wing and a fly's wing, that have the same function, but the similarity is superficial and reflects an adaptation to similar environments, not a common ancestry | 12 | |
| 7633334783 | Fossil record | The chronicle of evolution over millions of years of geologic time engraved in the order in which fossils appear in rock strata. | 13 | |
| 7633334784 | Paleontology | a science dealing with prehistoric life through the study of fossils | 14 | |
| 7633334785 | Biogeography | the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of species. provides evidence of evolution. | 15 | |
| 7633334786 | Continental drift | Idea that continents were joined as 1 large land called Pangaea & moved over time to current position. Can explain similarities of species on continents that are distant today. | 16 | |
| 7633334787 | Endemic species | Species that is found in only one area and nowhere else. Such species are especially vulnerable to extinction. | 17 |
