8.LS4.4 Natural Selection and Populations Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and student-friendly definitions from 8.LS4.4 Natural Selection and Populations.

natural selection

the process where helpful traits become more common over time

population

a group of the same species in one area

variation

differences in traits within a population

trait

a feature or characteristic

inherited

passed from parent to offspring

advantage

something that helps an organism survive or reproduce

disadvantage

something that makes survival or reproduction harder

reproduce

make offspring

offspring

children or young organisms

survival rate

how many organisms stay alive

selection pressure

something in the environment that affects survival

predator pressure

when predators affect which traits survive

environment

surroundings where organisms live

adaptation

a helpful inherited trait

generations

groups of parents, offspring, grandchildren, and so on

frequency

how often something happens or appears

common trait

a trait many organisms have

rare trait

a trait few organisms have

mutation

a change in DNA that may cause a new trait

fitness

how well an organism survives and reproduces