Midterm 1 (Part 1) Flashcards
What were darwins two main insights?
Descent with modification and natural slecection
2 types of homology?
structural and developmental homology
What is a recent example of natural selection?
Peppered moths or mullerian mimicry in motjs
What is Induction?
inductive reasoning sources biological hypothesis, but not used to test.
what is a scientific theory?
a hypothesis that has survived attempts at fasification (think theory of evolution)
What were darwins evidence for natural selection? (3)
Deductive reasoning, organisms are well suited for their environments, artifical selection
The more extrapolation…
the lower the inferential strength
What are 3 misconceptions abt evolution?
1- is not goal driven nor progressive, no endpoint
2- natural selection not for good of the species, comes from variation not fitness
3- natural selection doesnt make perfection, lacks foresight
4 kinds of knowledge acquisition? MORS
Rational (sci. method), Skeptical of hypothesis and evidence, objective (unbiased), methodologically materialistic (no supernatural)
how do fossils prove common descent?
demonstrated extinction and that species change, fossils provide evidence of slow change
What are 3 examples of natural selection?
Batesian mimicry (butterfly resemble unpalatable species), experimental evolution (temp changhe in prozac), bumpus sparrows (surviving birds differed in traits)
What is the argument of design?
says that complex structures of living things , adaptations, evidence of intelligent designer
Descriptive vs Hypothesis testing?
D- characterizes patterns, shows how systems behave
H- testing explanations for exsisting patterns
what is biogeography?
living species tend to be similar to one geographically nearby, which makes sense due to descent from a common ancestor
4 evidences for common descent?
Homology, vestigial structures, fossils, biogeography
what is extrapolation?
we assumes studies done on smaller scale correspoind directly to larger system of interest
what is Lamarks theory of evolution?
proposed new complex species came from older less complex, occured via inheritence of aqquired characters (continues use or disuse of structures passed to offspring)
what are vestigial structures?
remnants of structures that served function in ancestor
What did darwin observe in fauna on G islands?
collected what he thought were different kinds of birds, turned out to be discint groups of same finch species
What did Thomas Malthus say?
argued that policies to help the poor are doomed because population growth will outstrip food production
what were darwins geological observations?
studied geology and found volcanic uplifted rock, elevated land by earthquake, sinking seabeds and coral, belived in uniformitarisam
What were some debates against natural selection?
no new species produced via artifical selection, precursors of complex organs unlikely to have been advantageuis, earth was thought not to be old enough, general evidence lacking (no studies)
what 3 conditions must be met for natural selection?
idividuals vary in traits, their ability to survive and reproduce relative to other individuals in population, the trait is heritable and will evolve
What is descent with modification?
all species related to like individuals evolved from a common ancestor, Linnaeus could classify phylogenic groups because of descent with modification
what is homology?
similarities in structure despite different function, Darwin said this is because species descend from common ancestor, now defined as similarity due to inheritance from common ancestor
what did darwin observe to reject creationsim
specices in similar habits were distinct, along w flora and fauna, fossils were similar to similar species
Uniformitarism vs catastrophism
uni- processes of change we can see (erosion, volcano)
cata- flood of the world
defintion of evolution?
a change in heritable character in a population over time, populations evolve, individuals do not
What is natural selection according to Darwin and Wallace?
individuals must compete for resources, and the trait that better enables them to do this create more offspring with the trait
sedimentary rock showed what?
it showed that erosion occured and world must be old and life exsisted, geologicla changes occured over extended periods of time
3 inferences for natural selection?
struggle for existence so only portion of population survives, success depends on traits faciliatating it, traits that increase success will be more common
what makes a scientific hypothesis
must be ruftable/ rejectable, can not be proved 100%
Who was alfred russel wallace?
observed same theory as darwin, sent records and paper concering evolution to darwin and aksed him to publish, darwin published his work as joint work
what is The Origin?
darwins book on natural selection, considered to be one of the most influential academic books ever
what is inferential strength/ when is it strongest?
measures how strongly results support conclusion, strongest in manipulative studies
3 steps in summary of scientific method?
Falsifiable hypothesis made, deductive predictions tested, statistical inference used
What is inference?
if predicted pattern is observed/ not observed, then hyp. is supported/ falisified
what role did fossils play?
fossil records showed extintction, challenges idea that flora and fauna are constant
what is statistical hypothesis testing?
is a found pattern a random sample variation, or repeatable phenomenon?
deduction?
logical conclusion from one or more statements, no uncertainty, predicitions must follow deductly from hypothesis
what is natural selection?
reproductive success of individuals due to differences in phenotype, fitness refers to ability to survive to next generation
hypothesis vs. prediction?
h- causal explanantion for given patterm
p- statement of what must be observed under specific conditions if hyp. is true
observational vs maniuplative study?
o- researcher observes and measures but doesnt alter
m- something is changed and compared to control treatement
