Evolutionary Genetics

These flashcards cover key concepts in evolutionary genetics, focusing on definitions and descriptions essential for understanding speciation and evolutionary relationships.

Evolution

Heritable change in characteristics of a population or species over generations.

Microevolution

Change in allele frequencies within a population over time.

Natural Selection

Process where organisms better adapted to the environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Synteny Group

A group of genes found in the same order in different species, indicating a common ancestry.

Speciation

The process by which new species arise, often as a result of genetic changes and reproductive isolation.

Reproductive Isolation

The inability of different species to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Cladogenesis

The evolutionary process by which a species splits into two or more distinct species.

Aneuploidy

A condition in which the number of chromosomes is not an exact multiple of the haploid number.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on similarities and differences.

Cladistic Approach

A method for constructing phylogenetic trees based on shared derived characteristics.

Phenetic Approach

A method for constructing phylogenetic trees based on overall similarities, without reference to evolutionary history.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

The transfer of genetic material between organisms in a manner other than traditional reproduction, complicating phylogenetic relationships.

General Lineage Concept

Each species is a population of an independently evolving lineage.

Hybrid Sterility

A reproductive barrier where the interspecies hybrid survives but is sterile, such as mules.

Polyploidy

A condition where organisms have more than two sets of chromosomes, often leading to new species and reproductive isolation.