Evolution vocab

Adaptation

The evolutionary process and resulting heritable trait (structural, physiological, or behavioral) that enhances an organisms survival and reproductive success (fitness) in its specific environment

Allele Frequency

The measure of how common a specific variant of a gene (allele) is within a population. Calculated as the proportion of that allele divided by the total number of all alleles for that gene in the gene pool

Directional selection

A mode of natural selection in which a single, extreme phenotype is favored over others, causing the allele frequency to continuously shift in one direction over time

Artificial selection

The human-driven process of identifying and breeding organisms with desirable heritable traits to enhance those traits characteristics in future generations

Disruption selection

A type of natural selection that favors both extreme phenotypes over intermediate ones, and that one to die out

Ecological

Branch of biology that studies the relationships and interactions between living organisms and their physical, non-living environment

Evolution

The change in the heritable characteristics, or genetic makeup, of biological populations over successive generations

fitness

Measures an organism’s ability to survive and successfully reproduce in its specific environment, ultimately determining its genetic contribution to the next generation

Founder effect

A type of genetic drift occurring when a new, isolated, population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population

Gene flow

The transfer of genetic material (alleles) from one population to another, typically via the movement of individuals sperm, or pollen

Hybrid

The offspring resulting from the breeding, crossing, or mating of two genetically distinct, different individuals, such as different varieties, species, or general herterozy

Mutation

A permanent, random alteration in the DNA sequence of an organism’s genome

Microevolution

A change in allele(gene) frequencies within a single population or species over a relatively short period of time

Natural selection

The primary mechanism of evolution where organism’s better adapted to their environment tend to survived and produce more offspring

Normal distribution

A symmetrical, bell-shaped probability curve representing data that clusters around a central mean value

Population

A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same geographical area, at the same time, and are capable of interbreeding

Reproductive Isolation

The collection of evolutionary mechanisms, behaviors, and physiological processes that prevent members off different species from producing viable, fertile offspring

Sexual selection

A form of natural selection where certain traits evolve because they increase an individual’s success in obtaining mates, rather than improving survival

Convergent evolution

The process where distantly related or unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits, behaviors, or body structures to adapt to comparable environments or ecological niches

Divergent evolution

Process where closely related populations or species accumulate differences over time —typically driven by different environments pressures—resulting in them becoming more dissimilar

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution characterized by random, change, Fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population over generations

Gene pool

All of the available alleles(or genes) in a population

Adaptive radiation

Evolutionary process where a single ancestral species diverges into multiple, distinct new species, adapted to exploit different ecological niches (environments)

Temporal isolation

A pre-zygotic reproductive barrier, closely related species are prevented interbreeding, reproduce at different times

Behavioral isolation

A pre-zygotic reproductive barrier where differences in mating behaviors prevent closely related species from interbreeding

Bottleneck effect

Occurs after a population been greatly reduced size. Natural disaster, for example can leave only a few survivors. A few survivors do not repent the genetic diversity of the original population