maladaptations Flashcards
what is antagonist evolution?
can casue behabiour or other phenotypes that look like maladaptation
eg parasites can make organisms act maladatively but this is actually adaptive for the parasite
name the types of maladaptation
spandrels lack of genetic variation genetic drift pleiotrophy algometry
what are spandrels
side effects of other selected traits
feature of an organisms might not iself be an adaptation but a side effect can be
eg. red blood, not an adaptation but side effect of chemicals
how can a lack of genetic variation cause maladaptations
evolution cannot happen without variation
there is no variation in sex ratios, for humasn this would be maladative as its better to be biased in this ratio
how can genetic drift lead to maladaptations
random process of genes
eg, vitC gene is mutated and ineffective, a pseodogene
mutations drifted to be in all population, now need to rely on fresh foods
what is pleotriphy and whats the impact on adapations
one gene having more than one efffect
something maladative may have a side effect of someting more adaptive
what is algometry
type of pleiotrphy
most genes effect more than one part of the body
how can algometry impact adaptations
bats example
long fingers in wings, toes also long
adaptaions due to haning or because long fingers is realted to long toes too?
genes affected both parts of the body
example of historical constraint using the eye
mammal retinas are backwards and light comes in the wrong way for it to work
human blindspot is maldaption but cant change it now because you cant rewire it all
how is the laryngeal nerve a maladaptation
not a direct route from the brain, goes all the way down into the chest before looping back up and out
not ideal in a giraffe!
confirms evolution has no foresight
how is rubisco a maladaptation
very slow and can bind both oxygen and carbon dioxide making it ineficient
but to make it more efficient and work faster it would have to be worse befoer it got better so it cna never happen
how do time lags impact adaptations
novel environments can lead to maladaptations
eg. moths fly to light as this is used for directions but electric light alte this and moths get confused meaning they need to adapt but it takes a while
why do we crave salt and sugar and fat today?
used to be hard to get hold of but not its fine but we still gorge on it and this is bad for us
how do trade offs impact antelopes
long legs for running but they are thin and can break easily
sid effect of going fast
but maladaptive in certain circumstances
example of a trade off in humasn
live too fast and die young or live slow and die old
what are the levels of selection
inidivual group species selfish cells gene selection
cell lines
sometimes good, other times no
cancer can be evolutionar dead because it has no foresight but it comtinues to be selected for at a cellular levels which is bad
examples of adaptations at a cellular levels
cancers and rougue cella
what is the gene eye view?
all adapttions are controlled by genes and its genes that replicate across generations
most of these are at the level of the organsism but they can also affect interactions
define altruism
indivual doing something at a cost to itself that benefits another
group selection
how do vampire bats show altruism
noselfish and share food and remembers who shares to help everyone survive
what des hamiltons equation sy
benfits of a behaviour and the relatedness ( others also having the gene) must be greater than the cost of doing the behaviour
what type of adaptation is selection on the cellular level
maladaptivecan lead to health issues and cancers
what is sexual conflict adaptations
genes not useful for the organisms itself but useful for others
eg praying mantis males get eaten to feed young, not adaptive for the male but good in the long run for children
what do spiteful genes do
increase the frequency of the gene wanted and select against indiduvlas that dont have it
what do selfish genes do?
distory ratios to be bad for the populations
what is the gene-centric view?
All adaptations are ultimately controlled by genes, and it is genes that survive and replicate across generations.
Most of genes’ effects are at the level of the organism, but genes also affect how those organisms interact.
