Bio Terms and Concepts

Evolution

Change over time

Species

A classification of organisms who interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Population

A group of individuals in the same breed who live together and interbreed

Speciation

The action of creating a new species being; Requires two populations of one species who separate from each other for long enough that they don’t see each other as mates

Heritable/Genetic

The ability for a trait to get passed down from parent to offspring

Trait/Character

A type of physical or behavioral thing that has some variation created by mutations

Directional Selection

When extreme (high or low) values are favored in a population

Stabilizing selection

When the average value of a trait is featured in extreme values are selected against

Disruptive selection

When the average of both extreme high or low values are favored both over average values

Phylogeny

A diagram used by biologists to show evolutionary relationships in a species

Natural selection

The process that works to change a trait; Requires 3 conditions - variation in character, heritability of that trait , and the ability for some variants to be able to survive and reproduce better than others because of that trait. Natural selection happens over generations where organisms with a favorable trait survive and reproduce more organisms with said favorable trait. By creating more organisms with that trait, the population changes as organisms with that trait greaten the population of those organisms over generations because of the trait that helps

Microevolution

Evolution on a small scale that scientists have observed and documented

Adaptive Radiation

Examples of recent speciations where common ancestry is easy to see. Usually happen in geologically “young areas”

Homology/Homologous Structure

Structural/ physiologically behavioral similarities within certain groups of organisms

Convergent evolution/ Analogous Structure

Organisms with the same function but different structure

Fossil

Preserved specimens of life forms - can be as old as millions of years

Fossil Record

The collection of fossils that humans have discovered

Transitional Form

Intermediate life forms that bridge gaps between major modes of existence between members of certain groups

Vestigial Structure

Structures thar are no longer functional