key terms Flashcards
Evolution
a process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.
Theory
a well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations.
Artificial Selection
selection by humans for breeding useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms.
Natural Selection
the process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest.
The struggle for existence
competition among members of a species for food, living space, and the other necessities of life.
Fitness
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
Adaption
inherited characteristics that increase an organism’s chance of survival
Survival of the fittest
The process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; is also called natural selection.
Descent with modification
The principle is that each living species has descended, with changes, from other species over time.
Common descent
The principle is that all living things were derived from common ancestors.
Homologous structure
Structures that have different mature forms in different organisms but develop from the same embryonic tissues.
Vestigial organ
An organ that serves no useful function in an organism.
