Extinction Flashcards
1
Q
what is background extinction?
A
- long lasting rate at which taxa become extinct
- average species rate of extinction
2
Q
what are some of the old explanations on why species become extinct?
A
- maladaption: organisms evolved poorly-adapted features
- racial senescence: species became “weak over time”
3
Q
what groups are more vulnerable to extinction?
A
- specialists
4
Q
High _____ and high _______rates go together
A
High speciation and high extinction rates go together
5
Q
What is the red queen hypothesis?
A
as a group ages, its environment continually deteriorates. It must evolve continually just to survive and avoid extinction
