Evolution terms

studied byStudied by 15 people
5.0(1)
Get a hint
Hint

Adaptation

1 / 28

flashcard set

Earn XP

Description and Tags

29 Terms

1

Adaptation

Process that helps an organism survive and reproduce in a particular environment

New cards
2

Structural adaptation

Adaptation that changes the structures in an organism (opposable thumb)

New cards
3

Behavioural adaptation

Change in behaviour that helps organism survive (hibernation)

New cards
4

Physiological adaption

Change in the organisms ability to regulate and maintain homeostasis (venom)

New cards
5

Mimicry

Many harmless organisms ressemble harmful organisms in colouration or structure... avoid predators (Massasauga Rattler - venomous; Fox snake - non venomous)

New cards
6

Natural selection

The process of populations changing in favour of those who have advantangeous traits due to environmental pressures.

  • Occurs only in populations with variation

New cards
7

Fitness

Measured by the # of fertile offspring produced in the next generation

New cards
8

Artificial selection

Describes changes to a population caused by deliberate, selective breeding by humans

New cards
9

Microevolution

Change in allele frequencies in a population over generations

New cards
10

Point mutation

Change in one base in a gene

  • Mutations in noncoding regions of DNA are often harmless

  • Mutations might not affect protein production because of redundancy in genome

  • Mutations that change protein production are often harmful

    • Can sometimes increase the fit between organism and environment

New cards
11

Population

Localized group of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring

New cards
12

Gene pool

Consists of all the alleles for loci in a population

New cards
13

Mutation

Change that occurs in DNA of individual, a heritable mutation (in gamete) mutation has the potential to affect an entire gene pool

New cards
14

Gene flow

Is the transfer of alleles from one population to another, migrations into or out of a population can change allele frequencies.

New cards
15

Non-random mating

Occurs when individuals select mates based on their phenotypes; interbreeding increases proportion of homozygous dominant and resessive individuals/decrease heterozygous

New cards
16

Genetic Drift

Refers to changes in the allele frequencies of a gene pool due to c hance events

New cards
17

Founder effect

Occurs when a few individuals found a colony. Only a small fraction of the total genetic diversity of the original population is represented.

New cards
18

Bottleneck effect

Loss of genetic diversity due to extreme reduction in size of a population (extinction). Prevents majority of genotypes from participating in the production of the next generation; alleles of survivors dictated by chance

  • Rare alleles are likely to be eliminated

New cards
19

Natural selection

Result of environment selecting for individuals in a population with certain traits that make them better suited to survive and reproduce than others

New cards
20

Stabilizing selection

Average phenotype within a population is favoured by the environment.

New cards
21

Directional selection

favours individuals with a more extreme variation of a trait causing a shift away from average conditions.

New cards
22

Disruptive selection

Favours individuals with variations at opposite extremes.

New cards
23

Vestigial features

structures that once performed an important function in ancestral species that now have no use (i.e. tailbone, appendix, wisdom teeth, pig’s hind toe etc.)

New cards
24

Biogeography

Remote islands are populated by species that evolved from species that had travelled from closest major land mass

New cards
25

Homologous structures

share similar physical features, but may not serve the same purpose. indicates CLOSE ANCESTRY.

New cards
26

Analogous structures

may share a common function, but do not have similar anatomy, therefore DO NOT INDICATE CLOSE ANCESTRY.

New cards
27

Competition within populations

All species have more offspring than can survive to reproduce

New cards
28

Species

a group of similar organisms which can interbreed and produce fertile offsprings

New cards
29

Sexual selection

Any trait that aids in an organisms ability to attract mates and breed

New cards

Explore top notes

note Note
studied byStudied by 82 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 8 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 22 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 14 people
... ago
5.0(2)
note Note
studied byStudied by 5 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 2 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 18 people
... ago
5.0(1)
note Note
studied byStudied by 12 people
... ago
5.0(1)

Explore top flashcards

flashcards Flashcard (134)
studied byStudied by 8 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (156)
studied byStudied by 12 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (120)
studied byStudied by 2 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (119)
studied byStudied by 42 people
... ago
4.5(2)
flashcards Flashcard (92)
studied byStudied by 4 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (93)
studied byStudied by 40 people
... ago
5.0(1)
flashcards Flashcard (32)
studied byStudied by 22 people
... ago
5.0(3)
flashcards Flashcard (100)
studied byStudied by 82 people
... ago
5.0(4)
robot