Evolutionary mechanisms part 1 Flashcards
evolution
change in allele frequencies over time
evidence of evolutionary change
geology, biogeography, comparative studies of morphology, embryology, and genetics
geology
-fossil records documents continuity in morphological characteristics- evidence of ongoing change in biological lineages
biogeography
-distribution of plants and animals in relation to history of landforms, mountain ranges, and oceans is consistent with evolutionary processes
comparative emrbyology
- early embryos of related species are similar
- reflect common ancestry
- morphological differences appear as embryos develop
comparative morphology
- homologous structures
- reflects common ancestry
- similar embryonic origins, but may have different functions
- human forearm, bat wing
comparative genetics
-comparison of DNA sequences of extant and extinct organisms to address questions about evolutionary relationships
are african or asian elephants more closely related to the extinct wooly mammoth?
asian elephants
-mammoth DNA more similar to asian elephants
mutation
-production of new alleles
rearrangement of existing alleles into new combination via:
sexual reproduction
true or false: more generations= more mutations
true
deleterious mutations
- alter an individual’s structure, function, or behavior in harmful ways
- some are lethal
advantageous mutations
-confer a beneit on individuals that carry it- may increase in frequency
neutral mutations
neither harmful nor helpful
do mutations happen because an individual/ species/ population “needs” them to deal with some specific problem?
no! mutations arise randomly with respects to needs