Evolution and Taxonomy Flashcards
(32 cards)
Adaption
A change that allows an organism to be better suited to its environment.
Allopatric Speciation
Geographic speciation, through which two populations of a species are physically separated, so natural selection occurs on both populations separately, allowing the two populations to gradually become two different species over time.
Analogous Structures
Parts that have the same function but not the same structure.
Archaea
A term for archaebacteria, a domain of organisms that includes bacteria that live in extreme environments.
Binomial Nomenclature
The process of naming organisms that includes their genus and then their species.
Biodiversity
Genetic variation, or diversity with characteristics in life/between organisms.
Biotic
Relating to living things.
Class
A taxonomic level close to the middle of most general and most specific.
Comparative Anatomy
A source of evidence for evolution that includes comparing different parts of different organisms to find similarities and differences between them. The method includes using homologous parts, analogous parts, vestigial parts, and embryonic growth.
Darwin
Charles Darwin, the scientist who first suggested that natural selection is the mechanism behind evolution.
Domain
The most general taxonomic level. There are three domains, Eukarya, Eubacteria, and Archaebacteria.
Embryonic Growth
A part of comparative anatomy that compares embryos of different species to find similarities and differences that may not be so obvious later in life.
Evolution
The process by which living things (organisms) grow, change, and develop over time from earlier forms.
Family
A taxonomic level that is closer to the most specific end of the spectrum.
Fossil Record
A source of evidence for evolution that includes finding fossils and then placing them in order using sedimentary layer dating or radioactive dating. The differences between consecutive fossils show evolution.
Fungi
A kingdom within Eukarya that includes heterotrophs with cell walls that can be uni- or multicellular.
Galapagos Islands
The group of islands where Charles Darwin conducted most of his evolution research, mostly on birds like finches.
Geographic Isolation
Can lead to speciation, because it may separate two populations of a species, allowing natural selection to affect both populations differently. Over time, the populations can become two different species.
Gradualism
The theory that evolution occurs gradually, over time, rather than spontaneously and out of nowhere.
Homologous Structures
Parts that have the same structure in different organisms but not necessarily the same function.
Kingdom
A taxonomic level that is the second most general.
Lamarck
A French naturalist who worked thoroughly on classifying organisms using taxonomy.
Molecular Biology/Genetics
A source of evidence for evolution that includes comparing DNA samples from two different species. The more DNA in common that they have, the more likely it is that they share a relatively recent common ancestor.
Natural Selection
The process by which evolution occurs, including how the fittest to survive will do just that, while organisms that are not suited to their environment will not survive long enough to reproduce.