Evolution Flashcards
Reductionism
reducing complex systems to simpler components that are easier to study
Evolution
process of biological change in which species accumulate differences from their ancestors as they adapt to different environments over time
Emergent Properties
new characteristics that appear as you move up the hierarchy of life, due to the way parts interact and combine as complexity increases
What are the 5 themes of life?
-Organization
-Information
-Energy and Matter
-Interactions
-Evolution
What are the 3 Domains of Life?
- Bacteria
- Archaea
- Eukaryota
- rod shaped structure
- single cell
- no nucleus
Bacteria
- live in extreme environments (ex. salty lakes hot springs)
- single cell
- no nucleus
Archaea
- has a nucleus
- metazoans = multicellular animals
- protists = eukaryotes that are not plants, fungi or animals
Eukaryota
What are the 3 Kingdoms?
- Plantae
- Fungi
- Animalia
this kingdoms’ plants produce their own sugars and other food molecules by photosynthesis
plantae
this kingdom absorbs dissolved nutrients from their surroundings
fungi
the kingdom we belong to
animalia
Why is evolution a unifying theory in biology?
it explains how life varies, how organisms are related, and how species change over time
Convergent Evolution
the evolution of similar features in independent evolutionary lineages
Homology
similarity in characteristics resulting from a shared ancestry
Analogy
similarity between two species due to convergent evolution, not shared ancestry
What evidence supports the evolutionary unity of life?
- anatomy
- genetic similarities
- molecular biology
- fossil record
Descent with Modification
offspring inherit traits from their ancestors, but these traits can change or evolve over time, leading to variations among species
Charles Darwin
- developed the concept of Natural Selection, proposing that species evolve over time.
- “Origin of Species”
- created “descent with modification”
Natural Selection
process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits
How does the process of natural selection result in adaption?
favors individuals with traits that improve their chances of survival and reproduction. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population, leading to better adaption to the environment
Artificial Selection
guided by humans’ choices
Natural Selection
driven by environmental factors
Examples observed of evolutionary change
- Natural selection in response to introduced species = observation of Soapberry bugs in Florida
- Evolution of Drug-Resistant Bacteria = Staphylococcus aureus
How does homology provide evidence for homology
provides evidence for common ancestry by showing similar structures in different species that have evolved from a shared ancestor
How does the fossil record provide support for evolution?
- provides a record of how creatures evolved and how this process shows all species are related to each other
Biogeography
the scientific study of the past and present geographic distributions of species
How does biogeography support evolution?
shows that species in different areas evolve unique traits to adapt to their environment
Phylogeny
the evolutionary history of a species or group of related
Root
the common ancestor of all the organisms in the tree
Branch
represents evolutionary lineages or pathways
Node
the point where a branch splits, indicating a common ancestor
Tip
the endpoint of a branch, representing a current or extinct species
Clade
a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants
Sister Taxa
Two groups that share an immediate common ancestor
