Biology Chapter 15 Vocab

Front

Evolution

Back

Change in a kind of organisms over time

Front

Theory

Back

Well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

Front

Fossil

Back

Preserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism

Front

Artificial selection

Back

Selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms

Front

Struggle for existence

Back

Competition among members of a species for food, living space and the other necessities of life

Front

Fitness

Back

Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment

Front

Adaptation

Back

Inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

Front

Survival of the fittest

Back

Process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully

Front

Natural selection

Back

Also known as 'Survival of the Fittest'

Front

Descent with modification

Back

Principal that each living species has descended, with changes, from other species over time