Evolution

Relative dating

Method comparing fossil ages by rock layer placement

Artificial selection

Selective breeding for desirable traits in offspring

Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

Modifications passed to offspring

Natural Selection

Process favoring organisms best suited to environment

Fitness

Measure of organism's survival and reproduction success

Evidence for Evolution

Support like direct observation and fossil record

Homology

Similarities in related species despite functional differences

Vestigial Organs

Structures with minimal or no function

Biogeography

Study of species distribution across geographic areas

Convergent evolution

Unrelated species develop similar traits

Divergent Evolution

Species diverge from common ancestors

Microevolution

Changes in allele frequencies within a population

Gene pool

All alleles for genes in a population

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

Allele frequencies remain constant if specific conditions are met

Founder Effect

Few individuals isolated from larger population

Sexual Selection

Certain individuals more likely to mate

Speciation

Formation of new species

Reproductive isolation

Barriers preventing interbreeding between species

Allopatric Speciation

New species form due to geographic isolation

Adaptive Radiation

Many new species from a common ancestor

Tempo of Evolution

Rates of evolutionary change

Cladistics

Study of evolutionary relationships using shared characteristics

Phylogenetic Tree

Diagram showing evolutionary history of organisms

Clade

Group of species with common ancestor and descendants