Unit 4 list 1 Evolution TjB 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
Biochemical evidence of evolution is based on the fact that certain enzymes and chemical processes are found in the cells of all or nearly all life on Earth
Biogeography
The branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.
Cladogram
A branching tree diagram that shows ancestral relationships among organisms.
Common ancestry
having descended from one ancestor.
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
Electrophoresis is 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
Portrays the evolutionary relationships among groups of plants, animals and all other forms of life.
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
In biology, homology refers to the similarity of the structure, physiology, or development of various species of other organisms as a result of their shared evolutionary parent
Paleontology
Paleontology is 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 the development of a species or of a taxonomic group of organisms.
Phylogenetic tree
A diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor
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
Beds of rock formed from formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms.
Adaptation
The act of changing something or changing your behavior to make it suitable for a new purpose or situation.
Behavior
The change in activity of an organism in response to a stimulus.
Competition
Competition is an interaction between organisms or species in which both require a resource that is in limited supply
Fitness
An organism’s ability to pass its genetic material to its offspring.
Gene pool
A gene pool is a collection of all the genes in a population.
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
a branch of biology that studies the external and internal structures of living things.
Natural selection
Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success.
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 organisms of the same group or species that live in a specific area and are capable of breeding among themselves.
reproductive isolation
A breakdown in the ability to reproduce successfully with sexual partners of another type of organism
Sexual selection
The process by which individuals compete for access to mates and fertilization opportunities.
Speciation
How a new kind of plant or animal species is created.
Species
A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
Trait
A specific characteristic of an individual.
Coevolution
Coevolution occurs when species evolve together.
Convergent 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
Divergent evolution represents the evolutionary pattern in which species sharing a common ancestry become more distinct due to differential selection pressure
Founder effect
The founder effect is the reduction in genetic variation that results when a small subset of a large population is used to establish a new colony.
Gene flow
Any movement of individuals, and/or the genetic material they carry, from one population to another.
Gene frequency
The fraction or percentage of a population that carries allele (i.e., one type of a gene variant) at a particular locus.
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
A representation of time based on the rock record of Earth
