BSCI160 Exam 1

Evolution

A change in the genetic composition of a population over time.

Adaptation

A heritable trait that enhances an organism's survival and reproduction in a specific environment.

Descent with Modification

The process by which species evolve from common ancestors, accumulating changes over time.

Natural Selection

A process in which individuals with certain heritable traits survive and reproduce at a higher rate than other individuals.

Cognates

Words derived from the same common ancestor, recognized by having related meanings and similar sounds.

Ecology

The study of the interactions of organisms with each other and with their environment.

Ecosystem

The interactions between communities and their environments, both biotic and abiotic.

Hadley Cells

Large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns that result in predictable patterns of rainfall and aridity.

Population

A group of individuals of a single species living in the same general area.

Biotic factors

Living components of the environment, such as other organisms.

Abiotic factors

Non-living components of the environment, such as temperature, precipitation, light, and nutrients.

Homology

Similarity resulting from shared ancestry.

Coriolis Effect

The apparent deflection of moving objects (like air and water currents) due to the Earth's rotation.

Theory (scientific)

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment.

Uniformitarianism

The principle that Earth's geological features can be explained by processes that still occur today, operating over long periods of time.

Rain Shadow

A dry area on the leeward side of a mountain range.

Heritability

The proportion of trait variation in a population accounted for by genetic variation in the population.