change over time Flashcards
adaptation
a characteristic that improves an individauls ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment
species
a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
evolution
the process in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations sucj as that new species sometimes arise
fossil
the remains or physicall evidence of an organism preserved by geological processes
fossil record
a historical sequence of life indicated by fossils found in layers of the earths crust
trait
a genetically determined characteristic
selective breading
the human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certian desired characteristics
generation time
the period between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation
speciation
the formation of new species as a result of evolution
relative dating
any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects
geologic time scale
the standard method used to divide the earths long natural history into manageable parts
extinct
describes a species that has died out completely
plant tectonics
the theory that explains how large pices of earths outermost layer, called tectonic plates, move and change shape
absolute dating
any method of measuring the age of an object or event in years.
natural selection
it is a different survival and reproduction of individuals.
