Theory of Evolution by Charles Darwin

A comprehensive set of 1000 vocabulary flashcards related to the Theory of Evolution and various aspects of biological research and public health.

Theory of Evolution

A scientific explanation for the diversity of life, proposed by Charles Darwin.

Charles Darwin

A naturalist who developed the Theory of Evolution.

Natural Selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Species

A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes.

Adaptation

A change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.

Fossil Record

The collection of fossils that provides evidence of past life and evolutionary changes.

Genetic Variation

Differences among individuals in the composition of their genes or other DNA segments.

Survival of the Fittest

The concept that the individuals or groups best adapted to their environment will survive and reproduce.

Evolutionary Biology

A subfield of biology that studies the processes of evolutionary change.

Common Ancestor

An ancestral species from which two or more descendant species arose.

Speciation

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

Artificial Selection

The process by which humans breed plants and animals for particular traits.

Phenotype

The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual organism.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to a variation in the trait of an organism.

Homologous Structures

Anatomical features in different species that are similar due to common ancestry.

Analogous Structures

Structures that serve similar functions but evolved independently in different species.

Vestigial Structures

Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of living things and their relationship to the environment.

Environmental Pressure

External factors that influence the survival and reproduction of organisms.

Microevolution

Small-scale evolutionary changes within a species or population.

Macroevolution

Large-scale evolutionary changes that occur over geological time.

Phylogenetics

The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Cladistics

A method of classifying species based on common ancestry.

Darwin's Finches

A group of finch species studied by Darwin, illustrating natural selection.

Adaptative Radiation

The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.

Fitness

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Co-evolution

The process by which two or more species influence each other's evolution.

Niche

The role and position a species has in its environment.

Sympatric Speciation

The formation of new species in populations that live in the same geographic area.

Allopatric Speciation

The formation of new species due to geographic isolation.

Species Divergence

The process by which two or more related populations evolve different traits.

Extinction

The end of an organism or group of organisms; the loss of a species.

Endemism

A state in which species are restricted to a particular geographic area.

Paleontology

The science of the study of fossils to understand the history of life.

Biological Classification

The systematic categorization of organisms into groups based on shared characteristics.

Ecological Succession

The process by which ecosystems change and develop over time.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of the same species for resources.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of different species for resources.

Resource Partitioning

The division of resources by species to avoid competition.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Ecosystem Services

The benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, including clean water, pollination, and climate regulation.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic variation from one population to another.

Founder Effect

The reduced genetic diversity that results when a population is descended from a small number of colonizing ancestors.

Population Bottleneck

An event that significantly reduces the size of a population, affecting genetic diversity.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals in a population that the environment can support.

Selective Pressure

Environmental factors that favor certain phenotypes over others.

Species Richness

The number of different species represented in a given ecological community.

Species Evenness

The relative abundance of different species in a community.

Trophic Levels

The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Food Web

A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems.

Habitat Fragmentation

Process where larger habitats are divided into smaller, isolated sections.

Conservation Biology

The scientific study of nature and Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species.

Invasive Species

Non-native species that disrupt local ecosystems.

Sustainable Development

Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.

Climatic Change

Long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions.

Extinction Rate

The rate at which species are becoming extinct.

Ecological Resilience

The ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances.

Population Dynamics

The study of how populations change in size, density, and structure over time.

Gene Pool

The total collection of genes in a population at any one time.

Chromosomal Mutation

A mutation that affects the structure, number, or arrangement of chromosomes.

Allele Frequency

The relative frequency of an allele (variant of a gene) at a genetic locus.

Homologous Chromosomes

Pairs of chromosomes that have the same structure and gene sequence.

Divergent Evolution

The accumulation of differences between closely related species, leading to speciation.

Convergent Evolution

The process where organisms not closely related evolve similar traits.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Molecular Clock

A method used to determine the time of divergence between species based on genetic data.

Gene Therapy

An experimental technique to treat or prevent disease by altering genes.

Transgenic Organism

An organism that has DNA from a different species inserted into its genome.

Punctuated Equilibrium

A theory that evolutionary change occurs in rapid bursts separated by long periods of stability.

Bottleneck Effect

A sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events.

Genetic Drift

Random fluctuations in allele frequencies in a population.

Adaptive Traits

Heritable characteristics that enhance an organism's ability to survive.

Biological Invasions

The introduction of non-native species into an ecosystem.

Extinction Vortex

A process where a species becomes increasingly vulnerable to extinction.

Ecological Niche Modeling

The process of predicting the distribution of species based on environmental conditions.

Macroecology

The study of ecological patterns and processes at large spatial scales.

Ecosystem Stability

The ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function in the face of disturbances.

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from male anthers to female stigma in plants.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants convert light energy into chemical energy.

Cellular Respiration

The process of converting glucose into usable energy in cells.

Carbon Cycle

The cycle in which carbon is exchanged among the atmosphere, land, ocean, and organisms.

Nitrogen Cycle

The series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment.

Water Cycle

The continuous process by which water evaporates, condenses, and precipitates.

Energy Flow

The flow of energy through a food web from one trophic level to another.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farming practices that seek to produce food sustainably, preserving ecosystems.

Current Paradigm

An established set of concepts or practices that are commonly accepted within the scientific community.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to support or refute a hypothesis.

Scientific Method

A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested through experimentation.

Peer Review

The evaluation of scientific work by one or more experts in the same field.

Causation vs. Correlation

Understanding the difference between direct cause-and-effect relationships and associations.

Data Analysis

The process of inspecting, cleaning, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information.

Statistics

A branch of mathematics dealing with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of masses of numerical data.

Qualitative Research

Research that seeks to understand human behavior through direct observation and interviews.

Quantitative Research

Research that involves the use of statistical methods and numerical data.

Observed Phenomenon

A phenomenon that has been noticed and measured in real-world scenarios.

Sample Size

The number of observations or replicates included in a study.