Evolution and Natural Selection Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts and terminology related to evolution and natural selection as discussed in the lecture notes.

Evolution

Descent with modification; the change in the inherited traits of a population from generation to generation.

Biodiversity

The variation of life at all levels of biological organization, encompassing the sum total of life forms and the range of differences among them.

Natural Selection

A mechanism by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to changes in the population over generations.

Darwinian Revolution

The shift in scientific thought that challenged the idea of unchanging species, asserting that species change over time through the process of evolution.

Homologous Structures

Anatomical features in different organisms that share a common ancestry but may serve different functions.

Catastrophism

The theory that Earth's geological features are the result of catastrophic events, rather than gradual processes.

Gradualism

The theory that change occurs slowly but steadily, proposing that the same processes that operate today also occurred in the past.

Artificial Selection

The process by which humans select for desirable traits in organisms, exemplified by selective breeding.

Fitness

The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in a given environment, often measured by the number of offspring produced.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that depicts the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on their evolutionary history.

Descent with Modification

The principle that all species are related through descent from common ancestors, with changes occurring over time.

Extinction

The end of an organism or species, characterized by the complete loss of that organism's population.

Extant Species

Species that are currently living and have not become extinct.

Morphology

The study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features.

Direct Observations

Evidence for evolution that can be observed in real time, such as changes in species due to environmental pressures.

Fossil Record

The history of life on Earth as documented by fossils, providing evidence for evolutionary change over time.

Unity of Life

refers to the idea that all living organisms share a common origin, demonstrating that diverse species are connected through evolutionary history.

Strata

Layers of sedimentary rock that contain fossils, allowing scientists to study the chronological order of life and evolutionary processes.

Adaptation

Inherited characteristics of organisms that enhance their survival and reproduction in specific environments

Vestigal Features

Remnant features that served a function in the organism’s ancestors