Unit 4 List 1 Evolution Flashcards
Amino Acid Sequencing
the 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
The study of the structure of a plant or animal
Biochemical Evidence
the use of molecular biology techniques to study the chemical processes and substances that occur within living organisms
Biogeography
the study of the geographic distribution of plants, animals, and other forms of life
Cladogram
a branching tree diagram that shows ancestral relationships among organisms
Common Ancestry
Ancestral organism shared by two or more descendent lineages
Descent with Modification
passing traits from parent to offspring
DNA Sequencing
determining the order of the four chemical building blocks - called “bases” - that make up the DNA molecule
Electrophoresis
a laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge
Embryo
the early developmental stage of a multicellular organism that follows fertilization
Embryology
a branch of biology dealing with embryos and their development
Evolutionary Tree
a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms
Fossil Record
a collection of fossils documenting the history of life on Earth
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
the evolutionary history of a kind of organism.
Phylogenetic Tree
a diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms
Vestigal Structures
Structures that have no apparent function and appear to be residual parts from a past ancestor
Sedimentary Layers
distinct strata of sediment that have accumulated over time, forming the Earth’s crust and providing a record of geological history
Adaptation
the process by which a species becomes fitted to its environment
Behavior
the change in activity of an organism in response to a stimulus
Competition
a set of interactions between different populations or individuals from the same population to get one or more resources from the ecosystem
Fitness
a quantitative representation of individual reproductive success
Gene Pool
the combination of all the genes (including alleles) present in a reproducing population or species
Genetic Variation
the presence of differences in sequences of genes between individual organisms of a species
Geographic Isolation
the physical separation of populations of organisms from one another due to geographical barriers
Morphology
a branch of biology that studies the external and internal structures of living things
Natural Selection
the process through which populations of living organisms adapt and change
Phenotypic Expression
An organism’s phenotype refers to the organism’s physical appearance (physical traits) as well as the type of proteins expressed within the organism’s body
Physiology
a branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of life or of living matter (such as organs, tissues, or cells) and of the physical and chemical phenomena involved
Population
a group of organisms of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time
Reproductive Isolation
a set of barriers that exist between different species that make them unable to breed and produce healthy offspring
Sexual Selection
the process by which individuals compete for access to mates and fertilization opportunities
Speciation
occurs when a group within a species separates from other members of its species and develops its own unique characteristics
Species
a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
Trait
a specific characteristic of an individual
Coevolution
the process of reciprocal evolutionary change that occurs between pairs of species or among groups of species as they interact with one another
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 reduction in genomic variability that occurs when a small group of individuals becomes separated from a larger population.
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 combination of all the genes (including alleles) present in a reproducing population or species
Genetic Drift
the change in frequency of an existing gene variant in the population due to random chance
Geologic Record
the irreplaceable account of the joint history between the Earth and living organisms
