Unit 8: Evolution Vocab 𓆟 𓆞

Evolution

The process of biological change in populations over time that makes descendants genetically different from their ancestors

Microevolution

Evolution can occur on a small scale affecting a single population

Macroevolution

Evolution over a large scale affecting changes in species across a population

Natural Selection

Organisms with the “best” traits will live longer and reproduce more than others causing changes in the populations over time by acting on traits that are heritable.

Fitness

A measure of how well you can survive in your environment

Adaptation

A feature that allows an organism to better survive in its environment

Gene Pool

The combined alleles of all the individuals in a population

Genetic Drift

Random change in the frequency of alleles in a population over time

Gene Flow

Movement of genes into/ out of a population (migration)

Sexual Selection

The selection of traits that aren’t necessarily good for survival fitness, but without them you wouldn’t be able to pass on your genes because you can’t reproduce. Ex: Birds of paradise.

Genetic Equilibrium

When there are no changes in allele frequencies in a population over time

Species

A group of organisms that can successfully interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring

Adaptive Radiation

A type of divergent evolution occurring on a small scale over a shorter period of time

Paleontology

The study of prehistoric life through the fossil record

Morphology

The study of the form of living things

Biogeography

The study of the geographic distribution of plants and animals

Fossils

Preserved remains of organisms

Taxonomy

Field of biology that classifies organisms

Binomial Nomenclature

2-name naming system (genus, species)

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a species

Endosymbiosis

A theory that suggests that over time, coevolution of prokaryotes occurred and eventually led to speciation + the first eukaryotes

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram used to predict evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms.