Evolution and Adaptation Vocabulary

This flashcard set covers essential terminology regarding biological adaptation, natural and artificial selection, and the evolutionary processes leading to speciation.

Adaptation

a characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment

Species

a group of organisms that can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring (offspring that can reproduce)

Population

a group of individuals of the same species living in the same place

Evolution

changes over time in populations of organisms

Fossil

the remains or imprints of once-living organisms found in layers of rock

Extinct

a species that has died out completely

Natural Selection

the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully

Artificial Selection

the process in which humans select which plants or animals to reproduce based on certain desired traits (selective breeding)

Generation Time

the average time between the birth of one generation and the birth of the next generation

Speciation

the formation of a new species as the result of evolution