Biology Chapters 10 and 11 Vocab

Adaptation

Adaptation

Inherited trait that is selected for over time because it allows organisms to better survive in their environment

Allele Frequency

Proportion of one allele, compared with all the alleles for that trait, in the gene pool

Analogous Structures

Body part that is similar in function as a body part of another organism but is structurally different

Artificial Selection

Process by which humans modify a species by breeding it for certain traits

Biogeography

Study of the distribution of organisms around the world

Bottleneck Effect

Genetic drift that results from an event that drastically reduces the size of a population

Coevolution

Process in which two or more species evolve in response to changes in each other

Convergent Evolution

Evolution toward similar characteristics in unrelated species, resulting from adaptations to similar environmental conditions

Directional Selection

Pathway of natural selection in which one uncommon phenotype is selected over a more common phenotype

Disruptive Selection

Pathway of natural selection in which two opposite, but equally uncommon, phenotypes are selected over the most common phenotype

Divergent Evolution

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

Extinction

Elimination of a species from Earth

Fitness

Measure of an organism's ability to survive and produce offspring relative to other members of a population

Founder Effect

Genetic drift that occurs after a small number of individuals colonize a new area

Genetic Drift

Change in allele frequencies due to chance alone, occurring most commonly in small populations

Gene Flow

Physical movement of alleles from one population to another

Gene Pool

Collection of alleles found in all of the individuals of a population

Geographic Isolation

Isolation between populations due to physical barriers

Hardy

Weinberg Equilibrium

Heritability

Ability of a trait to be passed from one generation to the next

Homologous Structures

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

Natural Selection

Mechanism by which individuals that have inherited beneficial adaptations produce more offspring on average than do other individuals

Normal Distribution

Distribution in a population in which allele frequency is highest near the mean range value and decreases progressively toward each extreme end

Population

All of the individuals of a species that live in the same area

Species

Group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring

Stabilizing Selection

Pathway of natural selection in which intermediate phenotypes are selected over phenotypes at both extremes

Variation

Differences in physical traits of an individual from the group to which it belongs

Vestigial Structures

Remnants of an organ or structure that functioned in an earlier ancestor

Evolution

Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.