Darwinian Evolution Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Darwinian Evolution, including theories, observations, and mechanisms of evolution.

On the Origin of Species

A book published by Charles Darwin in 1859 introducing the concepts of evolution and natural selection.

Natural Selection

The process by which those individuals with variations best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Evolution

The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Overproduction

An observation by Darwin that populations produce more individuals than can survive due to limited resources.

Competition

The struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources.

Heritability

The ability of traits to be passed from one generation to the next.

Microevolution

A generation-to-generation change in a gene pool.

Genetic Drift

A change in the gene pool due to chance events, particularly significant in small populations.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic material between populations due to migration.

Sexual Selection

A form of natural selection where individuals select mates based on certain traits.

Speciation

The evolutionary formation of new species from a common ancestor.

Mass Extinction

Events in which the majority of species within a given time period go extinct.

Reproductive Barriers

Mechanisms that prevent species from interbreeding, which maintain species integrity.

Phylogenetic Trees

Diagrams that show evolutionary relationships among various biological species.

Clade

A group of species that includes an ancestral species and all its descendants.

Taxonomy

The science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.