Natural Selection Vocab Matching

For Natural Selection choice board project.

Evolution

The process by which species adapt over time through changes in heritable traits, influenced by natural selection and environmental factors.

Natural Selection

The mechanism by which individuals with favorable traits survive and reproduce more successfully, leading to gradual changes in a population over generations.

Genetic Drift

The random fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population from one generation to the next, due to chance events rather than natural selection.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic material between populations through migration, which can introduce new alleles and increase genetic diversity.

Sexual Selection

The process in which individuals with certain traits are more likely to attract mates and reproduce, leading to the evolution of those traits in a population.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome, which can lead to new traits and contribute to genetic variation.

Genetic Variation

The diversity of genetic traits within a population, essential for evolution and adaptation.

Adaptation

The process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment through the development of beneficial traits over time.

Fitness

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment, measured by its contribution to the gene pool of the next generation.

Microevolution

The small-scale changes in allele frequencies within a population over time, often resulting from natural selection, genetic drift, or gene flow.

Macroevolution

The large-scale evolutionary changes that occur over long periods, often resulting in the formation of new species or major evolutionary trends.

Genetic Equilibrium

A state in which allele frequencies in a population remain constant over time, indicating no evolution is occurring.