19. Descent with Modification Flashcards
evolution
descent with modification; a change in the genetic composition of a population from generation to generation
fossils
the remains or traces of organisms from the past
strata
layers of sedimentary rock
paleontology
the study of fossils
adaptations
inherited characteristics of organisms that enhance their survival and reproduction in specific environments
natural selection
a process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits
artificial selection
human modification of other species over many generations in which individuals with desired traits are selected and bred
Observation 1
Members of a population often vary in their inherited traits.
Observation 2
All species can produce more offspring than their environment can support, and many of these offspring fail to survive and reproduce.
Inference 1
Individuals whose inherited traits give them a higher probability of surviving and reproducing in a given environment tend to leave more offspring than other individuals.
Inference 2
The unequal ability of individuals to survive and reproduce will lead to the accumulation of favorable traits in the population over generations.
homology
similarity resulting from common ancestry
homologous structures
variations on a structural theme that was present in a common ancestor
vestigial structures
remnants of features that served a function in the organism’s ancestors
covergent evolution
the independent evolution of similar features in different lineages
