Biology - Evolution Flashcards
What is natural selection?
The process by which individuals with inherited characteristics well suited to the environment
What does evolution mean?
All of the changes that have transformed life over an immense time.
What is adaptation?
An evolutionary change caused by selection pressures on some attribute of a trait that helps the organism cope with a changing environment
What is variation?
Differences among members of the same species
What is fitness?
Contribution an individual makes to the gene pool compared to contribution of others
What is mutation?
Alteration in the physical structure of an organisms DNA
What is survival of the fittest?
Survival of those who do survive, those who have whatever characteristics when the survival challenge comes along that’s kills others
What is ontogenic?
Developmental - an innate or leaned behaviour.
What is phylogenetic?
Ancestral - a present behaviour or not primitive
What is proximate?
What triggers the behaviour
What is meant by ultimate?
Selective advantage - to run away and survive or stay and get killed
An example of ontogenic?
Being scared of spiders, you survive
An example of phylogenic?
Genes of phobia is passed on
An example of proximate?
The presence of spiders
An example of ultimate?
The spiders wouldn’t kill us if we run away from them
