Chapter 1 Biology

Natural Selection

The process through which organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Adaptive Radiation

The process by which a single ancestral species evolves into multiple descendant species adapted to different environments.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction made based on observations and assumptions.

Data

Items of information, which can be qualitative or quantitative, collected through observations.

Inductive Reasoning

A type of logic that derives generalizations from a large number of specific observations.

Deductive Reasoning

A type of logic that flows from the general to the specific, making predictions based on general premises.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment and is used for comparison.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the experimental treatment.

Camouflage Hypothesis

The hypothesis that certain coat color patterns have evolved as adaptations to camouflage with the environment.

Scientific Method

A systematic process that involves making observations, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, and drawing conclusions.

Theory of Natural Selection

A scientific theory explaining how evolutionary adaptations arise based on the survival and reproductive success of organisms.

Model Organism

A species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, often because it is easy to manipulate and observe.

Peer Review

The process by which scientific work is evaluated by a group of experts in the same field before publication.

Evolutionary Adaptation

Changes in organisms over time that improve their ability to survive and reproduce in their environments.

Galápagos Finches

A group of bird species that evolved from a common ancestor, showcasing adaptive radiation based on food source availability.

Inquiry

The search for information and explanations of natural phenomena.

Genetic Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence, which can result in variations in traits among organisms.

Vestiges

Remnants or traces of organisms from the past that help to understand evolutionary relationships.