el finale por las ciencias

Evolution

A change in the heritable characteristics of a population over time.

Charles Darwin

Naturalist who proposed evolution by natural selection and wrote On the Origin of Species.

On the Origin of Species

Darwin’s 1859 book presenting evidence for evolution by natural selection.

HMS Beagle

The ship on which Darwin traveled and made observations that led to his theory.

Alfred Wallace

Naturalist who independently proposed natural selection and co-presented the idea with Darwin.

Aristotle

Viewed species as fixed and ranked on a scala naturae.

Carolus Linnaeus

Developed taxonomy based on similarity; believed species were fixed.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

Proposed species evolve through use and disuse of body parts.

Geology

The study of Earth’s structure, rocks, and the processes that change them.

James Hutton

Proposed gradualism—Earth changes slowly over long periods.

Charles Lyell

Proposed uniformitarianism—geological processes have always operated.

Paleontology

The study of fossils.

Georges Cuvier

Paleontologist who studied fossils in strata and documented changes over time.

Economics

The study of production, distribution, and consumption of goods.

Thomas Malthus

Proposed exponential human population growth, influencing Darwin.

T.H. Huxley

Darwin’s strongest supporter, nicknamed “Darwin’s Bulldog.”

Galapagos Islands

Where Darwin observed unique species that varied between islands.

Darwin’s Finches

Finches with distinct beak shapes that helped Darwin develop natural selection.

Artificial Selection

Humans choose organisms with desired traits to reproduce.

Adaptation

A trait that increases an organism’s fitness in its environment.

Natural Selection

Individuals with favorable traits survive and reproduce more successfully.

Evidence for Evolution

Includes direct observation, fossil record, homology, and biogeography.

Drug-resistant Bacteria

Direct evidence of evolution as bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics.

Experimental Evolution

Real-time observation of evolution in controlled experiments.

Fossil Record

Collection of fossils showing organismal change through time.

Homology

Similarity due to shared ancestry.

Homologous Structures

Structures from a common ancestor with different functions.

Vestigial Structures

Remnants of ancestral structures that no longer serve a function.

Evolutionary (Phylogenetic) Trees

Diagrams representing evolutionary relationships.

Analogy

Similarity due to convergent evolution, not common ancestry.

Biogeography

Study of geographic distribution of species.

Endemic Species

Species found only in a specific location.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that creates new alleles.

Microevolution

Change in allele frequencies within a population over time.

Macroevolution

Evolutionary change above the species level.

Population

A group of interbreeding individuals in a localized area.

Gene Pool

All alleles in a population.

Fixation

When only a single allele remains at a locus.

Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

A non-evolving population with constant allele frequencies.

p and q

p = dominant allele frequency; q = recessive allele frequency.

p², 2pq, q²

Genotype frequencies for homozygous dominant, heterozygous, and homozygous recessive.

Mutation

A change in DNA that introduces new alleles.

Genetic Variation

Differences in DNA among individuals.

Gene Duplication

Duplication of DNA that allows evolution of new gene functions.

Genetic Drift

Random changes in allele frequencies, strongest in small populations.

Gamete Sampling

Random passing of alleles to the next generation.

Founder Effect

A few individuals start a new population with reduced diversity.

Bottleneck Effect

Sudden population reduction causing loss of diversity.

Inbreeding

Mating between closely related individuals.

Inbreeding Depression

Reduced fitness from increased homozygosity of harmful recessive alleles.

Gene Flow

Movement of alleles between populations.

Relative Fitness

An individual’s reproductive success compared to others.

Directional Selection

Favors one extreme of a trait.

Disruptive Selection

Favors both extremes of a trait.

Stabilizing Selection

Favors intermediate traits.

Sexual Selection

Selection based on traits that increase mating success.

Sexual Dimorphism

Differences between males and females not related to reproduction.

Intrasexual Selection

Competition within a sex (usually males) for mates.

Intersexual Selection

Mate choice (usually females choosing males).