Evolution Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Name of Charles Darwins book that explains his findings about evolution

A

The Origin of Species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is evolution?

A

Descent with modification by natural selection

Species are descendants of an ancestral species different from the one we see today

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How is evolution both a pattern and a process?

A

Pattern: scientific evidence
Process: natural observed changes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Aristotle definition of evolution (384-322 BCE)

A

life is permanent, unchanging, and perfect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What was Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778) known for?

A

He classified life according to their similarities aka based on what they looked like. Linnaean Classification of Taxonomy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Darwin’s theories were influenced by :

A

Fossils contained within layers of rock called strata

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What did Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) observe?

A

There’s a difference in species between old strata and new strata because of catasyrophic events that lead to extinction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What did James Hutton (1726-1797) propose?

A

Earth’s geological features = slow process

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What did Charles Lyell (1797-1875) propose?

A

Geological processes of the past are occurring at the same rate in the present

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What did Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck (1744-1829) propose?

A

The first hypothesis for evolution
he suggested that evolutionary change explains the patterns seen in the fossils.

The use/disuse of body parts

Suggested the inheritence of characteristics

Suggested that organisms have a need to be more complex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was the name of the ship Darwin traveled on?

A

The HMS Beagle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Name of the islands Darwin studied on?

A

The galapagos islands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Name of the birds he observed and what intrigued him?

A

Finches

Their beak shape changed based on their environment and food sources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is Natural Selection?

A

Individuals that have certain traits tend to survive better and reproduce due to those traits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the three things that Darwin studied? (ECD

A
  1. How organisms are suited for their environment
  2. The shared characteristics of life
  3. The diversity of life
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is adaptive radiation?

A

How organisms diversity from an ancestral species into different forms.

Usually occurs after a change in environment that creates new resources

17
Q

What is artificial selection?

A

When humans select desired traits to reproduce. ex. dog breeds

The trait must vary and be heritable

18
Q

Environmental pressure

A

When the environment forces a change within a species in which they eventually become a separate species

Takes a long time

19
Q

What are the two observations Darwin made? (IO

A
  1. Members of a population vary in their inherited traits.
    (allows for natural selection to occur)
  2. Not all offspring will be able to survive and reproduce
    (Leads to the favourable traits reproducing)
20
Q

What is relative fitness?

A

The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool compared to the rest of the population

21
Q

Individuals do not evolve…

A

Populations do

22
Q

Why can’t natural selection create the perfect organism? (PHC)

A
  1. Selection can only act on existing phenotypes
  2. Evolution is limited by historical constraints

(cannot create new structures, they can only arise through mutation/gene duplication)

  1. Adaptation are often compromises

(ex. blue footed boobies are good in water but goofy on land)

23
Q

How is evolution supported by scientific evidence?

A
  1. Fossil records
  2. Vestigal structures
  3. Homologies
24
Q

What are Vestigial Structures?

A

Structures that had a function in past species but are no longer used in a present day species

ex. tailbones and goosebumps in humans and the pelvic girdle in snakes

25
Q

What homologies do all vertebrate embryos share?

A
  1. Post anal tail
  2. Pharyngeal pouch (gils for fish, ears for humans)
26
Q

What can be seen in DNA and protein sequences?

A

Homologies

27
Q

What is shared by ancestry?

A

Homologous genes

28
Q

The more closely the DNA/protein sequence is…

A

The more closely related species are

29
Q

What are homologies?

A

Features that are similar with different functions