Discovering Australia's evolutionary past
Glossary
continental drift. The very slow movement of the continents on their underlying plates.
convergent evolution. The development of similar functions and structures in unrelated or distantly-related organisms.
dendrogram. A diagram which shows the interrelationships between a group of organisms, as well as estimates of when the organisms evolved and separated into different species.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). The nucleic acid forming the genetic material of all organisms with the exception of some viruses which have RNA. DNA is present in the nucleus and other organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
genus. A group of organisms which may contain one or more species that exhibit similar characteristics.
ice cores. Cylinders of ice drilled from glaciers and icesheets that are used to provide information about the earth's climate history.
molecular phylogenetics. The study of molecular structures to establish the evolutionary relationships of organisms.
morphology. A branch of biology that deals with the shape and form of organisms.
Pacific Rim. A region which includes countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.
palaeontologists. Scientists who study prehistoric lifeforms by examining plant and animal fossils.
plate tectonics. The theory that the Earth's surface is made up of huge plates that have moved very slowly during geological history, and continue to move, thus changing the position of continent and oceans. The plates are about 100 kilometres thick and move at a rate of about 1-12 centimetres per year.
Proteaceae. An ancient family of flowering plants found mostly in the southern hemisphere.
Posted October 2007.