Basics of Evolution Flashcards
the change in heritable traits of a biological population over time
evolution
Due to differential survival and reproduction
Can be relatively slow or fast
Many misconceptions:
Survival of the fittest ≠ progression to the “best”
evolution
Mechanisms of evolution
natural selection, mutation, gene flow, genetic drift
environmental pressures
natural selection
random changes in genetics
mutation
introduction of new genes
gene flow
genetic traits shift over time
genetic drift
development of a new species as a result of reproductive barriers
Speciation
types of speciation
allopatric and sympatric speciation
certain traits are favored, become predominant
selection pressures
selection types
stabilizing, directional, disruptive
Relationships between species and linking to common ancestors
taxonomy
Genus + species
Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, subspecies
scientific name
place or set of environmental conditions in which a particular organism lives
habitat
single factor in shortest supply that a species needs to survive
Critical factors
minimum and maximum levels of a factor that affect survival
Tolerance limits
the presence of a species can mark certain conditions
indicator species
the role a species plays in a biological community and the factors that determine its distribution
niche
Mechanisms that create niches
competitive exclusion and resource partitioning
two species can’t occupy the same niche at the same time owing to competition
competitive exclusion
species specialize in certain parts of a resource
resource partitioning
