| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Natural Selection | "survival of the fittest" |
| What will happen if the offspring survives? | it will pass on, by reproduction, useful variations to its offspring that will help that species better survive in their environment because the “weak” traits will eventually be eliminated by nature |
| Overpopulation | a species’ ability to produce more offspring than the environment can support |
| What are some factors of the offspring not surviving to adulthood? | 1. predation 2. limited resources 3. disease |
| Variation | different traits exist within a given species or population |
| Why is variation important? | f there is no variation or “options” to choose, then a species is limited to what is available; even if it is weak or unfavorable |
| When do variations come into existance? | only with a change in the organisms DNA |
| What is the change in an organisms DNA known as? | mutation |
| Why are mutations rare? | (only occur in gametes)because these cells are normally not exposed to the environmental stresses an organism may encounter in their existence;mostly occur on somatic cells because these cells are exposed to the environmental stresses |
| Why does competition occur? | because there is an overproduction in a species’ population |
| Adaptations | a specific variation that is or becomes a common trait within a population because it helps the species better survive in their environment |
