Test 1 study guide Flashcards
be able to define evolution.
- change over time
- descent with modification
- change in genetic composition of a population from generation to generation
- species change over time - the accumulation of inherited changes within populations over time
know the difference between a population and a species
- Population: a group of one species that live in the same geographic area at the same time
- Species: group of individuals with similar structure, function, and behaviors that have the ability to interbreed with one another
know the observations of Darwin’s theory of evolution
- the many shared characteristics (unity) of life; he attributed unity to common ancestry
- the ways in which organisms are suited for life in their environments; he suggested descendants live in a variety of environments and accumulate adaptations
- adaptations - inherited characteristics of organisms that enhance their survival and reproduction in a specific environment
- the rich diversity of life; over long periods of time descent with modification led to diversity
know Lamarck thinking and why it is incorrect
- theory - that the use and disuse of body parts - of the body that are used extensively become larger and stronger (known as acquired or learned characteristics), while those that are not used deteriorate. that organisms can pass on acquired characteristics to their offspring
- the is false because inherited traits are determined by genes of parents not acquired traits during the parents life
be able to define natural selection and adaptation
•a process in which better adapted organisms are more likely to survive and become the parents of the next generation because of those adaptations
know the evidence that supports the theory of evolution
- direct observations - ie introduced plant species and soapberry bug beaks (the beak size changed in result in the new food) or drug resistant bacteria (MRSA)
- comparative anatomy of species - homologous structures (homology); homoplastic (analogous) structures (the result of convergent evolution); anatomical similarities in vertebrate embryos; vestigial structures
- Fossil record - remains or traces of previously existing organisms
- biogeography - the distribution of living things; influenced by continental drift, the slow movement of earth’s continents over time
- molecular comparisons - proteins, DNA and RNA; shows how closely related; genetic code is universal indicating a common ancestor; used to create evolutionary trees
be able to explain the four observable patterns of the natural world that Darwin’s Theory of Evolution explains
- overproduction - organisms are capable of producing more offspring than can survive to reproductive age
- variation inherited - members of a population vary and some of these variations are heritable
- competition - resources available to a population are limited
- differential reproductive success - individuals that are well suited to their environment tend to leave more offspring than other individuals. Over time, favorable traits accumulate in the population
what are homologous features?
•similar structures that may have different functions but have common ancestor
what are homoplastic features?
•similar structures and functions but not common ancestry
what is convergent evolution?
•independent evolution of similar structures in distantly related organisms
what are vestigial structures?
- remnants of features that served important functions in the organism’s ancestors
- structures persist as there is no selective pressure to eliminate them
why are the theories of continental drift and plate tectonics important to the theory of evolution? (biogeography)
- Since the the slow movement of the Earth’s continents over time influences the evolution of living things.
- How what was once a connected land mass is divided taking the animals with it
what is phylogeny?
•the evolutionary history of a species or group of related species
how is molecular data used to support evolution?
- Analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequences; can see how protein evolved; shows how closely related
- Genetic code is universal indicating common ancestor
how can evolutionary hypothesis be tested?
- basically the scientific studies:
- direct observations
- comparative anatomy of species
- fossil records
- biogeography
- molecular comparison
be able to define taxonomy and taxon
- Taxonomy: science of naming and classifying organisms
* Taxon: a taxonomic unit at any level of hierarchy
describe the binomial system of naming organisms
- two parts names for species consist of a genus and specific epithet name
- both names used together to correctly identify the organism
know the 3 domains of life, and the 6 kingdoms
- Domains: bacteria, archaea, eukarya
* Kingdons: eubacteria, archaeabacteria, plantea, fungi, animilia, protista
be able to interpret phylogenetic trees (cladograms), describing the meaning of its specific nodes branches
•a phylogenetic tree represents a hypothesis about evolutionary relationships
•each branch point represents the divergence of two evolutionary lineages from a common ancestor
•hatch mark represents a homologous characteristic shared by all the groups to the right of the mark
•sister taxa are groups that share an immediate common ancestor
a rooted tree includes a branch to represent the last common ancestor of all taxa in the tree
•a basal taxon (out group) diverges early in the history of a group and originates near the common ancestor of the group
•a polytomy is a branch from which more than two groups emerge
•tree branches can by rotated around a branch point without changing their evolutionary relationships
•the more recent the ancestor you share the more closely related
be able to define systematics
•discipline which classifies organisms based on shared characteristics to depict their evolutionary relationships
be able to define and identify on a phylogentic tree shared ancestral (primitive) character, shared derived character, sister taxa, and basal taxon.
- Phylogenetic tree: a diagram that reflects evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms
- shared ancestral (primitive) character: traits that originated in the ancestor of the taxon
- shared derived character: an evolutionary novelty unique to a group
- sister taxa: groups that share an immediate common ancestor
- basal taxon: diverges early in the history of a group and originates near the common ancestor of the group
contrast monophyletic, paraphyletic, and polyphyletic taxa
- monophyletic group (clade): a group of species that includes an ancestral species and all of its descendants
- paraphyletic group: a group that contains a common ancestor and some, but not all of its decendants
- polyphyletic group: consists of several evolutionary lines and not including a common ancestor
know the difference between genotype, phenotype, allele and gene.
- genotype :genetic markeup, combination of alleles
- phenotype: physical appearence
- allele is the genes governing variation of the same character that occupy corresponding psitions (loci) on homologous chromosomes
- gene is a segment of DNA that serves as a unit of hereditary information; includes transcribable DNA sequences that yields a protein or RNA product with a specific function.
be able to define gene pool, fitness, microevolution, and mutation
- gene pool: all of the alleles for all loci in a population
- fitness: an individuals reproductive succes, measured by the number of viable offspring it produces
- microevolution: small-scale evolutionary change caused by changes in allele or genotype frequencies that occur within a population over a few generations
- mutation: a change in nucleotide sequence of DNA
what is genotype frequency?
•proportion of a particular genotype in the population