MANIFESTING A++
gradualism
Proposed by Darwin, proved Lamarck’s theory of use and disuse wrong - over long periods of time, small changes/adaptations accumulate (instead of an organism’s lifetime, it’s over generations of organisms that changes and characteristics accumulate)
gene flow
the transmission of genes across populations. It is the transfer of alleles or gametes from one population to another
Eg. a bee carrying pollen from one flower population to another, or a caribou from one herd mating with members of another herd
punctuated equilibrium
basically states that contrary to Darwin’s theory, evolution occurs in short spurts of speciation followed by lengthy periods of isolation (equilibrium) when a gene pool is in equilibrium, the frequency of these alleles are constant over time
natural selection
The opposite of genetic drift. Organisms with more favorable traits survive better and reproduce more, passing on their genes. A mechanism of evolution, causing species to change and diverge over time. (causes adaptations)
Adaptation
how organisms change over time to suit their environment and reproduce well
Mutation
new alleles pop up due to mistakes in DNA
Random mating
The mating between two organisms is not influenced by any environmental, hereditary or social interaction
genetic drift
Genetic drift, also known as allelic drift or the Wright effect, is the change in the frequency of an existing gene variant in a population due to random chance.
Allele frequency
how common an allele is in a population
Sexual selection
natural selection arising through preference by one sex for certain characteristics in individuals of the other sex. (remember the video of the spiders or moonwalking bird)
Variation
the magnitude of genetic differences in a population
Evolution
a process that results in changes in the genetic material of a population over time.
Fitness
More favorable traits/capacity to reproduce successfully
Fossil
any preserved remains of an animal from a past geologic time period (hard parts are usually the most to be preserved, eg. teeth, bones, shells, etc.)
Convergent evolution
two unrelated populations developing similar characteristics due to a similar environment/habitat
Divergent evolution
two or more populations with ancestral relations develop different characteristics/adaptations due to a different environment/habitat
Lamarck
proposed the incorrect theory that organisms acquire characteristics and that these characteristics can be passed to their offspring, inspiring Darwin on adaptation
Hutton
Geological forces form features (ie. mountains). Forces beneath the earth can push rocks upwards.
Lyell
processes that changed earth in the past are still ongoing today
Proposed uniformitarianism - earth’s geological structure results from observable processes that cycle (Lyell).
Uniformitarianism
earth’s geological structure results from observable processes that cycle (Lyell).
Malthus
If populations grew unchecked there would be more competition for resources and living space. Forces that worked against population included warfare, famine, disease. inspired Darwin into believing that this could be applied to all organisms
Charles Darwin
Descent with Modification - today’s species descended from ancestral species. Depending on where the modern species are up they adapted to the environment.
Natural Selection
Individuals with more favorable traits in a certain environment leave more offspring than other individuals
Embryology
The study of the development of embryos; comparison among different populations (the more similar the embryo, the more closely related their ancestors are) - type of evidence of evolution
Molecular Biology
Count differences in cytochrome c/amino acids among different species/organisms - type of evidence of evolution
Homologous
Structure is similar, function differs (eg. different limbs of different organisms, like human arm vs
Analogous
Function is same, structure differs
Vestigial
structures that are no longer used by the organism (wisdom teeth, tailbone, etc.)
fossil evidence
Oldest layer is the bottom-est layer, youngest layer is the layer closest to the surface/top
Artificial (man-made) Selection
Parent plants w/ desired characteristics are selected from a mixed population and are bred together. From the offspring, those with the desired characteristics are also bred together repeatedly over several generations until all offspring possess the desired trait.
Microevolution
evolutionary change within a species or small group of organisms, especially over a short period.
Genetic drift
A change in the gene pool due to chance (a change in allele frequencies), the smaller the generation the greater the effect of genetic drift on the population (ie. a couple w/ blue and green eyes has babies, offspring with either blue or green eyes, a storm kills off all white rabbits in a white-brown mixed population).
Founder Effect
when a small group splits off from the main population to found a colony, causing a loss of variation in the population
Bottleneck Effect
The decrease of size of a population due to natural disasters or human activities (specicide, human population planning, etc.)
Gene flow
Changes in allele frequency due to mixing with new genetically different populations
Mutations
new alleles pop up due to mistakes in DNA
Convergent
two unrelated populations developing similar functions due to a similar environment/habitat (eg. sharks and dophins don’t have a common ancestor, but have similar body structure)
Divergent
two or more populations with ancestral relations develop different functions due to a different environment/habitat
Coevolution
when one species develops with another (ie. a flower changes shape, a bird’s beak changes shape to suit the flower to suck the nectar)
Sexual selection
natural selection arising through preference by one sex for certain characteristics in individuals of the other sex. (remember the video of the spiders or moonwalking bird)
More attractive = more likely to find mate = reproducing more, occurs more in offspring = occurs more in population
Stabilizing
average form of a characteristic is favored, neither extreme (gray bunnies over white or black)
Directional
one extreme form of a trait is favored(white bunnies over black)
Disruptive
both extreme forms of a trait are favored over average (white and black bunnies over gray)
Species
a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring.
reproductive barriers
barriers, prezygotic and prozygotic that prevent members of different species from reproducing
geographical isolation
2 populations are physically separated by barriers (rivers, mountains, bodies of water)
Behavioral isolation
Two populations are capable of interbreeding/Differences in mating rituals prevent interbreeding (ie. similar birds won’t mate b/c they have different songs)
Temporal isolation
Different breeding seasons/breed at different times of the day
Mechanical isolation
Reproductive structures are incompatible.
Speciation
the formation of a new species, occurs whenever reproductive isolation stops (see above)
Habitat isolation
even if two organisms live in the same area, they may be separated based on environmental needs (if two amphibians of the same species are in the same area but one prefers aquatic environments and the other prefers terrestrial environments, they are isolated.