Evolution and Biodiversity

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Across
  1. 3. A hypothesis, a theory or a tenet assuming that change comes about gradually or that variation is gradual in nature and happens over time as opposed to in large steps.
  2. 5. The direct or indirect interaction of organisms that leads to a change in fitness when the organisms share the same resource.
  3. 7. The quantitative representation of individual reproductive success. It is also equal to the average contribution to the gene pool of the next generation, made by the same individuals of the specified genotype or phenotype.
  4. 9. When the living organisms produce more offspring than that can survive.
  5. 12. The combination of all the genes (including alleles) present in a reproducing population or species.
  6. 13. An evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species.
  7. 14. Any heritable trait that helps an organism, such as a plant or animal, survive and reproduce in its environment.
  8. 15. Represents the evolutionary pattern in which species sharing a common ancestry become more distinct due to differential selection pressure which gradually leads to speciation over an evolutionary time period.
Down
  1. 1. A collection of evolutionary mechanisms, behaviors and physiological processes critical for speciation. They prevent members of different species from producing offspring, or ensure that any offspring are sterile.
  2. 2. Any change in the DNA sequence of a cell. Mutations may be caused by mistakes during cell division, or they may be caused by exposure to DNA-damaging agents in the environment.
  3. 4. The change in allele frequencies that occurs over time within a population. This change is due to four different processes: mutation, selection, gene flow and genetic drift.
  4. 6. Variation in the relative frequency of different genotypes in a small population, owing to the chance disappearance of particular genes as individuals die or do not reproduce.
  5. 8. A group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
  6. 10. A term that describes mechanisms of gene transfer from one population to another.
  7. 11. A defense or tactic that organisms use to disguise their appearance, usually to blend in with their surroundings.