evolution study guide

a change in a species over time and the process by which evolution occurs

evolution

mechanism by which individuals have inherited beneficial adaptations and can produce more offspring

Natural selection

all of the individuals of a species that live in

the same area

Population

Differences in physical traits of an individual within a population

Variation

A body part that is similar in structure on different organisms but performs different functions

Homologous structure

The branch of biology that studies the early development of a species; evidence of evolution

Embryology

A diagram that displays proposed evolutionary relationships among a group of species

Cladogram

Evolution of two or more species from one ancestral species

Speciation

An inherited trait that allows an organism to better survive in its environment

Adaptation

Remains of an organism that lived in the past

Fossil

A structure that has no apparent function; evidence of evolution

Vestigial

A model of evolution that speciation occurs slowly, over long periods of time

Gradualism

A body part that is similar in a function to a body part of another organism but is structurally different; not the same evolutionary origin

Analogous structure

Group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Species

Physical movement of allele from one population to another

Gene flow

Theory that states that speciation occurs suddenly and rapidly followed by long periods of little evolutionary change

Punctuated equilibrium

Pattern of evolution of one or more closely related species into different species; resulting from adaptations to different environmental conditions

Divergent evolution

The process where distantly related organisms evolve similar traits

Convergent evolution

Change in allele frequencies due to chance occurrences

Genetic drift

The state in which the frequency of alleles in a population stays constant

Genetic equilibrium

States that genetic equilibrium will be reached when certain conditions are met

Hardy-Weinberg principle

5 principles of natural selection

Overproduction of offspring, variation in species, adaptations, competition, and limited resources

How does genetic diversity benefit a population?

With more variation, it is more likely that some individuals in a population will posses variation of alleles to produce offspring that are suited for the environment. Those individuals are more likely to survive to produce offspring

Factors that contribute to genetic variation

mutations (random)

meiosis (genetic recombination)

migration (gene flow)

True or false: individuals don’t evolve, populations do”

True. Natural selection acts on traits that are heritable, not traits that are acquired in a lifetime.

5 mechanisms of evoltuon

Genetic drift, gene flow, non random mating, mutations, and natural selection (also check notes we did in class, answers may be different)

5 conditions that must be met for a population to be in genetic equilibrium, meaning evolution is not occurring

No mutions, no natural selection, LARGE population, no migration, and random mating

Speciation vs extinction

Speciation is forming a new species while extinction is the elimination of an existing one

Gradualism vs punctuated equilibrium

Gradualism is slow incremental changes over long periods of time, whereas punctuated equilibrium is quick bursts of drastic change, followed by periods of Genetic stability

Divergent vs Convergent

Divergent: when related species branch off form each other, due to living in different environments

Convergent: unrelated species evolve similar characteristics due to living in similar environments

Morphology(evidence of evolution)

Comparing the structures of organisms

Embryology(evidence of evolution)

Studying the early stages in the development of an organism

Fossils(evidence of evolution)

Remains of once-living organisms

Genetics and biochemistry (evidence of evolution)

DNA, amino acid sequences, proteins to gain clues about common ancestry