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Big Idea 15
Diversity and Evolution of Living Organisms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Linnaean System | The standard framework used to name and group organisms based on their shared physical characteristics; it organizes life into a hierarchy that moves from broad categories to very specific ones |
| Binomial Nomenclature | The specific two-part naming system that gives every living thing a formal "scientific name" to avoid the confusion of local common names |
| Bacteria | This domain includes the more common single-celled organisms found everywhere, from soil to the human body |
| Archaea | This domain consists of single-celled organisms that often live in extreme environments (like hot springs or salt lakes) |
| Eukarya | This domain includes all organisms with complex cells containing a nucleus. It is divided into four main kingdoms |
| Plant | Kingdom that includes multicellular organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis (autotrophs) |
| Animal | Kingdom that includes multicellular organisms that must eat other organisms for energy (heterotrophs) and typically have the ability to move |
| Protist | Kingdom that's a diverse "catch-all" group. Most are single-celled, like amoebas and algae, but some are multicellular |
| Fungus | Kingdom that includes organisms like mushrooms, molds, and yeast. They absorb nutrients from decomposing organic matter |
| Evolution | The scientific theory that explains how living things change over long periods of time |
| Natural Selection | The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring |
| Diversity | The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat |
| Genetic Variation | The naturally occurring genetic differences between individuals of the same species |
| Fossil | The preserved remains or traces of an organism that lived in the past (like bones, teeth, or leaf impressions) |
| Homologous Structure | Body parts in different species that have a similar underlying structure because they were inherited from a common ancestor |
| Classification | The process of grouping animals based on shared physical characteristics and behaviors |
| Adaptation | A trait or behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment |
| Trait | A specific characteristic of an organism |
| Behavior | The way an animal acts or responds to its environment |
| Organism | Any living thing |
| Species | A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes |
| Mammals | Warm-blooded vertebrates with hair or fur that feed milk to their young |
| Birds | Warm-blooded vertebrates with feathers and wings |
| Reptiles | Cold-blooded vertebrates with scaly skin |
| Amphibians | Cold-blooded vertebrates that live part of their life in water and part on land |
| Fish | Cold-blooded vertebrates that live in water and have gills |
| Arthropods | Invertebrates with jointed legs and a hard exoskeleton (e.g., insects) |
| Vertebrate | Animals with a backbone (e.g., mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish) |
| Invertebrate | Animals without a backbone (e.g., insects, spiders, worms) |
| Physical Adaptation | An inherited body part or structure that aids survival, like a bird's beak shape or camouflage |
| Behavioral Adaptation | Something an organism does to survive, such as migration or hibernation |
| Extinction | The complete disappearance of a species from Earth, often because it cannot adapt to environmental changes |
| Flowering Plants | Plants that produce seeds within flowers (e.g., roses, oak trees) |
| Non-flowering Plants | Plants that reproduce using spores instead of seeds (e.g., ferns, mosses) |
| LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor) | Refers to the most recent organism from which all life on Earth descended |
| Phylogenetic Tree | A branching diagram that represents the evolutionary relationships among organisms or genes derived from a common ancestor. Length of branches indicate relative time scales. Also called an evolutionary tree, or tree of life. |
| Cladogram | A branching diagram that shows shared physical characteristics and hypothetical relationships. It represents patterns of common ancestry rather than direct evolutionary paths or time scales. |
Created by:
Ms. Wilhjelm
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