Unit 4 List 1 Evolution Flashcards
amino acid sequencing
he process of identifying the arrangement of amino acids in proteins and peptides.
analogous structure
features of different species that are similar in function but not necessarily in structure and which do not derive from a common ancestral feature
anatomy
a field in the biological sciences concerned with the identification and description of the body structures of living things.
biochemical evidence
the amino acid sequence of proteins)
biogeography
the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.
cladogram
diagrams which depict the relationships between different groups of taxa called “clades”
common ancestry
having descended from one ancestor. Sharing a recent common ancestor means that two or more species are closely related.
descent with modification
the idea that species change over time, give rise to new species, and share a common ancestor.
DNA sequencing
the general laboratory technique for determining the exact sequence of nucleotides, or bases, in a DNA molecule.
electrophoresis
a laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge.
embryo
Early stage in the development of humans and other animals or plants.
embryology
the study of development of an embryo from the stage of ovum fertilization through to the fetal stage.
evolutionary tree
a diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor.
fossil record
made up of all the fossils that have been found, along with their relative ages
homologous structure
similar physical features in organisms that share a common ancestor, but the features serve completely different functions.
homology
similarity of the structure, physiology, or development of different species of organisms based upon their descent from a common evolutionary ancestor.
paleontology
the study of the history of life on Earth as based on fossils.
phenotypic similarity
a measure of functional redundancy within homologous gene families.
phylogeny
a diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor.
phylogenetic tree
a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms.
vestigial structures
a feature that a species inherited from an ancestor but that is now less elaborate and functional than in the ancestor.
sedimentary layers
adaptation
distinct strata of sediment that have accumulated over time, forming the Earth’s crust and providing a record of geological history.
behavior
the way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially toward others.
competition
the activity or condition of competing.
fitness
the condition of being physically fit and healthy.
gene pool
the combination of all the genes (including alleles) present in a reproducing population or species.
genetic variation
a term used to describe the variation in the DNA sequence in each of our genomes.
geographic isolation
a term used to describe the physical separation of populations of organisms from one another due to geographical barriers.
morphology
the study of the forms of things.
natural selection
a mechanism of evolution.
phenotypic expression
the observable characteristics in an organism that results from the expression of genes.
physiology
the branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.
population
all the inhabitants of a particular town, area, or country.
reproductive isolation
a breakdown in the ability to reproduce successfully with sexual partners of another type of organism,
sexual selection
natural selection arising through preference by one sex for certain characteristics in individuals of the other sex.
speciation
how a new kind of plant or animal species is created.
species
a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
trait
a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person.
Coevolution
the influence of closely associated species on each other in their evolution.
Convergent evolution
occurs when organisms that aren’t closely related evolve similar features or behaviours, often as solutions to the same problems.
Divergent evolution
the process by which interbreeding species diverged into two or more evolutionary groups.
Founder effect
the reduced genetic diversity which results when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors.
Gene flow
any movement of individuals, and/or the genetic material they carry, from one population to another.
Gene frequency
the relative frequency of an allele (variant of a gene) at a particular locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or percentage.
Gene pool
the stock of different genes in an interbreeding population.
Genetic drift
the change in frequency of an existing gene variant in the population due to random chance.
