Evolution Flashcards
Natural selection
a theory developed by Charles Darwin that states that as the environment changes, different characteristics are selected to be more favorable for survival.
Artificial selection
process by which humans choose which organisms reproduce
5 principles of natural selection
Overproduction, Competition, variation, survival of the fittest, speciation (sisters fight over cute vetements)
5 key pieces of evidence for natural selection
Biogeography, Biochemistry, Comparative anatomy, Embryology, Fossil Record
Overproduction
many members of a species will be born, not all with reach reproductive age
Competition
the presence of many members of a species will create competition for resources
Variation
There is variety in inherited traits
Survival of the fittest
only individuals with advantageous variations will survive
Speciation
over many generations of passing on inherited (successful) traits, new generations will not look like their ancestral stock.
Biogeography
identifies similar organisms in different continents with similar environmental conditions.
Biochemistry
Proteins, DNA, and chromosome that may suggest relatedness (genetic markers, tests)
Comparative anatomy
Homologous and Analogous structures that can point to degrees of relatedness
Embryology
the process by which embryos develop (laying eggs, or giving birth to live animals. Ex: dolphins are closer to mammals, they give birth to live animals, not tuna bc they lay eggs)
Fossil Record
Studies the remains of organisms in rocky layers and the way their positioned in strata (the law of superposition)
The law of superposition
lower strata contain older organisms, higher strata contain newer organisms. (older at bottom, newer at the top)
Transformation
when a new species develop and replace an older one
Divergence
A process that occurs when two or more related species become more and more dissimilar
Adaptive Radiation
When organisms have a common ancestor and develop unique adaptations that reflect their environmental factors.
Geographical isolation
Geography prevents organisms from meeting with each other (lakes, oceans, valleys, mountains)
Reproductive Isolation
A biological barrier that prevents organisms from mating with each other (anatomy, eggs vs birth, etc.)
Temporal Isolation
Species that breed at different times of day, no chance of reproductive contact. Mates will never meet because they are sleeping at different times, ex: nocturnal vs diurnal
Punctuated Equilibrium/catastrophism
When a population has little to no change over a period of time and then a major environmental event occurs which can RAPIDLY and DRASTICALLY change a population, changing subsequent ancestors
Gradualism
SLOW and SMALL changes that constantly occur over a period of time which can lead to slight variations within a population
Homologous structures
similar structures that perform different functions (can indicate a closer degree of relatedness)
Analogous structures
Different structures that perform similar functions (can indicate less relatedness)
Ancient Greeks: Plato and Aristotle
Organisms were immutable (unchanging) and they did not change from one generation to the next (organisms are the way they are, no change)
Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon
Noted similarities between humans and apes (shared ancestor?) (kind of started the idea of evolution, first “prototype” of evolution)
Georges Cuvier
(“father of paleontology”) (his big idea was ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS can force things to change, fossils show us change)
Charles Lyell
Disagreed with Cuvier; he believed in slight, gradual and constant changes in populations over long periods of time.
Jean Baptiste de Lamarck
(if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. If it’s useful, you’ll pass it on. Ex. giraffes necks stretched. Vs, snakes lost their feet)
Charles Darwin
idea of a common ancestor. Theory of Natural Selection. (galapagos islands)
Carolus Linnaeaus
Created the biological nomenclature system in latin to name organisms (names are based of genus and species)
