Science Exam Revision Semester 2 -Natural Selection and Evolution

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Evolution

The process of change in all forms of life over generations.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Artificial Selection

The process of intentional selection and breeding of organisms by humans for desirable traits.

Charles Darwin

A British naturalist who proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Genetic Change

Changes in the genetic material of a population over time.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of a gene.

Phenotype

The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism.

Selective Breeding

The intentional breeding of organisms with desirable traits to produce offspring with those traits.

Variation

Differences in traits or characteristics within a population.

Variability

The range of possible values for a trait within a population.

Adaptation

A trait or characteristic that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

Speciation

The process by which new species arise from existing species.

Genetic Isolation

The separation of populations of organisms that prevents them from interbreeding.

Sources of Evidence for Evolution

Fossils, comparative anatomy, embryology, molecular biology, biogeography.

Homologous Structures

Structures that have a similar origin but may have different functions.

Comparative Anatomy

The study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species.

Pentadactyl Limb

A limb with five digits, found in many different vertebrate species.

Theory of Evolution

The scientific explanation for the diversity of life on Earth, based on the process of natural selection.

Alternative Theory to Evolution

Creationism, the belief that life was created by a supernatural being.