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Biology - Evolution > Evolution > Flashcards

Evolution Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Define Evolution.

A

the process by which all living organisms have developed and diversified from earlier forms over time.

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2
Q

Is evolution JUST a theory?

A

No

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3
Q

Define scientific theory.

A

well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the living world that is confirmed through observation and experimentation.

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4
Q

What was Darwin’s 1st observation?

A

organisms in similar environments around the world had similar characteristics.

Australia & Africa both have different plants and animals. Although, they have similar grassland environments. The plants and animals have similar characteristics even though they are different.

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5
Q

What was Darwin’s 2nd observation?

A

species always seemed well-suited for their environment.

Animals on different islands seemed to have changed to match their environment.

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6
Q

What was Darwin’s 3rd observation?

A

ancient organisms resemble modern organisms.

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7
Q

Define fossils.

A

preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.

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8
Q

What can you infer by studying fossils?

A

Why the ancient organism no longer exists.

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9
Q

Geologists began gathering evidence that the continents have been forming for a few million years. How did this help Darwin and his theory of evolution?

A

It showed him that the Earth was old enough to let organisms evolve.

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10
Q

Define natural variation.

A

individual organisms of the same species can have different characteristics.

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11
Q

Define artificial selection.

A

nature provides the variation while the humans select those they find useful.

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12
Q

How did natural variation & artificial selection help Darwin’s theory of evolution?

A

it showed him that some traits can be passed from parents to offspring.

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13
Q

How did information about population growth help Darwin develop his theory of evolution?

A

it showed him that if there is a stuggle for for existence, not everyone can survive.

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14
Q

What did Darwin propose as the mechanism of evolution?

A

natural selection

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15
Q

Define natural selection.

A

the process by which organisms with variations most suited to their environment survive and reproduce.

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16
Q

Name the 3 criteria for natural selection to occur.

A
  1. natural variation
  2. struggle for existence
  3. survival of the fittest
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17
Q

Define fitness.

A

the organism’s ability to survive and reproduce.

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18
Q

Define adaptation.

A

any inherited characteristic that increases an organism’s fitness.

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19
Q

Who proposed the theory of evolution first?

A

Lamark

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20
Q

What were Lamark’s 2 ideas?

A
  1. the inheritance of accquired traits
  2. use & disuse
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21
Q

Explain the inheritance of accquired traits.

A

traits accquired during an organism’s life could be passed on to the next generation.

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22
Q

Explain use & disuse.

A

body parts that were not being used gradually disappeared.

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23
Q

Name the patterns of evolution.

A
  1. adaptive radiation
  2. speciation
  3. convergent evolution
  4. gradualism
  5. punctuated equilibrium
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24
Q

Define adaptive radiation.

A

when a single species evolves into several different species over time

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25
Q

Define speciation.

A

the formation of a new species through evolution

26
Q

Define convergent evolution.

A

unrelated organisms evolve similar adaptations because they live in similar environments.

27
Q

Define gradualism.

A

organisms evolve at a slow and steady rate.

28
Q

Define punctuated equilibrium.

A

species do not evolve for long periods of time and then go through short periods of rapid evolution.

29
Q

Name the 2 things that caused the period of rapid evolution.

A
  1. mass extinction
  2. isolation
30
Q

Define mass extinction.

A

large number of species die out in a short time.

31
Q

Define isolation.

A

group of individuals get seperated from the main population.

32
Q

Define coevolution.

A

evolution of 2 or more species, each adapting to changes in the other.

occurs when species interact closely with each other

33
Q

What are homologous body structures?

A

body structure shared by related species that have a similar structure but different function.

34
Q

Homologous body structures support the theory that ….

A

organisms evolved from a common ancestory.

35
Q

What is are analogous body structures?

A

body parts in different species that is similar in function but not in structures.

36
Q

Analogous body structures also support …

A

convergent evolution

37
Q

What are vestigal body structures?

A

structures that have no apparent function and appear to be residual parts from past ancestors

38
Q

The end of an era is probably caused by ….

A

mass exinction

39
Q

True or False? 99% of all species that ever lived are extinct.

A

true

40
Q

Miller and Urey conducted an experiment to determine if organic molecules could be formed under the conditions of early Earth. From this, what did they think?

A

they thought it was possible for life to spontaneously form under the conditions of the early Earth.

41
Q

Earliest forms of life were …

A

prokaryotic cells

42
Q

Were the earliest forms of life anaerobic or aerobic? Explain.

A

The earliest forms of life were anaerobic because there was no oxygen in the atmosphere.

43
Q

Cellular respiration does what

A

releases ATP from food

44
Q

Anaerobic organisms used ____ to produce energy without oxygen.

A

fermentation

45
Q

1st organism to do photosynthesis.

A

Cynobacteria

46
Q

How did photosynthesis affect the environment?

A

it added oxygen to the environment

47
Q

What is the endosymbiotic theory?

A

the mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotic cells were once independent prokaryotic cells

48
Q

Does natural selection affect polygenic traits and single gene traits differently or similarly?

A

differently

49
Q

single-gene traits

A

controlled by one gene that has 2 alleles

50
Q

polygenic traits

A

controlled by more than one gene with many alleles.

51
Q

Natural selection can affect the distributions of polygenic phenotypes in any of 3 ways :

A
  1. directional selection
  2. stabalizing selection
  3. disruptive selection
52
Q

What is directional selection?

A

when individuals at one end of the curve have a higher fitness than individuals in the middle or other end

favors one of the extreme variations

53
Q

What is stabilizing selection?

A

individuals in the center of the curve have higher fitness than those at the ends of the curve.

favors average individuals

54
Q

What is disruptive selection?

A

when individuals at each end of the curve have higher fitness than those in the middle

favors both extreme variations and it creates 2 distinctive phenotypes which leads to speciation

55
Q

Define evolution in genetic terms.

A

a change in the allele frequency of a population over time.

56
Q

What is a gene pool?

A

the combined genetic info of all the members of a population

57
Q

What is relative freuquency?

A

the number of times that an allele occurs in a gene pool compared to the total number of alleles.

58
Q

What is a genetic drift?

A

random change in allele frequency of small population due to chance.

-doesn’t increase the overall fitness of population
-more likely to occur in small populations

59
Q

What is genetic equilibrium?

A

when the allele frequencies in a population remain constant over time.

60
Q

Hardy-Weinberg Principle - a population will not evolve if the follwing conditions are met….

A
  1. random mating
  2. large population
  3. no migration
  4. no mutations
  5. no natural selection
61
Q

Does genetic drift increase the overall fitness of population?

A

NO

62
Q

Is genetic drift more likely to occur in small populations or big populations?

A

small populations

Biology - Evolution (1 decks)

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