Essential Glossary of Evolutionary and Biological Concepts
Evolution
The process of transformation of living generations.
Fossil
Organic remains left in the strata of the Earth.
D. Embryonic
(Definition pending or context specific)
Paleontology
The science that studies the past through fossils.
Carter
(Definition pending or context specific)
Analogous Organs (Similar Body)
Organs that perform the same functions but have different origins.
Homologous Organs (O. Counterpart)
Organs that share the same origin but perform different functions.
Biodiversity
The term referring to the wide variety of life on Earth and the general patterns that conform to it.
Species
Each of the groups into which a genus is divided; the fundamental genetic unit defined by particular morphological characteristics.
Population
Groups of organisms belonging to a particular species living in a specific geographical location. Population size is often measured via census.
Speciation (Specialization)
The process of formation of new species.
Taxonomy
The science of classification; the science of ordering organisms within a classification system.
Geology
The science that studies the Earth’s interior structure and processes.
Stratum
One of the layers into which sediments (sedimentary rock) are divided.
Index Fossil (Fossil Guide)
Remains of prehistoric plants or animals that provide information about the rock strata in which they occur. Index fossils can be used to determine the age of the sediments that form the rocks or the environment in which these sediments were deposited.
Taxonomic Category
The hierarchical ranks used in classification, such as genus, family, class, kingdom, and order.
Phenotype
The expression of the genotype in a particular environment. Phenotype traits include physical and behavioral characteristics.
Genotype
The genetic content of an individual, typically in the form of DNA (the collection of genes of an organism).
Comparative Anatomy
The discipline responsible for studying the similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms.
Molecular Biology
The study of life at a molecular level.
Extinction (Termination)
The disappearance of all members of a species or group of taxa.
Involution
A step back from humanization between peoples and human groups (regression).
Creationist Theory
The belief that life, including humans, was created by a superior being in an immutable form, designed to obey and serve their creator.
Fixism (Fijista Theory)
The theory maintaining that current species have remained unchanged throughout time.
Vestigial Organs
An organ whose original function was lost during evolution.
Acquired Character
The acquisition of characteristics that serve for development or feeding (characteristics not inherited).
Heritable Trait (Heritable Nature)
Characteristics with which organisms are born, rather than learned.
Natural Selection
An evolutionary mechanism defined as the differential reproduction of genotypes within biological populations.
Endosymbiotic Theory (Embriocimbiosis)
Postulates that certain organelles, especially plastids and mitochondria, originated from prokaryotic cells after being engulfed by other organisms, establishing endosymbiotic relationships.
Autogenic Theory
Posits that membrane-bound organelles could arise through the invagination of the plasma membrane, taking on independent functions.
Unicellular Organism
A body formed by a single cell, such as bacteria and chloroplasts (referring to their ancestral origins).
Multicellular Organism
Consists of more than one cell.
Colony
A set of cells located together to ensure the continuity of life (sometimes not living alone).
Colony Without Specialization
A set of cells without distribution of tasks or functions.
Colony With Specialization
A set composed of cells that make up complex organisms, fulfilling certain functions necessary for life.
Fossilization
The process by which an organism or organic debris is transformed into a fossil.
Stromatolite
Thin laminations and ripples; these are among the earliest known rocks formed by life.
Coprolite
Fossilized feces, which undergo mineralization.
Primordial Soup (Primeval Soup)
The most accepted hypothesis regarding the creation of life on our planet.
Spontaneous Generation
A former biological theory of abiogenesis, which held that plant and animal life could arise spontaneously from inert matter.