Evolution Content Basics Flashcards
What is the definition of ‘fitness’?
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce.
Fitness is a key concept in evolutionary biology, indicating an organism’s reproductive success.
Which deer is considered more ‘fit’, A or B?
Deer A has more antlers
Fitness in this context can be determined by traits that enhance survival and reproductive success.
What features of the polar bear increase its fitness?
Fur
Claws
Teeth
Size
Larger size can aid in hunting and thermoregulation in polar environments.
What is the best definition of adaptation?
Structural or behavioral features an organism has that increase its chances of survival.
Adaptations can be physiological, morphological, or behavioral.
What adaptations does the arctic fox have that enhance its survival?
Fur coat
The thick fur coat provides insulation against cold temperatures.
What is the purpose of the animal adaptation shown in the picture?
Lizard mouth open is shown Capturing prey; obtaining food
Adaptations often serve multiple purposes, including hunting efficiency.
What is the purpose of the adaptation of male with colorful feathers? (Example: peacock displaying its plume of feathers)
Attracting mates
Bright colors in males can indicate health and vitality to potential mates.
What unique adaptation is displayed by the animal? (Lizard climbing on branch of same shape/color)
Camouflage
Mimicry helps organisms avoid detection by predators or prey.
What is the best definition of a selective pressure?
External agents which affect an organism’s ability to survive; can be positive or negative.
Selective pressures can include predation, climate, and competition.
What impact does a larger number of predators in an environment have on an organism?
Negative
What impact does an abundance of resources such as food and water have on an organism?
Positive
What impact does a natural disaster, such as a flood, hurricane, or fire, have on an organism?
Negative
Is the scenario of a bird eating green ones an example of natural selection?
Yes
In the context of antibiotic resistance, which bacteria would be considered the ‘fittest’?
Resistant
What type of selection is occurring when humans selectively breed cattle for traits such as milk production?
Artificial Selection
Fill in the blank: Natural selection is the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to _______.
survive and produce more offspring
True or False: Natural selection results in the elimination of susceptible individuals in a population.
True
What is the primary outcome of natural selection in the context of antibiotic resistance?
Population shifts towards antibiotic-resistant strains
What evidence supports the classification of selective breeding of cattle as artificial selection?
Natural selectioon…..Humans have selectively bred
What is mimcry often used for?
To protect a species
Mimicry can serve as a defense mechanism against predators.
Define genetic drift.
Change in allele frequency due to chance events.
What is a cladogram?
A diagram used to show relations among organisms.
What is artificial selection?
The intentional breeding of individuals to produce desired traits.
Who is known as the ‘father of evolution’?
Charles Darwin
Known for his contributions to the science of evolution.
What are vestigial structures?
Structures in an organism that have lost most or all of their original function.
Give an example of a vestigial structure.
Whales have hip bones, but no functional legs.
What is natural selection?
The process in nature that supports the survival and reproduction of the best-adapted individuals.
What are analogous structures?
Anatomical structures that have the same function but different underlying anatomy.
Provide an example of analogous structures.
Butterfly wing and a bat wing.
Define adaptation.
Any structure or behavior of a species that helps it to become better fit to survive and reproduce in its environment.
What are homologous structures?
Anatomical structures that have the same structure but different functions.
Provide an example of homologous structures.
Bat wing and a horse leg.
What is the significance of fossils?
Preserved remains or imprints of organisms from earlier times.
What does the theory of evolution propose?
All organisms have evolved from simpler life forms.
Fill in the blank: The _______ of organisms from earlier times is used to support the theory of evolution.
Fossils
GENE FLOW
The movement of genes or alleles between inter-breeding populations of a particular species
GENE POOL
The total number of genes of every individual in a population
ALLELE FREQUENCY
How often a form of a gene shows up in a population over several generations
EVOLUTION
The process of heritable change in populations of organisms over multiple generations
- change over time
EMBRYOLOGY
The study of embryos and their development. Embryology is used to support the theory of evolution as an understanding of the growth and development of a species before birth can show how it evolved and how species are related or come from a common ancestor
Galapagos finches (small birds) all have different size and type of beaks. Each beak is best suited for the environment in which the finch lives, those populations with the right shape and type of beak would survive and pass that beak shape on its offspring.
NS
In a desert habitat there are light brown snakes and black snakes. The light brown snakes blend in with the sand and the black snakes stick out. The hawks in the desert habitat capture and kill more black snakes than light brown snakes.
NS
A horse breeder selects the most desirable traits of speed, power, and strength in his horses and intentionally breeds his fastest, most powerful, and strongest male and female horses.
AS
Birds eat more bright green beetles than black beetles because they are easier to see when hunting.
NS
A farmer selects traits from his apple crops that include, small size, sweet taste, take longer to rot, and uses only those seeds to produce a crop of apples that have traits that best suited for apples that can be used in school lunches and for after school snacks. He markets these “tiny apples” and makes a fortune.
AS
GENE FLOW/GENETIC DRIFT is the movement, or migration, of genes from one population to another.
Gene Flow
GENE FLOW/ISOLATION within a population can increase the genetic VARIATION/DEPLETION within a population.
Gene Flow, Variation
GENETIC DRIFT/GENE FLOW is the changes in allele frequency due to a random chance event.
Genetic Drift
The movement of genes or alleles between interbreeding populations of a particular species.
Stasis
The difference in DNA among individuals.
Genetic Variation
The movement of genes or alleles between interbreeding populations of a particular species.
Gene Flow
A long period of time with little or no evolutionary change.
Genetic Drift
The total number of genes in every individual in a population.
Gene Pool
A structure you have, but no longer need or use.
Vestigal
Anatomical structures that look similar but do not have the same function.
Homologous
Penguins are birds who have wings but cannot fly. Penguins use their wings to swim instead.
Vestigal
A bat’s wing and a bird’s wing are used for flying; however they are structurally very different, and the two organisms are of different species.
Analogous
The finger bones of a toad, tiger, and human look very similar, but perform very different functions.
Homologous
This forest has dark trees. What color moths would you expect to find more of in the environment and why?
Dark moths, they blend in
If light colored moths once lived in the dark forest, but no longer do, what might have caused their disappearance?
Predators ate more light-colored moths due to their light color, which caused them to stand out.
Wolves have rapidly increased withing a forest environment. What adaptation would be MOST beneficial to help the rabbits living in the forest survive?
Stronger leg muscles
Snowfall in a mountainous area has been scarce (not much) the last fiver years. Brown owls have a higher population at the end of the fiver years. Which explanation best describes why this occurred?
Natural selection favored brown owls to blend into the bare brown trees.
Which of the following describes “fitness”?
Surviving and reproducing
