AP VOCAB INTRO UNIT

bio type shiiii

Adaptation

a beneficial trait shared by the entire population.

ex: The c4 pathway of photosynthesis in some plants that aids to reduce water loss in arid environments

analogous structures

structures that resemble each other in unrelated organisms; a result of convergent evolution.

ex: wings in both birds and butterflies

aquired characteristic

a trait you gain during your lifetime, like the ability to throw an accurate pitch

ex 2: dyed hair

artificial selection

the purposeful breeding of individuals that have a desirable trait to increase the strength of that trait over generations. AKA: Selective Breeding.

ex: race horses

common ancestor

a now extinct species from which two or more lineages diverged.

competition

organisms are fighting for access to a resource that they need for survival.

ex: the Golden jackal and the Texas horned lizard both use the Barking Gecko as a primary food source.

Convergent evolution

similar environmental pressures result in similar adaptations regardless of the organisms ancestry.

dependent variable

the measured variable in an experiment (results).

ex: plant height is measured after various light intensities are applied.

derived charcteristic

a characteristic that arose in a common ancestor and was passed to all of their descendants.

ex: all mammals have hair!

emergent property

a characteristic that is evident only when many parts are working together.

eukaryote

complex cells that contain nuclei and membrane bound organelles.

ex: skin, plants, and animal cells

evolution

change to the genome over a period of time

fitness

a measure of an organisms ability to survive in its environment and reproduce.

gene

a segment of dna that codes for a polypeptide (protein)

gene expression

the process of synthesizing a protein that will result in a phenotype of a trait being displayed.

ex: melanocytes making melanin (the pigment that gives your skin color)

genome

ALL OF THE DNA IN A CELL

homologous structures

structures that may have a very different function in modern organisms but their morphology is evidence of a common ancestor.

ex: the pelvis of dog and a human

independent variable

the variable that you are adding (testing)

ex: different fertilizers are tested to see which is best for plant growth

inherited characteristic

a trait that is expressed through your DNA and can be passed down to your offspring.

ex: having the same eye color as your mom

inquiry

the process of designing an investigation to answer a scientific question.

ex: after taking Biology, a student begins to ask family members and construct a family tree to figure out how she inherited red hair when neither of her parents or siblings has red hair.

mutation

any change in the DNA sequence - often results in an altered phenotype

ex: down syndrome, cancer, etc

Natural Selection

the most fit individuals survive, reproduce, and pass down their genes/traits to subsequent generations.

ex: Forest beetles come in green and brown, a new population of crows moves into the area and seems to prefer the green beetles over the brown beetles.

Null Hypothesis

a hypothesis that predicts no relationship between the variable being tested

ex: there is no signifigant difference in height when plants are grown with fertilizer A or fertilizer B

prokaryote

single celled organism without a nucleus or membrane bound organelles.

ex: bacteria cells

theory

a tested and widely accepted explanation of a natural phenomenon

variation

natural differences in traits among individuals in a population

ex: A population of spotted salamanders have spots that range from green to dark grey

vestigial structures

structures that were useful in an ancestral species but not in the modern organisms

ex: appendix and eyes in cavefish