Chapter 1 - The Rise of Evolutionary Biology Flashcards
the only scientific theory that can seriously claim to unify biology
evolution
unifying themes in biology
evolution
emergent properties
cell
heritable information
structure and function
environmental interaction
regulation
unity and diversity
scientific inquiry
science, technology and society
What is the process of change in species over time through natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow.
evolution
What are characteristics that arise from the interaction of simpler components but do not exist in the individual parts alone?
emergent properties
What is an “ancestor-descendant” series of populations?
lineage
is the passing of traits from parent to offspring with changes over generations, leading to evolution. It explains shared ancestry and diversity.
descent with modification
What did Darwin regarded as the key problem that the theory of evolution had to solve?
adaptation
a trait or process that improves an organism’s survival and reproduction in its environment
adaptation
the process where organisms with beneficial traits survive and reproduce more, passing those traits to future generations
natural selection
Theory by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1809) suggesting that organisms evolve by acquiring traits during their lifetime and passing them to offspring.
Lamarckian inheritance
Charles Darwin’s theory that species evolve through natural selection, favoring traits that enhance survival and reproduction.
Darwininian evolution
Individuals differ in traits.
variation
A hierarchical structure of life, proposed by Aristotle, ranking organisms from simple to complex.
Scala Naturae (Great Chain of Being)
is the belief that species are unchanging and were created in their current form, typically associated with pre-Darwinian biological thought and creationist views
species fixity
grandfather of Charles Darwin who’s one of the person who questioned species fixity
Erasmus Darwin
The process by which competing species use the environment differently to coexist, reducing direct competition by occupying distinct ecological roles.
Niche Partitioning
Where did Darwin got the idea to make a theory to explain why species change?
Malthus’ “Essay on Population”
A scenario in which population growth outpaces agricultural production, leading to famine, disease, and societal collapse, as predicted by Thomas Malthus.
Malthusian Catastrophe
The competition among organisms for limited resources such as food, space, and mates, influencing natural selection and survival.
Struggle for Existence
A British naturalist and explorer who independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection alongside Charles Darwin, contributing to biogeography and the Wallace Line.
Alfred Russel Wallace
A biogeographical boundary that separates the distinct animal species of Asia and Australia, first identified by Alfred Russel Wallace.
Wallace line
A British biologist and strong advocate of Darwin’s theory of evolution, known as “Darwin’s Bulldog” for his defense of natural selection.
Thomas Henry Huxley
emphasizes the gradual transformation of organisms due to environmental pressures and internal drive; suggests that species evolve in a linear, progressive manner toward greater complexity
Lamarckian transformism
unification of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and Mendelian genetics
modern synthesis
