adaptations vocab Flashcards
that part of Earth in which life can exist
biosphere
found in the nucleus of a cell, a long nucleic acid molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development and functioning of all living organisms; abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
the theory stating that natural variation among organisms that make them best adapted to their environment live and reproduce, therefore passing on to their offspring the genetic qualities best suited to that environment
natural selection
The biological processes that enable plants and animals to thrive successfully in their environments
adaptation
to continue living or existing: An organism survives until it dies; a species survives until it becomes extinct.
survive
all of the actions and reactions of an animal
behavior
a change in the nucleotide sequence of an organism’s genome; also a change in the amino acid sequence of a protein as a result of a mutation in the gene; natural selection can act upon a mutation that results in a change in phenotype
mutation
a change in matter that does not affect its chemical composition
physical change
range of differences in DNA among organisms
genetic variation
a major ecological community such as grassland, tropical rain forest, or desert
biome
to change; usually organism change that happens over many generations
mutate
a group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can mate with each other to produce offspring
species
the passing of traits from parent to offspring
heredity
an organism that is made of many cells, cannot make its own food, and can move during at least part of its life; a member of kingdom Animalia
animal
a new organism that is the product of reproduction
offspring
