Biology

Darwins Theory

individuals with traits that help them survive and reproduce are more likely to pass those traits on to their offspring. Over many generations, species gradually change and evolve.

any environmental factor that gives one organism a survival or reproductive advantage or disadvantage over others in a population

selective pressures

When heritable characteristics of a species change over successive generations

Evolution

Two or more related species become increasingly different over time, usually as they adapt to different environments

Divergent Evolution

Unrelated or distantly related species independently evolve similar traits because they live in similar environments or face comparable selection pressures

Convergent Evolution

populations stop interbreeding through reproductive isolating mechanisms

Sympatric Isolation

when a physical or geographic barrier divides a biological population, stopping gene flow and causing the groups to evolve into separate species

Allopatric Isolation

biological features in different species that have a similar function but different evolutionary origins and anatomy

Analogous

anatomical features or body parts in different species that share a common evolutionary origin and ancestry

Homologous Structures

group of similar organsims that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Species

individual living thing

Organism

an invisible biological boundary that separates the distinct Asian and Australian faunal realms across the Indonesian archipelago

Wallace Line

the branch of science that studies the structure, function, and makeup of the biological molecules that make life possible

Molecular biology

reproductive barrier that prevents different species or populations from interbreeding because they have incompatible courtship rituals, mating calls, or social behaviors

Behavioural Isolation