Lecture Outline for Reece et al., Campbell Biology, Chapter 25: The History of Life on Earth

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to the history of life on Earth, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Macroevolution

The broad pattern of evolution above the species level.

Abiotic synthesis

The process of producing organic molecules from inorganic precursors without biological activity.

Oparin-Haldane hypothesis

The hypothesis that conditions on early Earth favored the synthesis of organic compounds from inorganic precursors.

Miller-Urey experiment

An experiment that tested the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis by simulating early Earth conditions and producing organic molecules.

Protocells

Droplets with membranes that maintained a distinct internal chemistry and may have been precursors to living cells.

Endosymbiotic theory

The theory that mitochondria and plastids originated from prokaryotic cells living within larger host cells.

Stromatolites

Layered sedimentary formations created by the activity of microbial mats, indicative of early life on Earth.

Eukaryotic cells

More complex cells that typically contain a nucleus and organelles, evolved from prokaryotic ancestors.

Adaptive radiation

The evolution of many diversely adapted species from a common ancestor when new environmental opportunities arise.

Mass extinction

A rapid and widespread decrease in the biodiversity on Earth, where a significant proportion of species becomes extinct in a short period.

Heterochrony

An evolutionary change in the rate or timing of developmental events which can lead to significant changes in morphology.

Homeotic genes

Genes that determine the basic features of an organism's body plan, including where limbs and other body parts develop.