Lecture 1 Flashcards
gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form
evolution
year wherein modern biology began
1859
how did modern biology began
charles darwin’s book “Origin of species” was published
what does darwin’s book introduced?
scientific theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through natural selection
darwin’s evidences
- the evolution o fossil records through progressively more recent geological layers
- striking structural similarities among living species which suggested that they had evolved from common ancestors
- major changes abt domestic plants and animals are caused by selective breeding
most convincing evidence of evolution
from direct observations of rapid evolution in progress
ability of an organism to survive and contribute its genes to the next generation
fitness
organism that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success
natural selection
situations in which an “individual or a group control or dictates others’ behavior, primarily in competitive situations”
social dominance
how do males of many species establish a stable hierarchy of social dominance?
through combative encounters with other males
precedes copulation in many species
courtship display
courses of human evolution
- vertebrates
- amphibians
- reptiles
- mammals
- emergence of humankind
animals with dorsal nerve cords; also called chordates
vertebrates
must live in the water in their larval form and only adult species can survive on land
amphibians
first vertebrates to lay shell-covered eggs and to be covered by dry scales
reptiles
current number of classification system of mammals
26
mammal order in which humans belong
primates
who gave the name ‘primates’
Carl Linnaeus
primates of the same group that includes humans
hominins
include six-subgroups including Australopithecus and Homo
Hominins
focus of the evolution of human brain
brain size
evolution of human brain was stimulated by:
the assumption that brain size and intellectual capacity are closely related
2 problems abt the assumption between brain size and intellectual capacity
- humans do not have the biggest brains
- sizes of brains of acclaimed individuals were found to be unremarkable compared to their gigantic intellects
is there a relationship between overall human brain size and intelligence
none
during evolution, the brain has increased in?
size
what part of the brain has the most increase in size?
cerebrum
folds on the cerebral surface
convolutions
studied the inheritance in pea plants
Gregor Johann Mendel
unit of heredity
gene
expressed in the phenotypes of heterozygous individuals
dominant
not expressed in the phenotype of heterozygous individuals
recessive
two genes that control the same trait
alleles
observable traits
phenotypes
traits that can be passed on to the offspring through its genetic material
genotype
possessing two identical genes for a particular trait
homozygous