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Ch 15 Evolution Voc
Batterbee DHS Evolution Chapter 15 Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| evolution | The process of change over time. (p. 369) |
| theory | A well supported, testable explanation of how things happen. (p. 369) |
| Galapagos Islands | A small group of islands 620 miles west of South America visited by HMS Beagle and Darwin in 1835. They have many specialized animals and plants. (p. 371) |
| fossils | The preserved remains of ancient plants and animals. (p. 371) |
| geologic change | Idea suggested by geologists Hutton and Lyell that the Earth is millions of years old, not a few thousand years old. This allows time for the Earth to change slowly. (p. 374-375) |
| selective use of organs | Idea suggested by Lamarck that animals and plants gained or lost traits in their lifetime through use or non-use, then passed those traits to their offspring. Later this was proven false. (p. 376) |
| population growth | Idea suggested by Malthus that human population was growing, and would continue to grow until a limiting factor (room to live, food, water, etc.) stopped growth. (p. 377) |
| On the Origin of Species | Book published in 1859 where Charles Darwin described his theories on evolution and natural selection. (p. 379) |
| artificial selection | Selectively controlling the breeding of organisms to get specific preferred traits. This process is controlled by humans. Examples are dogs or cows with different appearances (tall, short, long hair, short hair, etc.). (p. 379) |
| natural selection | Process where an organism lives or dies in nature according to how well it adapts to its environment. (p. 381) |
| struggle for existence | Idea that organisms compete in nature for limited resources. (p. 380) |
| fitness | The natural ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment. (p. 380) |
| adaptation | Any inherited characteristic that increases the chance of survival for an organism. (p. 380) |
| survival of the fittest | Idea that individuals that are best suited to their environment survive and reproduce, and pass their traits on to their offspring. (p. 381) |
| descent with modification | Idea that each living species has changed over time to adapt to their environment, so current individuals appear different than their ancient ancestors did. (p. 381) |
| common descent | Idea that all living organisms can trace their descent back to a single organism that gave rise to all living things. (p. 382) |
| the fossil record | All remains of living things found throughout all of human history. (p. 382) |
| homologous structures | Structures in different organisms that start from the same tissues, but develop into different structures in the mature individual. An example is arm bones in turtles (front feet), mammals (arms or flippers), and birds (wings). (p. 384) |
| vestigial organs | Traces of structures in organisms that are not currently used, but suggest that ancestors may have once used them. An example is that whales have foot bones buries in their fat - they do not have feet, just small versions of the bones. (p. 384) |
| HMS Beagle | Ship upon which Charles Darwin was a naturalist. He traveled around the world aboard the ship beginning in 1832. (p. 369) |
Created by:
Mr. O'Dell
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