Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is evolution?
heritable change in a line of descent over time
What did Dbzhansky say about evolution?
nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution
How does natural selection play a role in evolution? (2)
natural selection is the main driving force for evolution
only drive in adaptive evolution
What other factors play a role in evolution? (5)
genetic drift
gene flow
mutation
recombination/ meiosis
luck
How do behaviors evolve?
when behaviors have a strong genetic component, they can change in a population or species; there is always a bit of genetics in behavior
How vs Why questions
how- questions involving proximate reasons for behaviors
why- questions involving ultimate reasons for behavior
What is Darwin’s theory of natural selection? (3)
living species are products of unguided, unconscious process of reproductive
competition among their ancestors
the offsprings today are the results of natural selection
if individuals left more offsprings than others due to a trait, the species would become more like them
Three requirements for natural selection to lead to evolution
there is variation
traits are heritable
traits lead to differences in reproductive success
What is an adaptation?
current traits today have won some sort of reproductive competition that occurred in the past
What did Darwin miss?
hereditary component of genes and alleles
How does alleles change in a population?
alleles increase or decrease in populations due to their relative value in survival and reproduction for individuals
How does natural selection act on genes?
since natural selection on phenotype, it indirectly acts on genes
How is selection working in a population? (3)
on the individual- may not be for whats good for the population
blind and uncaring
unguided
What are Darwinian puzzles?
when we discover traits that appear to reduce an individual’s success, and requires explanations on why they can be beneficial
Why do male Diggers bee dig? (2)
female digger bees only reproduce once
once emerged, female diggers bee do not reproduce
Why do male Hunuman langers commit infanticide? (2)
maximize their reproductive success; kill offsprings that aren’t theirs
if infants were killed, mother would ovulate more quickly
What is ethology?
study of behavior under natural conditions (animal behavior)
What is behavioral ecology?
ethological approach to ecology
What is psychology?
a social science, approaching behavior through an anthropocentric view (doesn’t consider evolution)
Why is scientific logic controversial? (2)
science can violate the public’s beliefs
researches can be biased- fundings, see what they want to see, downplay negative results, or make stuff up
How does scientific logic standards remain upholded? (3)
healthy skepticism driven by the need to be right
to become scientific consensus, ideas are well-vetted
science is self-correcting, with researchers being competitive and strive for a higher status
