Evolution Glossary Terms

Question 1

(Speciation)

Answer 1

The formation of a new biological species.

Question 2

(Mutation)

Answer 2

A change in an organism caused by a change in a gene or a chromosome.

Question 2

(Variation)

Answer 2

A different form of a trait.

Question 3

(Creationism)

Answer 3

The doctrine that matter and all living things were created, exactly as they exist now, by an omnipotent Creator, and not gradually evolved or developed.

Question 4

(Neutral Mutation) Mutations that have no effect on the affect organism.

Answer 4

Mutations that have no effect on the affect organism.

Question 5

(Deleterious Mutations)

Answer 5

Mutations that hinder the organism’s ability to survive and reproduce.

Question 6

(Lethal Mutation)

Answer 6

A mutation that prevents an organism from surviving at all.

Question 7

(Evolution)

Answer 7

A change in the gene pool of a population from generation to generation by processes such as mutation, natural selection and genetic drift.

Question 8

(Microevolution)

Answer 8

Involves processes of evolutionary changes within populations which results in shifts at the DNA level and lead to the sorts of variations that we see within species.

Question 9

(Advantageous Mutation)

Answer 9

Mutations that provide a bonus for the organism and its fitness increases.

Question 10

(heredity)

Answer 10

The study of how information gets passed on from generation to generation.

Question 11

(Macroevolution)

Answer 11

Involves process of evolutionary change that result on a much larger scale which need to be considered over a long geological time. An example would be the emergence of land creatures from sea creatures.

Question 12

(Fixation)

Answer 12

The replacement of a population with one gene.

Question 13

(Artificial Selection)

Answer 13

A process in the breeding of animals and in the cultivation of plants by which one chooses to breed only those forms having certain desirable inheritable traits.

Question 14

(Antibiotic Resistance)

Answer 14

The ability of bacteria or other microbes to resist the effects of an antibiotic.

Question 15

(Naturalist)

Answer 15

A person who studies or is an expert in natural history, especially a zoologist or biologist.

Question 16

(Genetic Drift)

Answer 16

Random changes in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool, usually of small populations.

Question 17

(Natural Selection)

Answer 17

A process that is driven by the following factors: the production of a large number of offspring; natural variation within a population; limited resources and the struggle for
survival; and selection by the environment for those traits that enable the individual to survive and reproduce.

Question 18

(Adaptation)

Answer 18

A change in an organism that results from natural selection and allows them to become better fitted to survive and multiply in its environment.

Question 19

(gene)

Answer 19

The basic unit of heredity.