Evolution Flashcards
Adaptive Radiation
When a single species diversifies as a response to it’s environment (can be due to opportunity or challenge), the species evolves into multiple new species
Analogous Structure
Structures in different species that serve the same function but evolved separately
Artificial Selection
Selective breeding of organisms by humans for desired traits
Biogeography
The study of the geographic distribution of organisms
Bottlenecking
A drastic decline in the population of an organism due to environmental activity
Coevolution
Mutual evolution of species brought about by their interactions between each other (ex: flowers and bees)
Convergent Evolution
Independent evolution of similar traits in unrelated species due to similar environments
Directional Selection
When a specifics phenotype is favored over another and their is an increase in production of said phenotype
Disruptive Selection
Favors both phenotypes (one or the other) causing there to not really be an average (ex: a society with only super tall people and super short people)
Emigration
Leaving one’s country to live in another
Endemic
Native/Restricted to a certain area
Evolutionary fitness
The ability for an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment
Faunal Succession
A process that determines when an organism was present in a particular area
Fossils
Persevered remains/traces of an ancient organism
Founder Effect
Genetic drift when a species colonizes a new area
Gene Flow
Transfer of genetic variety from population to population
Gene Pool
The total collection of genes within a population
Genetic Drift
Change in allele occurrence due to random chance
Gradualism
The theory that evolution occurs slowly and gradually
Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Allele frequency will remain constant from generation to generation unless acted upon by outside influences
Heterozygous Advantage
Heterozygotes have greater reproductive success than homozygotes
Homology
Similarity in characteristics due to shared ancestry
Immigration
Permanently moving into an area from which a species is not native to
Mutation
Change in the DNA sequence of an organism
Neutral Variation
Genetic variation that is neither positive or negative
Outcrop
Exposure of either bedrock or ancient deposits
Paleontology
The study of prehistoric life through fossils
Phylogeny
The evolutionary history of a species
Polyploidy
The possession of more than two sets of chromosomes
Post Zygotic Barriers
Barriers to reproduction that occurs after fertilization (ex: incapability to survive embryonic stages)
Pre Zygotic Barrier
Barriers to reproduction before fertilization (ex: preferences of habitats causing two species to not interact)
Punctuated Equilibirum
A theory of evolution that organisms undergo little evolutionary changes for most of their existence with brief rapid changes
Random Mating
Mating without regard to genetic makeup
Reproductive Isolation
The inability of members of a population to breed with members of another population
Sedimentary Rock
Rock formed from sediment that has been deposited and undergone considerable pressure
Sexual Dimorphism
Physical differences between males and females
Sexual Selection
Natural selection arising through one sex preferring certain characteristics of Individuals of another sex
Species
A group of organisms capable of producing fertile offspring
Stabilizing Selection
Natural selection that favors intermediate variants opposed to phenotypic extremes (ex: medium height people instead of either short or tall)
Strata
Layers of rock
Superposition
Each layer of rock is younger than the one beneath it
Superposition
Each layer of sedimentary rock is younger than the one below and older than the one above
Survival of the Fittest
Best adapted organism will survive and reproduce
Origin of Species
A book written by Darwin that introduced natural selection
Uniformitarianism
The same geologic principles that were present in the past are present today
Vestigial Structure
A useless structure in an organism (ex: human tailbone)
