Evolutionary Theory & Processes of Evolution

These flashcards cover essential terminology related to evolutionary theory and processes of evolution, including concepts, definitions, and principles that are crucial for understanding the subject.

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Mutation

Any change in the nucleotide sequences of DNA that can lead to genetic variation.

Genetic Drift

Random changes in allele frequencies in a population from one generation to the next.

Gene Flow

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

Descent with Modification

The principle that each generation is different from its predecessors due to genetic variation and natural selection.

Artificial Selection

The process by which humans select for desirable traits in organisms through controlled breeding.

Adaptive Trait

A characteristic that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment.

Speciation

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

Malthusian Law

The principle that populations tend to grow faster than the food supply, leading to competition for limited resources.

Rudimentary Structures

Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

Sexual Selection

A type of natural selection arising through preference by one sex for certain characteristics in individuals of the other sex.

Population Bottleneck

An event that significantly reduces the size of a population and results in a loss of genetic diversity.

Founder Effect

The reduced genetic diversity that results when a population is established by a small number of individuals.

Acclimation

The process by which an individual organism adjusts to a gradual change in its environment.

Survival of the Fittest

The idea that individuals who are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Catastrophe Theory

The hypothesis that the history of the earth involves a series of sudden, short-lived, and catastrophic events.

Uniformitarianism

The theory that processes occurring today are the same as those that occurred in the past, leading to gradual geological changes.

Natural Theology

The study of nature that seeks to understand God through the observation of creation.

Divergent Evolution

The process in which two or more related species become more dissimilar over time, often due to different environments.

Extinction

The permanent loss of a species from the planet.

Heterozygote Advantage

The phenomenon where heterozygous individuals have a higher fitness than homozygous individuals.

Trait

A distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically belonging to an organism.

Populations

Groups of individuals of the same species that live in a specific geographic area and interbreed.

Phenotype

The observable physical properties of an organism, including appearance, development, and behavior.

Allele

One of two or more versions of a gene that may produce distinguishable phenotypic effects.