Ch 15 – Theory of Evolution Vocabulary Review Ch 15 – Theory of Evolution

A heritable change in the characteristics within a population from one generation to the next; the development of new types of organisms from preexisting types of organisms over time Evolution

The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than less well adapted individuals do; a theory to explain the mechanism of evolution Natural Selection

The process of becoming adapted to an environment; an anatomical, physiological, or behavioral trait that improves an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce Adaptation

In evolutionary theory, a measure of an individual’s hereditary contribution to the next generation Fitness

The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock Fossil

The study of the geographical distribution of living organisms and fossils on Earth Biogeography

Anatomical structures in one species that, compared to other anatomical structures in another species, originated from a single anatomical structure in a common ancestor of the two species Homologous structure

An anatomical structure in one species that is similar in function and appearance, but not in evolutionary origin, to another anatomical structure in another species Analogous structure

A structure in an organism that is reduced in size and function and that may have been complete and functional in the organism’s ancestors Vestigial structure

The evolutionary history of a species or taxonomic group; the relationships by ancestry among species or taxonomic groups Phylogeny

The process by which unrelated species become more similar as they adapt to the same kind of environment Convergent evolution

The process by which two or more related but reproductively isolated populations become more and more dissimilar Divergent evolution

An evolutionary pattern in which many species evolve from a single ancestral species Adaptive radiation

The selective breeding of organisms (by humans) for specific desirable characteristics Artificial selection

The evolution of two or more species that is due to mutual influence, often in a way that makes the relationship more mutually beneficial Coevolution