Historical Geology - Evolution Flashcards

1
Q

What is evolution?

A

differential reproductive success of genes within a population.
- change through time

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2
Q

What was Jean Baptiste Lamarck basic theory?

A

Species adapted to their environment

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3
Q

What was Darwin’s basic theory?

A

natural selection

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4
Q

Who came up with the idea of natural selection?

A

Alfred Russell Wallace

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5
Q

What is natural selection?

A
  • fitness = probability of successful reproduction

- inheritable traits that increase fitness are more likely to be passed on to subsequent generations

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6
Q

What are genetics?

A

offspring inherit genetic material from their parents

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7
Q

What was Jean Baptiste Lamarck basic theory? What was his mistake?

A

Species adapted to their environment. the Mistake he made is that organisms do not pass down acquired traits.

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8
Q

What is mutation?

A

permanent changes in the DNA sequence

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9
Q

Kinds of mutations?

A

Deletions - DNA base pair is removed from strand
Inversions - DNA bases are reversed in order
Duplications - DNA sequence is erroneously repeated

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10
Q

Do mutations drive evolution?

A

No

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11
Q

What do mutations do?

A

Help provide genetic variation within a population which can be acted upon by natural selection to cause evolution.

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12
Q

Why is population size important in evolution?

A
  • Larger populations have more genetic inertia (material) and more variability so they evolve more slowly and selectively
  • smaller populations evolve rapidly and have less variability making them more vulnerable to extinction
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13
Q

What is speciation?

A

The process through which a new species is formed.

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14
Q

Kinds of mutations? Explain each.

A

Deletions - DNA base pair is removed from strand
Inversions - DNA bases are reversed in order
Duplications - DNA sequence is erroneously repeated

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15
Q

What are the modes of speciation? explain each.

A

Phyletic grandualism - evolution occurs at a constant rate, speciation gradual process
Punctuated equilibrium - taxa exist for long periods of time with little net genetic and/or morphological change with speciation taking place rapidly.

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16
Q

Does evolution ever stop? Explain.

A

No. The environment applies constant selective pressure to populations. Even when no morphological changes happen genetics are still changes via genetic recombination (sexual reproduction, mutation, natural selection)

17
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

Taxa from separate evolutionary lineages converge upon similar body plans or adaptations. fish - reptile - mammal

18
Q

What is Dollo”s Law?

A

In general, evolution is not a reversible process.

19
Q

How do we track biodiversity in the fossil record?

A

Rates of origination and extinction.

20
Q

Explain Origination Rate.

A

rate at which new taxa evolve/are found in the fossil record.

21
Q

What is extinction?

A

The end of a genetic lineage.

22
Q

What is background extinction rate?

A

The rate at which taxa go extinct through geologic time.

23
Q

When does mass extinction occur?

A

When the extinction rate increases and overwhelms the origination rate.

24
Q

Name the 5 mass extinctions in the history of the planet.

A
  1. End Ordovician
  2. End Devonian
  3. Permo-Triassic
  4. End Triassic
  5. End Cretaceous
25
Q

what is the 6th mass extinction likely to be caused by?

A

Humans

26
Q

What is the Biological Species concept?

A

Members of a population that can breed and produce viable offspring.

27
Q

What is the Morphological Species concept?

A

Species differentiated on the basis of morphological (physical) differences.

28
Q

What is a fossil?

A

Remains or traces of past life preserved in the rock record.

29
Q

What is Taphonomy?

A

The science that

  • seeks to understand natural processes so that data from fossil record can be evaluated correctly
  • seeks to understand the processes involved in creation preservation
  • seeks to understand the physical, biological, chemical, geological, and anthropological processes involved in the creation, preservation, and collection of fossils
30
Q

What are the Preservational Controls?

A
  • Rate, quantity, and composition of remains
  • Environmental conditions (pre-burial)
  • Time to burial
  • Post-depositional sedimentary conditions
  • Fate of sediments once lithified
31
Q

What are the Taphonomic processes/biases?

A
  • Biochemical fidelity
  • Anatomical fidelity
  • Spatial fidelity
  • Temporal fidelity
  • Compositional fidelity
32
Q

What is Biochemical fidelity?

A

Alteration of chemical composition.
• Permineralization
• Replacement
• Original material

33
Q

What is Anatomical fidelity?

A

modification of physical structure.
• Disarticulation / Dismemberment
• Decomposition

34
Q

What is Spacial fidelity?

A

How far it has been transported since death. How many transport events have to be taken into account.

35
Q

What is Temporal fidelity?

A

Time-averaging within units and assemblages.

36
Q

What is Compositional fidelity?

A

Fossil assemblage accurate representation of source ecosystem.

37
Q

How do we control for taphonomic

biases?

A

Recognition of possible biases

38
Q

Name the 6 ways fossils are formed and describe each.

A
  1. Original remains - little to no alteration of remains
  2. Permineralization - Spaces in microstructure are filled with minerals (forming internal casts)
  3. Replacement - growth of a secondary material at the expense of the original material
  4. Recrystallization - change in mineral structure from aragonite to more stable calcite. Results in loss of anatomical detail.
  5. Dissolution - original material completely removed while not being replaced.
  6. Trace - Non-body fossils caused by organisms
    • Feeding traces
    • Footprints
    • Root casts
    • Burrows
    • Coprolites