A4.1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is evolution

A

Evolution is defined as the process of cumulative change in the heritable characteristics of a population

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2
Q

what is cumulative change

A

a gradual accumulation of small changes

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3
Q

what are heritable characteristic

A

features which can be inherited (caused by genes, passing from one generation to the next, so it takes a long time to happen) (think about life span of different organisms; life span of bacteria vs cats and dogs vs human beings)

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4
Q

level of organisation

A

species –> population –> community –> ecosystem –> biome –> biosphere

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5
Q

what is species (Not define)

A

Species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank

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6
Q

define species

A

A species is a group of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile, viable offspring

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7
Q

what are fertile offsprings

A

Those which can in turn interbreed and pass on their genes to another generation.

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8
Q

define population

A

A population is a group of organisms of the same species that are living in the same area at the same time

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9
Q

define community

A

A group of populations living together and interacting with each other within a given area

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10
Q

define habitat

A

The environment in which a species normally lives, or the location of a living organism

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11
Q

define ecosystem

A

A community and its abiotic environment (i.e. habitat)

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12
Q

what are abiotic factors

A

Non-living factors, such as pH, salinity, wind speed, type of soil, etc.

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13
Q

what are biotic factors

A

Living factors in an ecosystem, such as the plants and animals.

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14
Q

define biome

A

A collection of ecosystems sharing similar climatic conditions

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15
Q

define biosphere

A

That part of the Earth inhabited by organisms

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16
Q

can members from one species reproduce with another species?

A

Members of a single species are unable to produce fertile, viable offspring with members from a different species

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17
Q

What happens when two different species interbreed?

A

When two different species do produce offspring by cross-breeding, these hybrids are reproductively sterile (e.g. liger, mule)

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18
Q

What is ecology?

A

The study of the relationship between living organisms, or between living organisms and their environment

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19
Q

What are the 3 ways organisms can obtain chemical energy?

A

autotrophs
heterotrophs
mixotrophs

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20
Q

biochemical evidence for evolution

A

Evidence for evolution from base sequence in DNA or RNA and amino acid sequences in proteins

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21
Q

sequence data

A

Sequence data gives powerful evidence of common ancestry

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22
Q

selective breeding for evolution

A

Evidence for evolution from selective breeding of domestic animals and crop plants

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23
Q

how is selective breeding an evidence for evolution

A

Variation between different domesticated animal breeds and varieties of crop plant, and between them and the original wild species, shows how rapidly evolutionary changes can occur

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24
Q

what is artificial selection

A

Farmers and breeders choose desirable genetic characteristics to keep and eliminate less desired features from a population

The driving force of this kind of evolution is human choice

25
Q

Ethical concerns on animal breeding

A

Animal cruelty and suffering derived from selective breeding animals e.g.: broiler chickens that grow quickly, but too quick that cannot support their own weight. These chickens will have numerous health problems

Breeding small cats and dogs for selective breeding, they may suffer from health problems

Breeders claim they provide clean, safe nutritious food (+ vaccination) for the animals to make sure they stay healthy. They also provide affordable food (diary meat) for the public

26
Q

what are homologous structures

A

structures found in different organisms that were derived from the same ancestral feature/evolutionary origin and they do not necessary serve the same function

27
Q

what are analogous structures

A

structures found in different organisms that serve similar functions but not derived from the same ancestral feature

28
Q

what did Darwin find about homologous structures

A

Darwin found a lot of homologous structures (occupy similar positions in organisms) in seemingly dissimilar species - evidence of organisms evolved from a common ancestor

29
Q

examples of homologous structures

A

Pentadactyl limbs
‘penta’ means five and ‘dactyl’ refers to fingers

Mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles all share a similar arrangement of bones in their appendages based on a five-digit limb

30
Q

what are the differences between pentadactyl limbs of humans, birds, bats, horses, whales and dolphins

A

Human hands are adapted for tool manipulation (power vs precision grip)

Bird and bat wings are adapted for flying

Horse hooves are adapted for galloping

Whale and dolphin fins are adapted for swimming

31
Q

analogous structures examples

A

wings in birds and chicken, fins in fish and dolphin flippers, legs in insects and legs in horse

32
Q

convergent evolution features

A

Evolved from different ancestor

Converge to produce analogous structures

Species appearance becomes more similar over time

Examples:
Wings of the birds, bats and insects
Fins of the fish and dolphin flippers

33
Q

divergent evolution features

A

Evolved from common ancestor

Diverge to produce homologous structures

Species appearance becomes more different over time

Examples:
Pentadactyl limb structures in vertebrates

34
Q

what is speciation

A

Speciation is an evolutionary process that results in the formation of a new species from a pre-existing species

It occurs when reproductive isolating mechanisms prevent two breeding organisms from producing fertile, viable offspring

35
Q

speciation vs extinction

A

speciation increases the total number of species on Earth, and extinction decreases it

36
Q

is gradual evolutionary change in a species speciation

A

no

37
Q

Speciation example: iguanas

A

Speciation by divergence of isolated population

Some iguanas got isolated on the galapagos islands and they adapted to the environment and became the only marine iguanas that can dive into the ocean to find algae for food

38
Q

what is reproductive isolation

A

Members of the same species can be prevented from reproducing because there is an insurmountable barrier between them.

Eventually, the populations will change so much that the individuals from the two separate populations will not be able to reproduce with each other successfully to produce fertile offsprings.

39
Q

types of reproductive isolation

A

temporal, geographical, behavioural

40
Q

what is geographical isolation

A

Geographic isolation occurs when two populations occupy different habitats or separate niches within a common region

41
Q

example of geographical isolation

A

Plants of the same species got spread to different parts of the world and adapted to different soil pH. Those plants will not be able to grow close to each other to breed.

bonobos Pan paniscus and common chimpanzees Pan troglodytes by the Congo RIver

42
Q

what is pan

A

what genus it is

43
Q

what are paniscus/troglodytes

A

what species they are

44
Q

what is temporal isolation

A

Temporal isolation occurs when two populations differ in their periods of activity or reproductive cycles

45
Q

example of temporal isolation

A

Leopard frogs and wood frogs reach sexual maturity at different times in the spring and hence cannot interbreed

46
Q

what is behavioural isolation

A

Behavioural isolation occurs when two populations exhibit different specific courtship patterns

47
Q

example of behavioural isolation

A

Certain populations of crickets may be morphologically identical but only respond to specific mating songs

48
Q

Allopatric speciation

A

Groups from an ancestral population evolve into separate species due to a period of geographical separation

The two populations begin to evolve separately as a result of cumulative mutation, genetic drift and natural selection

Eventually the two populations reach a degree of genetic divergence whereby they can no longer interbreed (speciation)

49
Q

sympatric speciation

A

Groups from the same ancestral population evolve into separate species without any geographical separation

Sympatric speciation may result from the reproductive isolation of two populations as a result of genetic abnormalities

Typically, a chromosomal error may arise which prevents successful reproduction with any organism lacking the same error

50
Q

what prevents hybridization in animals

A

Courtship behaviour often prevents hybridization in animal species. A mule is an example of a sterile hybrid

51
Q

examples of hybrids

A

liger
mule
zorse

52
Q

what are courtship behaviours

A

Courtship behaviours are behaviours aimed to facilitate attraction and mating with the opposite sex

53
Q

allele

A

alternate forms of the same gene

54
Q

Allopolyploid speciation

A

Allopolyploidy is a kind of polyploidy
Caused by fusion of gametes of different species
Increases the chance of survival in plants

55
Q

Advantages of polyploidy in plants

A

Hybrid plants formed by cross breeding same genus but different species allow the offspring to be fertile
New species can be generated and they may be able to adapt to the environment very quickly and more easily with more chances of getting genetic variations (weed are well adapted to different environments)

This does not need to wait for a long time to generate a new species, it can be done right at the moment of fusing of gametes (abrupt speciation)

56
Q

Adaptive radiation

A

Adaption radiation occurs when many similar but distinct species evolve relatively rapidly from a single species or form a small amount of species.

This happens because variation within a population allows certain members of that population to occupy different niches.

E.g. Lemus found in Madagascar, Hawaiian honeycreepers in Galapagos island
- Occupy different niche and habitat e.g. ground, trees, rainforests, desert
- Diurnal and nocturnal
- Minimize compe&&on

57
Q

What does adaptive radiation allow

A

It allows closely related species to coexist without competing, thereby increasing biodiversity in ecosystems where there are vacant niches

58
Q

Speciation by polyploidy in Allium

A

Polyploidy is when an error leads to an individual having more than 2 sets of
chromosomes_

  • In some plant groups there is a trend for the species to have chromosome numbers that are all multiples of_one basic number_.
  • Most Allium species have a diploid number that is a multiple of 16, ancestral. Allium probably had this number.
  • Allium species with 32 chromosomes evolved from polyploidy, which an individual with 32 chromosomes is tetraploid (4n).
  • If it crosses with a diploid individual, all the offspring are infer&le triploids(3n). - Because of this, a tetraploid is _reproduc&vely isolated_from diploids, is therefore
    instant specia&on.
  • Many plant species have been produced by polyploidy.