ap bio unit 7 part 2 Flashcards
BSC
group of naturally interbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups, meaning they can produce fertile offspring with each other but not with members of other species.
Reproductive Isolating Mechanisms
a collection of evolutionary mechanisms, behaviors and physiological processes critical for speciation. They prevent members of different populations from producing offspring, or ensure that any offspring are sterile/inviable
Prezygotic Isolating Mechanisms
barriers that prevent different populations from successfully mating,
Postzygotic Isolating Mechanisms
barriers that prevent offspring from different populations from growing or breeding. Hybrid inviability and sterility
Geographic Isolation
physical barrier preventing breeding between populations
Ecological Isolation
populations choose different habitats to live which prevents the populations from interbreeding.
Temporal Isolation
populations breed at different times which prevents the populations from interbreeding.
Mechanical Isolation
populations can’t physically exchange gametes which prevents the populations from interbreeding.
Behavioral Isolation
females only choose mates that are different from other populations which prevents the populations from interbreeding.
Gametic Isolation
gametes are not able to fuse from different populations which prevents the populations from interbreeding.
Zygote Mortality
zygote inviability, when two populations produce a zygote that is not able to survive to maturity
Sterility
when two populations produce a zygote that is infertile and not able to breed
Hybrid Vigor
when a hybrid has stronger traits because any deleterious traits are balanced out by the genetics of the other species.
Speciation
the evolutionary process where new species arise from a single ancestral species, typically through reproductive isolation and genetic divergence
Allopatric Speciation
a type of speciation where a population becomes geographically isolated, leading to the evolution of distinct species due to the absence of gene flow between the isolated groups
Sympatric Speciation
the evolution of a new species from a surviving ancestral species, where both continue to inhabit the same geographic region without geographical isolation
Adaptive Radiation
a process where a single species or small group of species rapidly diversifies into many new species
Divergent Evolution
the process where two or more related species become increasingly dissimilar over time, often due to adapting to different environments or ecological niches, potentially leading to the formation of new species. Homologous Structures
Gradualism
a pattern of evolution characterized by slow, continuous, and directional change over long periods
Punctuated Equilibrium
the idea that evolution occurs in spurts instead of following the slow, but steady path
Hox Genes
a group of related genes that play a crucial role in animal development by specifying the body plan along the head-to-tail axis, ensuring that structures form in the correct places
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Chemical Evolution
the gradual formation of increasingly complex organic molecules from simpler inorganic molecules through chemical reactions
Biological Evolution
the change in the inherited traits of populations of organisms over successive generations, driven by mechanisms like natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation
Primordial Soup
the hypothetical, early Earth environment of a water body rich in organic compounds from which scientists believe the first life forms evolved
Miller Experiment
simulated the conditions of early Earth and demonstrated the possibility of organic molecules, including amino acids, forming from inorganic compounds through chemical reactions
RNA First
The RNA world hypothesis proposes that RNA, rather than DNA or proteins, was the primary form of genetic material and played a crucial role in the early evolution of life, potentially serving as both a carrier of genetic information and a catalyst for chemical reactions
Protein First
a theory that proposes proteins were the first biomolecules to appear in the evolution of life on Earth
Iron-Sulfur World
suggests that life originated on the surface of iron sulfide minerals near hydrothermal vents, where complex chemical reactions catalyzed by these minerals led to the emergence of metabolism-first life
Relative Dating
a method used to determine the chronological order of events and objects, establishing which is older or younger relative to others, without assigning specific numerical ages
Absolute Dating
scientific methods used to determine the exact age of a fossil, rock, or archaeological artifact by measuring the radioactive decay of isotopes, providing a specific chronological age
Endosymbiotic Hypothesis
proposes that some eukaryotic organelles, like mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated as free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by early eukaryotic cells, forming a symbiotic relationship that led to their evolution into organelles
Mass Extinction
a period of dramatically increased extinction rates, where a large percentage of Earth’s species disappear within a relatively short geological time frame
Molecular Clock
a method used to estimate the time of evolutionary events by comparing the differences in DNA or protein sequences between species, assuming mutations accumulate at a relatively constant rate
Continental Drift (Plate Tectonics)
describes the idea that Earth’s continents were once part of a single supercontinent (Pangaea) and have moved to their current positions over millions of years
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Systematics
the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships
Phylogenetic Tree (Phylogeny)
a diagram that depicts the evolutionary relationships among different species, organisms, or genes, showing how they are related through a common ancestor
Taxonomy
the science of classifying, naming, and describing organisms, including studying their relationships and the principles underlying such classification
Classification
the process of arranging organisms, both living and extinct, into groups based on similar characteristics
Binomial Nomenclature
a system for naming species using a two-part scientific name, consisting of the genus and species, typically in Latinized form
LUCA
Last Universal Common Ancestor, the hypothesized single-celled organism from which all known life on Earth is believed to have descended
3 Domains
Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Eukarya
6 Kingdoms
Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
Derived Characteristic
a trait that has evolved from an ancestral form and is unique to a particular group or lineage, distinguishing it from other groups
Ancestral Characteristic
traits that were present in a common ancestor of a group of organisms and are inherited by all of its descendants
Cladistics
a method of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships, grouping them into clades (groups of organisms descended from a common ancestor) using shared, derived characteristics
Cladogram
a branching diagram that illustrates hypothetical relationships among different groups of organisms based on shared characteristics
Principle of Parsimony
suggests that the simplest explanation, or the one requiring the fewest evolutionary changes, is the most likely to be true, especially when constructing phylogenetic trees
