Macroevolution

Question 0

What is Punctuated Equilibrium?

Answer 0

A species will be in stasis for long periods of geologic time, then suddenly speciation occurs. Then the species will go back to stasis and repeat.

Question 1

What is Gradualism?

Answer 1

The pace of evolution is slow. Incremental changes in the environment are coupled with slow but steady mutation rates. New species are formed slowly and existing species are constantly evolving.

Question 2

What are pre-adaptations?

Answer 2

An existing trait that becomes useful for a totally undesigned purpose

Question 3

What is Paedomorphosis?

Answer 3

Adults suddenly retain the juvenile characteristics of their most recent ancestor

Question 4

What are Homeotic Genes?

Answer 4

They control embryonic body plan development in all animals.
(Where body parts are placed and how they are organized in relation to each other.)

Question 5

What is a Mass Extinction?

Answer 5

The killing off of whole species on a large scale factor.

Question 6

What are adaptive radiations?

Answer 6

When the descendants of a single common ancestor are highly successful and diverse in a variety of enviorments

Question 7

What leads to adaptive radiations?

Answer 7

When the descendants of a single common are highly successful and diverse in a variety of enviorments

Question 8

What is Symbiosis?

Answer 8

Organisms of different species living together physically for a significant part of their life