Evolution Flashcards
Variation
Small differences among individuals within a population or species that provide the raw material for evolution.
Mutation
A chemical change in a gene that results in a new allele or a change in the portion of a chromosome that regulates the gene. In either case, the change is hereditary.
Natural Selection
Members of a population with the most successful adaptations to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce than members with less successful adaptations.
Selection
Occurs in a population when an individual possesses a characteristic that increases its chances of survival.
Selective Pressure
the things in an organisms environment that it must adapt to for survival
Adaptation
Characteristics that help an organism survive and reproduce within a particular environment.
Evolution
A change in species over a period of time.
Classification
Method using physical similarities, protein similarities and DNA to compare different species to each other.
Species
A group of organisms that successfully reproduce with individuals of the same type.
What happens to the variations that are not selected in a population?
They start to die off since they don’t have the selective trait
Are individuals in a population able to evolve?
No, individuals do not evolve, populations evolve
Why is variation so important in a population?
Variation is really important in a population because it helps a specie from going extinct.
How could a mutation be beneficial to some animals but harmful to others?
It could be beneficial to some and harmful to others because it can hide from predators.
What biomolecule determines the variations in an organism?
Protein, amino acids
How is mutation a “driving force” for evolution?
Mutations are driving forces for evolution because they speed up the process of changes in a species much faster than other methods of evolution.
