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biology yr 12 > chapter 8 > Flashcards

chapter 8 Flashcards

1
Q

evolution

A

the process of cumulative, heritable change in a population over many generations

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2
Q

ancestor

A

is a species from which other species have evolved

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3
Q

a common ancestor

A

refers to an ancestor that is shared by different species. This is supported by molecular evidence: there is a common genetic code in the form of DNA and RNA

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4
Q

theory

A

is an explanation that has not been proven as fact but is supported by evidence.

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5
Q

genomics

A

is the study of the whole set of genes of a species and the interactions of the genes within a genome. The genomes of many species have been fully sequenced

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6
Q

relatedness

A

is a measure of evolutionary distance. The relatedness of groups of organisms is reflected in the similarity of their DNA sequences. Two species are more related if they have a more recent common ancestor and less related if they have a less recent common ancestor

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7
Q

comparative genomics

A

is a field of biological research in which researchers use a variety of tools to compare the genome sequences of different species. The more similar in sequence the genes and genomes of two species are, the more closely related those species are

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8
Q

absolute dating

A

The process of determining the age of rocks and the fossils they contain on the basis of the physical or chemical properties of materials in the rock

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9
Q

adaptation

A

An evolved structural, physiological or behavioural characteristic of an organism that increases its chances of survival and reproduction in a particular environment

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10
Q

adaptive radioation

A

The process by which a species rapidly diversifies into many taxa with differing adaptations; it can be triggered by many factors, such as the emergence of reproductive barriers within a population, changes in the availability of resources, new challenges or new opportunities; it is a type of divergent evolution

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11
Q

analagous structure

A

Features of organisms that have the same function but not the same structure

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12
Q

ancestor

A

A species from which other species have evolved

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13
Q

biogeography

A

The study of the distributions of living things over a geographical area and how those distributions have changed over geologic time

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14
Q

bioinformatics

A

The digital storage, retrieval, organisation and analysis of a large volume of biological data; bioinformatics has dramatically increased the size, accuracy and scope of data sets, such as those needed for comparative genomics

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15
Q

clade

A

A group of organisms that includes all the descendants of a common ancestor and the ancestor itself; for example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles and their common ancestor form a clade

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16
Q

common ancestor

A

An ancestor that is shared by different species

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17
Q

comparative anatomy

A

The study of the similarities and differences in structure between different organisms; a larger number of similar features indicates a more recent common ancestor

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18
Q

Comparative biochemistry

A

The study of chemical processes in different living things. Some chemical processes in cells such metabolic pathways that trap and generate energy are the same in all living things, indicating a common ancestor.

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19
Q

Comparative studies of proteins

A

Analysis of the similarities and differences in the sequences of amino acids of the same proteins found in different species. Amino acids are the fundamental units of proteins. The results enable evolutionary biologists to obtain a measure of the relatedness between species

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20
Q

Comparative dating

A

The process of determining the age of rocks and their contained fossils relative to one another, allowing an estimation of ‘oldest to youngest’, without assigning an actual age in years

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21
Q

comparative genomics

A

A field of biological research in which scientists use a variety of tools to compare the genome sequences of different species; the more similar in sequence the genes and genomes of two species are, the more closely related those species are

22
Q

conserved

A

Refers to DNA or protein sequences that have been preserved by natural selection and are still the same or very similar in different species

23
Q

Continental drift

A

The relative movement of Earth’s continental landmasses, which appear to drift over Earth’s mantle

24
Q

Convergent evolution

A

A process whereby unrelated organisms evolve similar adaptations in response to a similarity in their environments

25
Divergent evolution
A process whereby related species evolve new traits over time spent living in different habitats, becoming increasingly different from the common ancestor and from one another, giving rise to new species
26
DNA–DNA hybridisation
A method used to analyse relatedness; similarities in the base-pairing of DNA strands are analysed to show evolutionary links between organisms
27
Embryology
The study of the anatomy of embryos and how they develop over time until the adult stage
28
eon
A major division of geologic time that is itself divided into eras
29
epoch
A division of geologic time (periods) that is marked by one or more significant events
30
era
A division of geologic time (a subdivision of eons) that is itself divided into periods
31
evolution
The process of cumulative, gradual, inheritable change in a population of organisms that occurs over many generations and a relatively long time
32
fossil
Preserved remains or traces of an organism
33
genomics
The study of the genome – how genes interact with one another and the environment, and the resultant proteins produced; knowledge of an organism’s entire DNA sequence
34
gradualism
A theoretical model of evolution that proposes there has been a steady, slow divergence of lineages, irrespective of gaps in the fossil record
35
homologous strcutre
Feature that has the same general structure but different functions in different organisms
36
homology
The existence of shared ancestry between a pair of structures or between genes
37
isotope
Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, and therefore different relative atomic masses
38
molecular homology
The identification of shared biomolecular elements – generally genes – used to test the closeness of relationships between organisms; it can demonstrate common ancestry
39
molecular phylogeny
The study of evolutionary relationships using comparative genomics
40
morphological
structural
41
mutation rate
The number of changes per gene copy in a population over a period of time
42
niche
An organism’s habitat, way of life, or the way it functions in its environment
43
Palaeontology
The study of life in the past, based on fossil remains
44
phylogeny
Evolutionary relationships that exist between species, often expressed in a tree-like diagram
45
Principle of superposition
The principle that states that the oldest rock layer is found in the deepest position, and each consecutive layer above it is relatively younger; it indicates the relative ages of the rock layers and the fossils within them; this principle is fundamental to our interpretation of Earth’s history
46
Punctuated equilibrium
A theory of evolution that proposes new organisms evolve quickly after a long period of no change, rather than evolving by gradual change
47
Radiometric dating
Uses the known rates of decay of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes present in a rock or fossil to obtain an absolute date for its age
48
Relatedness
A measure of the evolutionary distance between two species; they are more related if they have a recent common ancestor and less related if they have a less recent common ancestor
49
Speciation
The evolution of one or more new species from an ancestral species
50
species
A group of similar organisms capable of breeding and whose offspring are also fertile
51
Stratum (plural strata)
The layers of rock in an area (profile); strata occur in order, with the oldest layers at the bottom
52
Vestigial structures
Biological structures that have lost most, if not all, of their original function in the course of evolution; in ancestral organisms the structures served a purpose, but in their descendants the structures become atrophied or rudimentary

biology yr 12 (9 decks)

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