2B - Evolution Flashcards
Chapter 4 - Mechanisms of a population change
What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is a physical feature,
behaviour, or physiological process that helps an organism survive and reproduce in a particular environment
What are the 3 different types of adaptations?
Structural/Physical
Physiological
Behavioural
Structural/Physical adaptation
changes in the structures of a living organism that makes it better adapted to its
environment
– Camouflage and colouration
– Morphological features such as changes in
the skeleton, limbs, tails, etc.
– Other physical characteristics of an organism
Behavioral adaptations
things an organism does to survive,
usually in response to an external
stimulus
– Nesting and hibernation behaviours
– Collecting and storing food, a food
cache
– Bird calls, songs, mating dances, and
migration
Physiological adaptations
- changes in the metabolism and / or physiological activity of organisms that allow them to maintain homeostasis
- These adaptations influence internal
functioning of the organism
– Breathing rate, temperature regulation in
endotherms, chemical mechanisms
– Odour production in skunks through secretory glands
– Digestive enzymes and the secretion of gastric acid
What is genetic variation?
- the difference in
DNA among individuals or the differences
between populations among the same
species - The multiple sources of genetic variation
include mutation and genetic
recombination
– Mutations are the ultimate sources of
genetic variation, but other mechanisms,
such as genetic drift, contribute to it, as well
What is genetic variation caused by
Genetic variation is caused by variation in
the order of bases in the nucleotides in
genes
What will genetic variation will result in
phenotypic variation if the order of nucleotides in the DNA sequence results in amino acid changes
– Amino acid changes can result in new proteins coded by that DNA sequence
– If resultant differences in amino-acid sequence influence protein shape, it can change function
What is phenotypic
variation?
Differences within the observable characteristics among an individual/s within a population.
What is variety and what can it cause
/
Variety (in the phenotypic expression of
organisms) within a population exists
- This variation within a particular environment can result in an organism being better or less adapted to their particular situation
- Thus, phenotypic variation is the
characteristics on which natural selection acts
Natural selection
Natural selection is the process by which a population of organisms changes because individuals with certain traits can better survive the local environmental conditions and pass on these traits to their offspring.
What is a genetic mutation?
- Changes in the DNA sequence of genes
can result in the production of new
proteins - Mutations can be:
– Benign (have no effect on the organism)
– Deleterious (harmful to the organism)
– Advantageous (helpful to the organism)
What is a phenotype
observable characteristics due to thier genes and environment. a difference in phenotype causes variation among a species
What do genes code for
proteins/amino acids
what do genomes code for
genomes are all your genes combined and they code for the entire organism