| A | B |
|---|
| artificial selection | selective breeding encourage the occurrence of desirable traits. |
| biogeography | study of the past and present distribution of species |
| catastrophism | catastrophe had destroyed many of the species |
| descent with modification | Darwin’s initial phrase for the general process of evolution |
| evolution | changes that have transformed life on Earth |
| evolutionary adapation | characteristics that enhance organisms’ ability to survive and reproduce in specific environments |
| fossil | preserved remnant or impression of an organism that lived in the past |
| gradualism | attributes evolutionary change to the cumulative product of slow but continuous processes |
| homologous structures | Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry |
| homology | Similarity in characteristics resulting from a shared ancestry |
| natural selection | Differential success in the reproduction due to the interaction of organisms with their environment |
| paleontology | scientific study of fossils |
| sedimentary rock | formed from sand and mud that once settled in layers on the bottom of bodies of water |
| taxonomy | set of characteristics used to assess the similarities and differences between species |
| uniformitarianism | geologic processes have not changed throughout Earth’s history |
| vestigial organ | historical remnants of structures that had important functions in ancestors |
