Vocab Chapter 10

5. the process of change by which new species develop from preexisting species over time
7. The process of becoming adapted to an environment
8. theory that states that natural disasters such as floods and volcanic eruptions shaped Earth’s landforms and caused extinction of some species
10. study of fossils or extinct organisms
12. theory that states that the geological processes that shape Earth are uniform over time
15. a model of evolution in which gradual change over a long period of time leads to biological diversity
16. - body part that is similar in structure on different organisms but performs different functions

1. measure of an organism's ability to survive and produce offspring relative to other members of a population
2. a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring
3. the human process of breeding animals or plants that have certain desired traits
4. the study of geographical distribution of the living organisms and fossils on Earth
6. the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than less well adapted individuals do
9. body part that is similar in function as a body part of another organism but is structurally different
11. remnants of an organ or structure that functioned in an earlier ancestor
13. the trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock
14. differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs