Unit 3 & Extra Vocab

a process of gradual change that takes place over many generations, during which species of animals, plants, or insects slowly change some of their physical characteristics.

how good a particular genotype is at leaving offspring in the next generation relative to other genotypes

the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

changing to fit into your environment

Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success

Any characteristic or trait that gives an organism or a genotype greater chances of surviving and reproducing than the available alternatives.

a random change in genetic code

a group of organisms believed to have evolved from a common ancestor, according to the principles of cladistics.

a map of a specific clade

a trait that arose in the most recent common ancestor of a particular lineage and was passed along to its descendants.

amount of salt in water (Less than 1,000 parts per million normal water)

he amount of oxygen that is present in water above 6.5-8 mg/L

the quality of being cloudy, opaque, or thick with suspended matter.

an instrument used in the accurate measurement of weight of materials.

the branching point on the tree and represents the presumed ancestor.