Evolution Vocabulary
Evolution Vocabulary
1. Evolution: (eh – vo – luu – shun) change in a species over time.
1. Evolution: (eh – vo – luu – shun) change in a species over time.
2. Common Ancestry: (ka-mun an-ses-tree) explanation of how 2
or more species descended from a shared parent species at
some point in their evolutionary history.
2. Common Ancestry: (ka-mun an-ses-tree) explanation of how 2
or more species descended from a shared parent species at
some point in their evolutionary history.
3. Empirical Evidence: (im-peer-ih-cull eh-vi-dense) – evidence
that capable of being verified or disproved through
experimentation or observations.
3. Empirical Evidence: (im-peer-ih-cull eh-vi-dense) – evidence
that capable of being verified or disproved through
experimentation or observations.
4. Variation: (vah-ree-ay-shun) differences in physical traits of an
individual from the group to which it belongs.
4. Variation: (vah-ree-ay-shun) differences in physical traits of an
individual from the group to which it belongs.
5. Adaptation: (ah-dap-tay-shun) inherited trait that is passed on to
offspring because it allows organisms to better survive in their
environment.
5. Adaptation: (ah-dap-tay-shun) inherited trait that is passed on to
offspring because it allows organisms to better survive in their
environment.
6. Fitness: (fit-ness) measure of an organism’s ability to survive
and reproduce relative to other members of a population.
6. Fitness: (fit-ness) measure of an organism’s ability to survive
and reproduce relative to other members of a population.
7. Biodiversity: (bai-oh-di-ver-si-tee) variety of life within an area.
7. Biodiversity: (bai-oh-di-ver-si-tee) variety of life within an area.
8. Mutation: (miu-tay-shun) any change in a DNA sequence.
8. Mutation: (miu-tay-shun) any change in a DNA sequence.
9. Population: (pop-you-lay-shun) all of the individuals of a species
that live in the same area.
9. Population: (pop-you-lay-shun) all of the individuals of a species
that live in the same area.
10. Species: (spee-she’s) group of organisms so similar to one
another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.
10. Species: (spee-she’s) group of organisms so similar to one
another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.
11. Biotic factors: (bai-ah-tick fact-ers) living things in the
environment, such as plants, fungi, animals, and bacteria.
11. Biotic factors: (bai-ah-tick fact-ers) living things in the
environment, such as plants, fungi, animals, and bacteria.
12. Abiotic factors: (ay-bai-ah-tick fact-ers) nonliving factors in the
environment, such as moisture, temperature, wind, sunlight,
soil, and minerals.
12. Abiotic factors: (ay-bai-ah-tick fact-ers) nonliving factors in the
environment, such as moisture, temperature, wind, sunlight,
soil, and minerals.