Natural Selection and Darwinian Evolution

These flashcards cover key concepts related to natural selection and Darwinian evolution, highlighting significant figures, fundamental principles, and evidence supporting evolutionary theory.

What is evolution primarily described as in biology?

A unifying theme explaining organismal changes over time.

What mechanism did Darwin propose for evolution?

Natural selection.

Who developed the binomial nomenclature for classifying organisms?

Carolus Linnaeus.

What was Jean Baptiste Lamarck known for?

Proposing that species could change through mechanisms like usage and disuse of traits.

What significant contribution did Charles Darwin make to evolutionary theory?

The mechanism of natural selection.

What does 'fitness' in evolutionary biology mean?

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in a given environment.

What is the Malthusian influence on Darwin's theory of evolution?

Population growth theory that influenced ideas about competition and survival.

What are the three types of natural selection?

Stabilizing selection, directional selection, and disruptive (diversifying) selection.

What does the Hardy-Weinberg principle address?

Determining if evolutionary change is occurring within a population.

What is the biological species concept primarily focused on?

The ability of a species to reproduce viable offspring.

What are prezygotic barriers?

Factors that prevent fertilization from occurring between different species.

What significant event is marked by the Cambrian Explosion?

A rapid increase in the diversity of animal life.

What are homologous structures?

Similar structures in different species due to common ancestry.

What does microevolution refer to?

Small changes in allele frequencies in a population over generations.

What type of evidence supports evolutionary theory?

Fossil records, comparative anatomy, and molecular biology.

What are vestigial structures?

Remnants of structures that no longer serve a function in current organisms.

What hypothesis explains the transition from prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells?

Endosymbiotic hypothesis.

What role does sexual selection play in evolution?

Influences reproductive success tied to mate choice.