Question 1

What are traits?

Accepted Answer

A specific characteristic of an individual

(eye color, height, amount of fur/feathers)

Question 2

What is adaptation?

Accepted Answer

A new trait that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce (fitness)

Question 3

How do new traits occur?

Accepted Answer

Random mutations when DNA is being copied

Crossing over parents' chromosomes for new combinations

Question 4

What is natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to reproduce and pass down their genes

(beneficial adaptations become more numerous this way)

Question 5

What is a selective pressure/force?

Accepted Answer

An environmental condition that forces organisms to adapt in order to survive

(a predator can be a selective pressure that forces prey to evolve)

Question 6

What is reproductive isolation?

Accepted Answer

When two populations are no longer able to reproduce with each other

(due to allopatric or sympatric speciation)

Question 7

What is allopatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

A species evolving into separate species due to a physical/geographic barrier

(e.g., existing on an island)

Question 8

What is sympatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

A species evolving into separate species without a physical/geographic barrier

(e.g., due to different mating seasons)

Question 9

What is the difference between sympatric and allopatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

Sympatric: speciation without a physical barrier (mnemonic: same space)

Allopatric: speciation with a physical barrier (mnemonic: all over the place)

2.6 Adaptations, AP Environmental Science Flashcards