Evolutionary Ecology

Question 1

Evolution

Answer 1

All species came from a prior ancestral species

Genetic makeup changes over time

Question 2

Natural selection

Answer 2

An organism better adapted to its environment is more likely to live long enough to produce offspring

Traits or genes of these survivors will be passed to the offspring

Question 3

Population Ecology

Answer 3

Fitness is the propensity/probability of survival and reproduction in the given environment

Fitness: how well you can survive, not how strong you are

Question 4

Genetic variability

Answer 4

There are some genetic differences in a population

Question 5

Heritable traits

Answer 5

The trait is able to be passed down to offspring

Does not include traits acquired during the organism’s lifespan

Question 6

Differentiable reproduction

Answer 6

The trait helps make more offspring with it than without it

How many children can you make?

Question 7

Mutation

Answer 7

A gene’s structure changes, and the variant may be passed down

Please do not let Leonardo find lady ninja turtles.

Question 8

Gene flow

Answer 8

Transfer of genetic material between populations

Ex: Bees pollinating different types of flowers

Question 9

Reproduction

Answer 9

Inbuilt tendency and pathway to evolution, can cause variation

Rain looks like her dad, but she has her mom’s bad eyesight. Mom why :(

Limited variation under asexual reproduction (everyone is a clone)

Question 10

Macroevolution

Answer 10

Large-scale evolutions over long periods of time

Tiktaalik’s bones look like human hands and whale flippers.

Question 11

Microevolution

Answer 11

Minor changes within a species or small group

Babies are starting to be born without wisdom teeth. Good for them!

Question 12

Gene pool

Answer 12

All the genes in a particular population (usually of a particular species)

Most people have black hair, but others can be blond or redheads.

Question 13

Ecological niche

Answer 13

An ecological condition that an organism takes advantage of to survive.

Only 4 species (including the koala) eat eucalyptus leaves.

Question 14

Habitat

Answer 14

A physical location that is the home of a particular organism

Bottlenose dolphins tend to live in the open ocean and coastal areas.

Question 15

Biodiversity

Answer 15

The stratification (layering) of niches and habitats allow multiple species to coexist.

Blobfish and mako sharks live in the ocean, but not in the same depths.

Question 16

Generalist

Answer 16

A species that has a large niche. They can adapt to many environments

Staurozoans can be found in shallow waters and hydrothermal vents alike

Question 17

Specialist

Answer 17

A species with a narrow niche. They are only suited to their specific environment.

Green sea turtles only live in tropical areas and like eating seagrass.

Question 18

Speciation

Answer 18

How one species separates into multiple different species

Apple vs Hawthorn maggot flies specialize in different fruits

Question 19

Geographic isolation

Answer 19

Population separates into different parts due to geological barriers

Multiple genera of seed shrimp speciated post-Isthmus of Panama

Question 19

Geographic isolation

Answer 19

Population separates into different parts due to geological barriers

Multiple genera of seed shrimp speciated post-Isthmus of Panama

Question 20

Sympatric speciation

Answer 20

occurs when there are no physical barriers preventing any members of a species from reproducing with another, and all members are in close proximity to one another

Question 21

Allopatric speciation

Answer 21

occurs when a species separates into two separate groups which are isolated from one another. A physical barrier, such as a mountain range or a waterway, makes it impossible for them to breed with one another

Question 22

Peripatric speciation

Answer 22

When small groups of individuals break off from the larger group and form a new species. The main difference between allopatric speciation and peripatric speciation is that in peripatric speciation, one group is much smaller than the other.

Question 23

Parapatric speciation

Answer 23

a species is spread out over a large geographic area. Like allopatric and peripatric speciation, different habitats influence the development of different species in parapatric speciation

Question 24

Cospeciation

Answer 24

occurs when interacting groups, such as hosts and parasites, speciate in tandem, generating congruent phylogenies (e.g. species of flea living on a species of rats. When the rats get together to mate, the fleas get an opportunity to switch rats and perhaps mate with fleas on another rat)

Question 25

Artificial speciation

Answer 25

The creation of new species by people. This is achieved through lab experiments.