The Evidence for Evolution Flashcards

Vocabulary terms and definitions regarding the evidence for evolution, historical figures in evolutionary biology, and methods of studying biological change and common descent.

Biological populations

Groups of individuals of the same species that are somewhat independent of other groups and often isolated by geography.

Biological evolution

Change in the characteristics of a biological population that occurs over the course of generations and is inherited via genes.

Nonevolutionary changes

Changes due to short-term environmental factors, such as higher calorie intake increasing average dress sizes from size $8$ to size $14$ over the last $50$ years, rather than genetic changes.

Natural selection

The process by which populations adapt to their changing environment through different levels of survival and reproduction of individuals.

Microevolution

Easily observed and noncontroversial changes that occur within a biological population, such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Macroevolution

The accumulation of microevolutionary changes over long periods of time that results in the origin of a new species.

Scientific theory

A substantial statement providing the current best explanation of how the universe works, supported by many lines of evidence and repeated experimental tests.

Theory of evolution

The principle that all species on Earth today are descendants of a single common ancestor and represent the product of millions of years of accumulated microevolutionary changes.

Theory of common descent

A part of the theory of evolution stating that all life shares a common ancestor.

Anaximander

A Greek philosopher who proposed that humans evolved from fish that had moved onto land.

Jean Baptiste Lamarck

The first modern evolutionist, published in $1809$, who proposed that organisms had an innate drive for perfection and inherited acquired characteristics.

Charles Lyell

Author of Principles of Geology who hypothesized that Earth is older than $10,000$ years and that large geological features result from accumulated slow processes.

Alfred Russel Wallace

A naturalist who in $1858$ sent Darwin a manuscript detailing a mechanism for evolutionary change similar to Darwin's natural selection.

Static model hypothesis

A rejected hypothesis suggesting that organisms arise separately and do not change over time.

Transformation hypothesis

A rejected hypothesis suggesting that species arise separately and only undergo small changes after creation to adapt to the environment.

Separate types

A rejected hypothesis suggesting that species change and new species arise, but each group of species derives from a separate ancestor that arose independently.

Linnaean classification

A system created by Carolus Linnaeus to organize biological diversity using a hierarchy from broadest to narrowest groupings and two-part Latin names.

Anatomical homology

Similarities in skeletal bone structures between different organisms, such as mammalian forelimbs having equivalent bones despite different functions.

Convergent evolution

The evolution of structural similarities in unrelated species with similar lifestyles, such as football-shaped bodies in tuna and penguins.

Vestigial traits

Nonfunctional or greatly reduced traits, such as functionless wings on an ostrich or the tailbone in humans.

Developmental homologies

Similarities in developmental processes from a fertilized egg to adulthood, such as pharyngeal slits found in early snake, chicken, and human embryos.

Molecular homologies

Similarities in DNA sequences that indicate how closely related two species are.

Molecular clock

A tool used to estimate the rate of change in DNA sequences to determine when species diverged from common ancestors.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of species on Earth, such as the resemblance between island tortoises and mainland species.

Fossils

The remains of living organisms left in soil or rock that form a record of ancient life and provide direct evidence of evolutionary change.

Hominins

Humans and human ancestors distinguished from other primates by bipedal characteristics.

Radiometric dating

A technique used to estimate the age of rocks by measuring the ratio of radioactive isotopes to their daughter products.

Half-life

The amount of time required for one-half of a radioactive element to decay into a daughter product.

Consilience

The agreement among observations from different sources, which strengthens the validity of a scientific theory.