Core Concepts Assessment Flashcards
- Point Mutation Definition/Connection
Errors in the process of copying DNA / Creates new traits
- Point Mutation Example
Series of mutations affected the creation of hemoglobin. Their blood binds to ice crystals and prevents the fish from freezing
Antifreeze gene- Icefish
2 Gene Duplication Definition/Connection
Result of mistakes during recombination, jumping genes, & errors in meiosis / Duplicated genes tend to accumulate mutations & are co-opted for new functions
2 Gene Duplication Example
Genes for body segments duplicated, creating multiple segments. Over time, the genes began to mutate, creating different types of segments
Segmented body of arrthropods / hox genes
3 Gene Transfer Definition/Connection
(vertical) genetic info passed from parents to offspring / Unpredictable combos create new phenotypes, alter fitness
3 Gene Transfer Example
Brown eyed, heterozygous, parents pass the copies of the blue eyed gene that they carry down to their child, creating a homozygous recessive, blue eyed, child. Blue eyed parents can only have a blue-eyed child, they only have recessive copies.
Passage of blue eyed gene
4 Phenotype Definition/Connection
Interaction of genes & the environment, what natural selection acts upon / Affects fitness, gene transfer, and Costs & benefits, result of gene transfer, point mutation, gene duplicatiion, & most available solution
4 Phenotype Example
High predation: bright color makes male guppies a clear target, they don’t survive. Predation > sexual selection
Low Predation: Bright color makes male guppies more attractive to females & sicne there’s little wory about predation, sexual selection > predation
Phenotypes change largely in different environments, guppies from high predation areas show color when moved to low predation
Guppy color: Sexual selection & predation
5 Niche Occupation Definition/Connection
Interaction of an organism with its environment, both living & non living parts / Controls probability of mutations passing on
5 Niche Occupation Example
Birds population began to grow larger & they filled pterosaurs niche; pterosaurs had it in their genes to be able to grow larger, so they did
Birds couldn’t travel as far or eat birds of prey & non-flying dinos couldn’t fill that niche of large, flying dinos
Pterosaurs & Birds
6 Most Available Solution Definition/Connection
Species mutate/evolve what is available in their genome / mutations occur from what exists as a possibility in their genome
6 Most Available Solution Example
Bird- multiple finger bones really close together at the end of the wing with shorter finger at the other end. Covered in feathers, doesn’t connect at the ankle
Bat- Thin membrane stretched between long finger bones, connected at ankle
Pterosaur- 1 really long, pinky-like finger, other 3 are claws, connects at ankle
Wings (convergence)- Bird, Bat, pterosaur
7 Costs & Benefits Definition/Connection
Trait selection depends on if benefits outweigh the costs. Niche occupation is a large factor
7 Costs 7 Benefits Example
Cost- Having legs and no fins sacrifices food in the water, where species with only fins have the advantage
Benefit- Access to food on land & niches not open to others (can lead to rapid diversification) & less competion
Fishes & Legs
8 Co-option Definition/Connection
Existing trait evolves new function / fitness improves even in middle stages, creates new traits
