Chapter 7-8 Flashcards
Species
A group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
Evolution
The presses in which inherited characteristics within a population change over generations such that new species sometimes arise
Trait
A genetically determined charasticsitc
Selective breeding
The human practice of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired traits
Natural selection
The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than less well adapted individuals do a theory to explain the mechanism of evolution
Generation time
The period between the birth of one generation and the birth of next generation
Speciation
The formation of new species as a result of evolution
Fossil
The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock
Relative dating
Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or young than other events or objects
Absolute dating
Any method of measuring the age of an object or events in years
Geologic time scale
The standard method used divided the earths long natural history into manageable parts
Extinct
Described a species that has died out completely
Plate
The theory that explains how large pieces of the earths outcome layer called tectonic plate move and change shape
Precambrian time
The period in the geologic time scale from the formation of the earth to the beginning of Paleozoic time about 4.6 years ago
Paleozoic era
Paleozoic the geologic era that followed precabrIn time that lasted from 542 million to 251 million years ago
Adaptation
A characteristic that improves am individuals ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
