list 8 vocab evolution Flashcards
Amino acid sequencing
the process of identifying the arrangement of amino acids in proteins and peptides
Biogeography
the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals
Cladogram
a branching diagram showing the cladistic relationship between a number of species
Common ancestory
having descended from one ancestor
DNA sequencing
the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence
Gel Electrophoresis
a method for separation and analysis of biomacromolecules and their fragments, based on their size and charge
Evolutionary/Phylogenetic Tree
a graphical representation which shows the evolutionary history between a set of species or taxa during a specific time
Homology
the state of having the same or similar relation, relative position, or structure
Phenotypic similarity
a measure of functional redundancy within homologous gene families
Sedimentary layers
types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at the Earth’s surface, followed by cementation
Behavioral Isolation
when species are reproductively isolated from others due to differences in behavior
Competition
an interaction between organisms or species in which both require a resource that is in limited supply
Gene pool
the stock of different genes in an interbreeding population
Genetic variation
the difference in DNA among individuals or the differences between populations among the same species
Geographic isolation
the physical separation of populations or organisms from one another due to geographical barriers
Morphology
the branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms, and with relationships between their structures
Phenotypic expression
The observable characteristics in an organism that results from the expression of genes
Physiology
the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts
Reproductive isolation
the inability of a species to breed successfully with related species due to geographical, behavioral, physiological, or genetic barriers or differences
Sexual selection
natural selection arising through preference by one sex for certain characteristics in individuals of the other sex
Trait
a genetically determined characteristic
Advantageous trait
trait that makes organisms more likely to survive and reproduce in its environment
Distribution
the general structure of the species population
Divergent evolution
the accumulation of differences between closely related populations within a species, sometimes leading to speciation
Gene frequency
the ratio of a particular allele to the total of all other alleles of the same gene in a given population
Phenotypic variation
the amount of variation of a particular trait within a population
Survival rate
a measurement from tracking large numbers of individuals through time to estimate the likelihood of different classes of individuals staying alive from one year to the next
Founder effect
the reduced genetic diversity which results when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors
Geologic record
the entirety of the layers of rock strata
Phylogeny
the branch of biology that deals with phylogenesis
Adaptation
the biological mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments
Speciation
the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species
Extinction
the termination of a taxon by the death of its last member
Natural selection
the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype
Gene flow
the transfer of genetic material from one population to another
Divergent evolution
the evolutionary pattern in which species sharing a common ancestry become more distinct
Descent with modification
the idea that species change over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor
Microevolution
the change in allele frequencies that occurs over time within a population
Transitional species
a species that is intermediate between two different species
Embryology
the branch of biology and medicine concerned with the study of embryos and their development
Punctuated equilibrium
the hypothesis that evolutionary development is marked by isolated episodes of rapid speciation between long periods of little or no change
Gradualism
a theory that changes of organic life and of the Earth itself occur through gradual increments, and often that transitions between different states are more or less continual and slow rather than periodic and rapid
Overproduction of offspring
when species reproduce many more offspring than can possibly survive
Convergent evolution
the process whereby distantly related organisms independently evolve similar traits to adapt to similar necessities
Coevolution
when two or more species reciprocally affect each other’s evolution through the process of natural selection
Paleontology
the study of the history of life on Earth as based on fossils
Vestigial structures
physical structures such as an organ, appendage, or cellular component that, through evolution, has become reduced from its ancestral condition and no longer functions
Survival of the fittest
organisms best adjusted to their environment are the most successful in surviving and reproducing
Genetic drift
the change in the frequency of an existing gene variant in a population due to random chance
Analogous structure
features of different species that are similar in function but not necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestral feature
Mutation
an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA
Fossil
the preserved remains of plants and animals whose bodies were buried in sediments, such as sand and mud, under ancient seas, lakes and rivers
Anatomical evidence
the similarities and differences between the body structures of different species
Homologous structure
similarity due to shared ancestry between a pair of structures or genes in different taxa
Hardy Weinberg equilibrium
a principle stating that the genetic variation in a population will remain constant from one generation to the next in the absence of disturbing factors
biochemical evidence
evidence of evolution based on the fact that certain enzymes and chemical processes are found in the cells of all or nearly all life on Earth
Macroevolution
the evolution of taxa above the species level
fitness
a quantitative representation of individual reproductive success
nonrandom meeting
when organisms prefer to mate with others of the same genotype or of different genotypes
species
a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or breeding
