Theory of Evolution Overview

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the theory of evolution.

Darwinism

The theory of evolution by natural selection proposed by Charles Darwin.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Speciation

The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

Macroevolution

Major evolutionary changes that occur over long periods of time, leading to the emergence of new species.

Genetic Equilibrium

A state where allele frequencies in a population remain constant over generations.

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

The principle that allele and genotype frequencies in a population will remain constant in the absence of evolutionary influences.

Allele Frequency

The proportion of a particular allele among all alleles for a specific gene in a population.

Heterozygote Advantage

A condition where heterozygous individuals have a higher fitness than homozygous individuals.

Bottleneck Effect

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events or other pressures, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

Founder Effect

Reduced genetic diversity that results when a small group of individuals starts a new population.

Homologous Structures

Anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry despite differing functions.

Analogous Structures

Body parts that share a common function, but not structure, indicating convergent evolution.

Vestigial Structures

Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

Comparative Embryology

The study of the similarities and differences in the embryos of different species.

Gene Flow

The transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another.

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution due to random changes in allele frequencies that is most pronounced in small populations.

Adaptive Radiation

The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.

Isolation Mechanisms

Processes that prevent species from interbreeding, leading to speciation.

Punctuated Equilibrium

The theory that evolution occurs in rapid bursts followed by long periods of stability.