| A | B |
|---|
| species | an interbreeding population of organisms that can produce healthy, fertile offspring |
| variation | the differences between individual members of a population |
| adaptation | an inherited trait that increases a population's chances of survival and reproduction in a particular environment |
| niche | a habitat and the role a population plays in that habitat |
| fossils | the preserved remains or imprints of ancient organisms |
| evolution | the changes in populations over long periods of time |
| natural selection | Charles Darwin's theory of a mechanism for evolution |
| gradualism | a theory states that the small genetic changes accumulate in a population over long periods of time |
| punctuated equilibrium | a theory states that species are stable for long periods of time followed by short periods of rapid genetic change |
| homologous structures | a structure with different functions found in different species, shows common ancestors |
| vestigial structures | a structure that is unused but which is homologous with structures in other species |
| analogous structures | characteristic shared by different species that is similar in function but not inherited from a common ancestor |
| speciation | the evolution of one or more new species from a single ancestral species |
| divergent evolution | a process in which once-related populations evolve independently |
| convergent evolution | a process in which different species evolve with similar characteristics |
| coevolution | a process in which two or more populations that closely interact over an extended period of time |
| adaptive radiation | the emregence of diverse species from a common ancestor due to adaption to many new enviroments |
| Lamarck | scientist who believed acquired traits could be passed on to offspring |
| Darwin | scientist who came up with idea of natural selection |
| artificial selection | selective breeding to choose certain traits |
