| adaptation | The state in which an organism is adjusted to and can survive in its environment through its physical traits and behaviors. Also, the process by which an organism develops this state through natural processes.
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| catastrophists | Those who believe the history of the earth is explained by a series of global catastrophes, either natural or divine in origin. See also uniformitarianism.
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| comparative anatomy | Comparing the anatomical features of various species. Used to reconstruct a fossil species from fragmentary remains.
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| evolution | Change through time, usually with reference to biological species, but may also refer to changes within cultural systems.
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| fitness | The relative adaptiveness of an individual organism, measured ultimately by reproductive success.
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| fossils | Remains of life forms of the past.
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| inheritance of acquired characteristics | The incorrect idea, associated with Lamarck, that adaptive traits acquired during an organism's lifetime can be passed on to its offspring.
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| natural selection | Evolutionary change based on the differential reproductive success of individuals within a species.
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| progressive | In evolution, the now-discounted idea that all change is toward increasing complexity.
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| strata | Layers; here, the layers of rock and soil under the surface of the earth. Singular, stratum.
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| stratigraphy | The study of the earth's strata.
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| uniformitarianism | The idea that present-day geological and biological processes can also explain the history of the earth and its life. See also catastrophists.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education