evolution terms

Question 1

definition of variation

Answer 1

individual variation in a population (genetics)

Question 2

definition of heredity

Answer 2

offspring resemble their parents more than unrelated individuals (genetics)

Question 3

fitness definition

Answer 3

an organisms tendency to successfully survive and breed in a given environment (natural selection)

Question 4

what is mutation

Answer 4

stable change in the DNA sequence, varies in ways that can be predictable

Question 5

characteristics of mutation

Answer 5

1. inevitable phenomenon
2. not directed toward an outcome by the organism or environment
3. rate depends on the of mutation
4. environment can affect mutation rate

Question 6

what are the different types of mutation

Answer 6

1. point
2. insertions/deletions
3. changes in repeat number
4. chromosomal rearrangements

Question 7

key conclusions from mendel’s pea experiments

Answer 7

1. inheritance is determined by discrete particles
2. each diploid organism carries two copies of each gene
3. gametes fuse to make offspring
4. offspring inherit one gamete from each parent at random

Question 8

definition of genotype

Answer 8

genetic constitution of an organism (related to gene or gene combinations)

Question 9

definition of phenotype

Answer 9

feature of the organism as observed (discussing a trait of an organism that varies)

Question 10

definition of genomes

Answer 10

entire organism’s DNA

Question 11

discrete variation

Answer 11

genes of major effect, dominance, and recessiveness , ‘Mendelian’ genetics

Question 12

continuous variation

Answer 12

many genes each with alleles of small effect, quantitative genetics

Question 13

evolutionary synthesis

Answer 13

continuous variation and Darwinian natural selection are fully consistent with Mendel’s law

Question 14

simple Mendelian genetic polymorphisms

Answer 14

common in nature, direct correspondence between trait and its genetic basis, easy to track selection and evolution

Question 15

mutation patterns

Answer 15

caused by errors during replication, ultimate source of genetic variation, increases genetic variation in populations

Question 16

recombination patterns

Answer 16

creates new combinations of mutations, increases genetic variation in populations

Question 17

random genetic drift patterns

Answer 17

decreases genetic variation in populations, more important for populations that are smaller, random sampling

Question 18

natural selection, negative purifying patterns

Answer 18

decreases genetic variation in populations, mutations that reduce fitness are removed by natural selection

Question 19

natural selection, positive directional patterns

Answer 19

decreases genetic variation in populations, mutations that increase fitness will become fixed in a population

Question 20

natural selection, selection favoring diversity patterns

Answer 20

increases/retains genetic variation in populations, acts to maintain diversity over the long term

Question 21

migration (gene flow) patterns

Answer 21

increases genetic diversity in populations, migration influences the structuring of diversity over a large spatial scale

Question 22

heterozygosity defition

Answer 22

metrics of genetic variation, individuals have both alleles

Question 23

polymorphism definition

Answer 23

proportion of gene loci that have 2 or more alleles in the population, locus can be polymorphic without being heterozygous

Question 24

what is mutation-selection balance

Answer 24

less fit types reintroduced by mutation, followed by selection acting to remove them

Question 25

what is selection maintaining variation

Answer 25

heterozygote advantage, fitness varies in space or time, umbrella term “balancing selection”

Question 26

what is a classical school

Answer 26

negative selection, low heterozygosity, low polymorphism, wild type is normal genotype

Question 27

what is a balance school

Answer 27

heterozygote advantage, high heterozygosity, high polymorphism, selection favours diversity