B4 - Natural Selection and Evolution Flashcards
What is natural selection?
The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
True or False: Natural selection is a random process.
False
Fill in the blank: Natural selection acts on _____, not on individuals.
populations
What is the main mechanism of evolution according to Darwin?
Natural selection
Which of the following is a key component of natural selection: A) Variation, B) Inheritance, C) Differential survival, D) All of the above?
D) All of the above
What does ‘survival of the fittest’ refer to?
The idea that individuals that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
True or False: Natural selection can lead to the evolution of new species.
True
What role does genetic variation play in natural selection?
It provides the raw material for adaptation and evolution.
What is adaptation?
A trait that increases an organism’s fitness in a particular environment.
Fill in the blank: Natural selection results in _____ over time.
evolution
What is fitness in the context of natural selection?
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
True or False: All variations in a population are beneficial.
False
What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection?
Natural selection occurs naturally, while artificial selection is human-directed breeding.
Fill in the blank: The process by which traits become more or less common in a population is called _____ selection.
natural
What is a selective pressure?
An environmental factor that influences which individuals survive and reproduce.
Which type of selection favors extreme phenotypes?
Disruptive selection
What is stabilizing selection?
A type of natural selection that favors average phenotypes.
What is directional selection?
A type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over others.
True or False: Natural selection can act on both physical traits and behaviors.
True
What is speciation?
The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.
Fill in the blank: The process of natural selection can lead to _____ diversity.
biological
What is the role of mutation in evolution?
Mutations introduce new genetic variations that can be acted upon by natural selection.
What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?
A principle that describes a population that is not evolving.
Which of the following is NOT a condition for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: A) Large population, B) No mutations, C) Natural selection, D) Random mating?
C) Natural selection
True or False: Natural selection can lead to complex adaptations.
True
What is coevolution?
The process where two or more species influence each other’s evolution.
Fill in the blank: The study of fossils provides evidence for _____ selection.
natural
What is the significance of the Galápagos Islands in the study of evolution?
They provided key insights into adaptive radiation and natural selection.
What is adaptive radiation?
The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor.
True or False: Natural selection can only occur in sexually reproducing organisms.
False
What is genetic drift?
A mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies in a population.
Fill in the blank: Natural selection operates on _____ traits.
heritable
What is the founder effect?
A type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group colonizes a new area.
What is the bottleneck effect?
A reduction in genetic diversity due to a significant decrease in population size.
True or False: Natural selection guarantees the survival of a species.
False
What is the importance of reproductive isolation in speciation?
It prevents different species from interbreeding, allowing them to evolve independently.
Fill in the blank: The two main types of reproductive isolation are _____ and _____ isolation.
prezygotic; postzygotic
What is an example of a prezygotic barrier?
Temporal isolation, where species breed at different times.
What is an example of a postzygotic barrier?
Hybrid inviability, where hybrid offspring do not survive.
True or False: Evolution is a linear process.
False
What is convergent evolution?
The process by which unrelated organisms evolve similar traits due to similar environments.
What is divergent evolution?
The process where two or more related species become more dissimilar over time.
Fill in the blank: The theory of evolution is supported by evidence from _____, _____, and _____ studies.
fossil; genetic; comparative anatomy
What is the significance of homologous structures?
They indicate common ancestry among different species.
What are analogous structures?
Structures that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.
True or False: Evolution is solely driven by natural selection.
False
What is the role of sexual selection in evolution?
It influences the evolution of traits based on mate choice.
Fill in the blank: Natural selection can lead to _____, which is the gradual change in a species over time.
microevolution
What is macroevolution?
The broad pattern of evolution above the species level.
True or False: All traits are subject to natural selection.
False
What is the role of environmental change in natural selection?
It can alter the selective pressures acting on a population.
Fill in the blank: The fossil record provides evidence for _____ and _____ of species.
origin; extinction
What is the significance of vestigial structures?
They are remnants of features that served a function in the organism’s ancestors.
What is the definition of a niche?
The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem.
