Minkoff Ch. 4 Vocab

Question 1

evolution

Answer 1

the process of lasting change among biological populations

Question 2

natural selection

Answer 2

the hypothesis that parents having genotypes that favor survival and reproduction leave more offspring

Question 3

sexual selection

Answer 3

operates on the basis of success (or lack of success) in attracting a mate and reproducing

Question 4

homology

Answer 4

when the evidence for shared ancestry is compelling

Question 5

vestigial structures

Answer 5

organs reduced in size and nonfunctional, but often showing resemblance to functional organs in related species

Question 6

theory of speciation

Answer 6

the process by which one species branches into two species

Question 7

biological population

Answer 7

consists of those individuals within a species that can mate with one another in nature

Question 8

interbreeding

Answer 8

the exchange of genetic information between populations

Question 9

reproductive isolation

Answer 9

the existence of biological barriers to interbreeding

Question 10

species

Answer 10

reproductively isolated groups of interbreeding natural populations

Question 11

reproductive isolating mechanism

Answer 11

any biological mechanism that hinders the interbreeding of populations belonging to different species

Question 12

classification

Answer 12

an arrangement of larger groups that are subdivided into smaller groups on the basis of some organizing principle or theory

Question 13

taxon

Answer 13

a species or any other collective group of organisms

Question 14

taxonomy

Answer 14

the study of how taxa are recognized and how classifications are made

Question 15

artificial selection

Answer 15

consistent differences in the contributions of different genotypes to future generations, brought about by intentional human activity

Question 16

fitness

Answer 16

the relative number of viable individuals that each genotype contributes to the next generation

Question 17

mimicry

Answer 17

a situation in which one species of organisms derives benefit from its deceptive resemblance to another species

Question 18

sexual selection

Answer 18

operates on the basis of success (or lack of success) in attracting a mate and reproducing