Natural Selection Vocabulary Flashcards
Adaptation
characteristic that improves an individual’s 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
descent with modification from preexisting species
Fossil
the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.
Fossil Record
helps paleontologists, archaeologists, and geologists place important events and species in the appropriate geologic era
Trait
a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person
Selective Breeding
choosing parents with particular characteristics to breed together and produce offspring with more desirable characteristics
Natural Selection
the process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change
Generation time
the average interval between the birth of an individual and the birth of its offspring
Speciation
the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution
Relative Dating
we determine which things are older or younger based on their relationships or SWEET HOME ALABAMA!
Absolute Dating
measure the physical properties of an object itself and use these measurements to calculate its age
Geologic Time Scale
the “calendar” for events in Earth history
Extinct
having no living members; no longer in existence
Plate Tectonics
scientific theory that explains how major landforms are created as a result of Earth’s subterranean movements
