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evolution of behaviour and cognition > natural selection and modern synthesis > Flashcards

natural selection and modern synthesis Flashcards

1
Q

what does natural selection say about species?

A

species are not immutable

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2
Q

what analogy did darwin draw about natural selection?

A

he drew analogy between natural selection and artificial selection

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3
Q

what are the 4 principles of natural selection?

A

variability, heritability, non-random survival and reproduction, surplus offspring

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4
Q

what is variability?

A

species mate to produce viable offspring, gives natural selection something to act on

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5
Q

what is heritability?

A

variability is transmitted generation to generation, traits come from genes

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6
Q

what is lamarkism?

A

we inherit acquired traits, traits dont come from genes

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7
Q

what is non-random survival and reproduction?

A

those with traits better suited to the environment are more likely to survive on average

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8
Q

what does non-random survival and reproduction say about complexity?

A

it doesnt happen by chance

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9
Q

what is surplus offspring?

A

there are more offspring than the environment can support (carrying capacity), species have a cap on growth

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10
Q

what are the 4 F’s of fitness?

A

feeding, fighting, fleeing, reproduction

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11
Q

what is fitness?

A

the differential survival and reproduction of individuals

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12
Q

are species perfectly adapted to their environment?

A

no, as the adaptive landscape (environment) changes

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13
Q

what happens when the adaptive landscape changes?

A

the optimum solution changes

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14
Q

what happens when the optimum solution changes?

A

there is a reduction in fitness when getting from one strategy to the other

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15
Q

what are 3 other sources of evolution?

A

genetic drift, founder effect, population bottlenecks

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16
Q

what is genetic drift?

A

genes move randomly due to chance

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17
Q

what is the founder effect?

A

loss of genetic variation in small population

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18
Q

what are population bottlenecks?

A

populations shrink massively

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19
Q

what is Mendel’s theory of inheritance?

A

genes are inherited without blending

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20
Q

what is mendelian inheritance?

A

traits are controlled by discrete particles (genes), they are dominant or recessive

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21
Q

what is mendel’s 1st law of segregation?

A
  1. everyone has 2 copies of particles for a trait
  2. pairs segregate and pass into different sex cells (gametes)
  3. they unite with another particle after fertilization to form a zygote
22
Q

what is mendel’s 2nd law of independent assortment?

A

particles for different traits assort randomly

23
Q

how does mendelian inheritance effect variation?

A

it doesnt destroy variation, unlike blending

24
Q

what are 3 reasons why some traits appear blended?

A
  1. more than one gene for a trait (polygenic)
  2. co-dominance/incomplete dominance
  3. recessive traits are hard to eliminate as they are hidden from natural selection
25
Q

what is the main theory of molecular genetics?

A

chromosome theory

26
Q

what are genes carried on in chromosome theory?

A

chromosomes

27
Q

what do gametes do in chromosome theory?

A

they carry single copies of parental chromosomes

28
Q

what happens when gametes are formed in chromosome theory?

A

variants of genes are equally likely to be transmitted

29
Q

what are alleles?

A

variants of genes

30
Q

what do genes do on a chromosome (locus)?

A

they occupy unique positions

31
Q

why is it difficult to understand a phenotype?

A

one gene can have multiple effects and multiple genes can have one effect

32
Q

what do genes do?

A

they code specific sequences of amino acids

33
Q

what are the 4 protein functions?

A

structural, enzymes, hormonal, regulatory proteins

34
Q

what is epigenetics?

A

how behaviour and environment can affect how genes work

35
Q

what is the modern synthesis?

A

neo-darwinism, blend of natural selection and mendelian inheritance

36
Q

what is the theory of the modern synthesis?

A

populations evolve and evolution acts on genes

37
Q

what are 6 forces for changing allele frequencies in populations?

A

genetic drift, natural selection, gene flow, mutation, non-random mating, meiotic drive

38
Q

what is meiotic drive?

A

selfish genes are passed on more than is predicted from random assortment

39
Q

how is an organism described by the modern synthesis?

A

it is a genes way of making more genes

40
Q

what are analogies?

A

traits that appear similar but evolved independently (convergent evolution)

41
Q

what are homologies?

A

traits that share evolutionary history but look different

42
Q

what does adaptive radiation produce?

A

homologous traits

43
Q

what are vestigial traits?

A

traits that have no purpose (eg human tailbone)

44
Q

what are exaptations?

A

traits that serve a different purpose than they were adapted for

45
Q

what are developmental byproducts?

A

expressed traits that have no purpose in certain members of a species (eg male nipples)

46
Q

what is maladaptation?

A

failure to adapt to an environment

47
Q

what are 2 reasons not all traits can evolve?

A
  1. phylogenetic inertia
  2. genetic or physical constraints
48
Q

what is evolvability described as being?

49
Q

what are eugenics?

A

breeding desired traits

50
Q

what is a misunderstanding about the nature of natural selection?

A

natural selection doesnt act for the good of the species

51
Q

what is hume’s is-ought fallacy?

A

just because something is evolved the way it is, it doesnt mean it ought to be that way

52
Q

what is the naturalistic fallacy?

A

not everything naturally evolved is good (eg desires)

evolution of behaviour and cognition (5 decks)

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