evolutionary processes Flashcards
what is a species
- a group of individuals that interbreeed and produce fertile, viable offspring. One species is distinguished from another when, in nature, it is NOT possible for matings between individuals from each species to produce fertile offspring
what is biological species concept
states that a species is a group of naturally interbreeding individuals that produce fertile offspring and are reproductivly isolated from other such groups
Identify and explain the four main mechanisms leading to evolution?
- natural selection
- genetic drift
- gene flow
- mutations
natural selection
- increase in allele frequence produces adaptations. it is not progressive, it is reactive, meaning it reacts to environment.
-equalizes allele frequency; genetic sharing
-thory by which evolution occurs - 4 patterns: directional, divergent, sexual, artifical
genetic drift
- a random event that changes allele frequency in population due to chance
- fluctuations in allele frequency
- usually decreases genetic diversity and decreases allele frequency
- random with respect to fitness
- creates a seperate population
- more noticable in smaller populations
- not adaptive
- bottle neck effect
- ex cheetahs in zoo
-narrowing
gene flow
- movement of alleles from one population to another
- immigartion and emmigration
- equalizes gene frequency between source and recipient pop
- random wrt fitness, but tends to decrease genetic diversity between populations
- opposit to genetic drift
- soy bean aphids- blew to n america from other continnts
- ex. caribou of 2 different sides of oil pip. 2 different caribu populations. oil pipline is removed after 50 years and the caribous combine
mutations
- restores geneti diversity by creating new alleles
- causes random changes in genes, mst often leads to deleterious alleles (alleles that decreases fitness)
- rarely lead to benefical allels (alleles that increase fitness)
- relatively slow acting
- 1 individual and then spreads to others in population over generations
- more significant in organisms with short generation times because they eveolve faster
- introduces new alleles
-ex.
Why is artificial selection natural selection? Why might we consider it different?
- yes because it is still a change in allele frequency
- an adaptation to a pressure
- different because humans are the selective pressure compared to a natural pressure suh as flooding, poor nutients, weather
divergent selection
-selects against intermediate phenotype
-decreases gentics diversity in 2 or more directions
- can lead to specisiation through adaptive radiation
- ex. galapgoes finches- beak size varoed based on seed type avalible
directional selection
- increase frequency of one allele
-more noticable in a smaller population - decreases genetic diversity in one diection
- ex. cliff swallows (increased body size could surive harsh winter compared to smalled body size. increased body size allele frequency increased in population
sexual selection
- selective pressure is mate choice
-specific traits that increase individual fitness - usually decreases genetic diversity in one direction per sex (can increase)
- 2 mechanisms: mate choice and functional ecology
- Mate choice: females pick mates based on specifc features, ex peacocks
- Funxtional ecology- environment influences sexual selection, ex. sunfish, ex. anglerfish (male much smaller than female)
artifical selection
- selects for specifi traits that are desired for human selection
- usually decreases genetic diversity (ex. chicken breasts)
- can increase genetic diversity (tulips, roses)
- human choice is selective pressure
- ex. pigeons. darwin published variation of plants and animals under domestiction
what are the mechanisms of speciation
allopatry, parapatry, sympatry
Why is genetic drift an important issue concerning the conservation of species?
- alleles can be lost due to genetic drift. it is random so there is no control
- drift can cause even harmful alleles to increase in frequency by chance alone
- drift decreases genetic variation in populations, potentially decreaseing population’s ability to evolve in response to new selective pressure
- bigger impact in smaller populations
what is a genotype
underlying genetic makeup, consisting of both physically visible and non-expressed alleles of an organism