Darwin’s Theory Of Evolution Flashcards
Charles Darwin was the founder of…
Modern evolutionary theory
fitness
Ability of an individual to survive
What are two unique animals Charles Darwin encountered
Finches and tortoises
Darwin’s book
Origin of Species
Anatomy of organisms
Homologous structures, analogous structures, vestigial structures, and similarities of embryology
Homologous Structures
Almost same structure of a body part but with different functions
Analogous structures
Body parts of different organisms that have the same function but different structure
Vestigial structures
Any body structure that is reduced or has no function in living organism but may have at one time by ancestors
Similarities of Embryology
Similar embryo development suggest common ancestors
Camoflauge
An organisms ability to blend in with it’s surroundings
Mimicry
An organism copying the appearance of another species
Adaptations
Any inherited characteristic that increases an organisms change of survival
Natural Selection
Influenced by the gene pool and its allelic frequency; when the allelic frequency is consistent for generations it is said to be in genetic equilibrium and not evolving
Genetic drift
Alterations of allelic frequencies by change processes
Types of Natural Selection
Stabilizing selection, directional selection, and disruptive selection
Stabilizing selection
Favors average individuals in a population as the best fit to survive
Directional selection
Favoring an extreme form of a trait
Disruptive selection
Either of the two extremes are favored
Speciation
Evolution of new species
Geographies isolation
Occurs when a physical barrier separates a population into groups
Behavioral isolation
Differences in courtship rituals or other behaviors prevent mating
Temporal isolation
(Temporal = time) having multiple of a Normal set of chromosomes
gradualism
Process of evolution at a slow steady rate with small, adaptive changes gradually accumulated over time
Polyploidy
Having multiple of a normal set of chromosomes (can occur in one generation)
Divergent Evolution
Pattern of evolution in which species that once were all similar to the ancestral species become more and more distinct
Convergent evolution
Pattern of evolution in which distantly related organisms evolve similar traits
Why does evolution occur?
The changes in the gene pool (mutations, other)
