Vocab/ Concepts for Exam 1 Flashcards
what is cell theory?
the theory that all organisms are made of cells and all cells come from preexisting cells
“What are organisms made up of?”
what is he chromosome theory of inheritance?
The theory that chromosomes are linear sequences of genes. The unifying theory stating that inheritance patterns may be generally explained by assuming that genes are located in specific sites on chromosomes
“How do organisms process hereditary information, and how do they acquire and use energy?”
what is the theory of evolution by natural selection?
“Where do organisms come from?”
what is the spontaneous generation theory?
the idea that organisms arise spontaneously from nonliving material.
what is a hypothesis?
a testable statement that explains something observed
what is a prediction?
an observable result that must be correct in order for a hypothesis to be valid
what is chemical evolution?
the formation of more complex organic molecules from the evolution of simpler organic molecules,, it is how life arose from nonlife early in earths history
what is natural selection?
traits that are beneficial in a current environment are “selected” within a natural population
what is a population?
A group of individuals of the same species (distinct, identifiable types of organisms) living in the same area at the same time
what is fitness?
the ability of an individual to produce offspring
what is an adaptation?
a trait that increases fitness of an individual in a particular environment
who was charles darwin?
amateur naturalist who studied tortoises and finches in the galapagos,, made evolution a common and accepted theory
what is the significance of the galapagos
it is where darwin did most of his research on the finches and pioneered the thought of natural selection
what is the wallace line?
the line that alfred russel discovered that marked distinct species distribution patterns between asian and Australian plants and animals
what is population thinking?
It observes, analyzes, and predicts the experiences of a whole group of people defined in a specific way
wat does it mean for a population to evolve
change in the characteristics of a population over time
what is common ancestry?
the idea that all species have a common ancestor and that throughout time speciation occurred, so that new species diverged from the original line
what is natural selection
traits are selected or not selected dependent on the qualities of the environment, therefore some animals die off and others live and therefore the selected traits become more common
what is heritable variation
the idea that heritable traits will always vary within a population and within offspring
- leads to differential reproductive success
what is differential reproductive success?
the idea that different organisms will have different success levels in terms of reproduction dependent on what traits they posess
what is descent with modification
the idea that we all come from a common ancestor and then throughout time each generation can modify and eventually separate from the original.
what is radiometric dating?
the ability to date different rocks based on their chemical makeup
what is homology?
a similarity that exists in multiple species descended from a common ancestor
- genetic
- developmental
- structural
what is artificial selection?
humans identify desirable traits in plants or animals and then breed specifically for those traits,, over time individuals with those traits increase until a new breed is established
fitness
individuals that have traits that allow them to better compete foe scarce resources will reproduce more
variation
individuals within a population vary in their traits, this is what causes natural selection to happen
what is the struggle for existence?
the theory that there are not enough resources on the earth to support all of the population, therefore those who have higher fitness will survive and those who have a lower fitness will die off
antibiotic resistance
a real work example of natural selection and evolution. Over time as a virus is able to reproduce and be exposed to antibiotics, the more time it has to form mutations that make it resistant to said antibiotics and form new strains of the virus
what are darwins 4 postulates?
- variety
- heritability
- struggle
4.differential survival and reproduction
what is a mixed population?
a population that has some individuals with the “selected trait” and some others who don’t have the selected trait
what is a resistant population?
a population that all has the selected trait that allows for them to be resistant against whatever
what are adaptations?
heritable traits favored by natural selection that allow an individual to survive and produce more offspring
what is the difference between an adaptation and acclimation?
an adaptation is a long term change,, it changes the traits in populations over time, whereas acclimation is a short term reversible change that effects only an individual organisms
what are genetic constraints?
things that may limit the amount that a trait can evolve