Biology (school) · Part 06
Variation and evolution
Why living things differ and how species change over time.
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- VariationThe differences between individuals of the same species. It comes from genes, the environment or both.
- MutationA random change in the DNA of a gene. Most are harmless, some are harmful and a few are useful.
- Natural selectionIndividuals with features that suit their environment survive and breed more, passing those features on.
- AdaptationA feature of an organism that helps it survive in its habitat.
- EvolutionThe slow change of a species over many generations as natural selection favours helpful features.
- SpeciationThe formation of a new species when two populations become so different they can no longer breed together.
- FossilThe preserved remains or traces of a living thing from long ago, often found in rock.
- ExtinctionWhen no living members of a species remain anywhere on Earth.
- Selective breedingHumans choosing parents with useful features and breeding them to produce better offspring over generations.
- Genetic engineeringMoving a gene from one organism into another to give it a new feature.
- ClassificationSorting living things into groups based on their features. The groups get smaller from kingdom to species.