9th grade evolution 2

Biome

Large ecological areas on Earth characterized by climate, geography, and types of organisms.

Adaptation

Heritable traits that enhance an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Punctuated Equilibrium

Hypothesis suggesting that evolutionary development is characterized by isolated episodes of rapid speciation followed by long periods of stasis.

Stasis

A condition where evolutionary lineages remain relatively unchanged over extensive timescales.

Gradualism

Theory positing that evolutionary change occurs slowly and gradually over time.

Fossils

Critical evidence of the history of life on Earth that showcases the progression of evolution.

Speciation

The formation of new species due to the isolation of gene pools of populations.

Coevolution

When two or more species influence each other's evolutionary paths due to close ecological interactions.

Convergent Evolution

Process where organisms from different evolutionary backgrounds develop similar traits due to adaptations.

Divergent Evolution

Occurs when species from a common ancestor evolve different traits in response to varying environmental conditions.

Adaptive Radiation

Rapid diversification of a lineage from a common ancestor into various niches following significant environmental changes.

Cladograms

Visual representations of evolutionary relationships, indicating evolutionary time and common ancestors.

Homologous Structures

Similar structures in different organisms indicating a common ancestor, despite serving different functions.

Vestigial Structures

Structures that no longer seem to have a particular use, like the human appendix.

Artificial Selection

Process by which humans breed plants and animals for desired traits.

Mimicry

Ability of an organism to resemble more threatening animals as an adaptation.

Gene Pool

Total number of different alleles present in a population.

Physiological Adaptation

Rapid changes in bacteria populations, such as in response to antibiotics.

Natural Selection

Mechanism by which individuals better suited to their environment survive and reproduce.

Father of Evolution

Charles Darwin, known for establishing theories on evolution by natural selection.

Galapagos Islands

Location where Charles Darwin conducted research that led to his theories on evolution.

Analogous Structures

Structures in different species that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.

Evolutionary Biology

The branch of biology that studies the origins and descent of species as well as their change over time.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on similarities and differences.

Microevolution

Small-scale evolutionary changes typically described as changes in allele frequencies within populations over time.