Chapter 22-An introduction to evolutin

Evolution

Heritable change in one or more characteristics of a population or species from one generation to the next.

Microevolution

Changes in a single gene in a population over time.

Macroevolution

Formation of new species or groups of species.

Species

Group of related organisms that share a distinctive form and can interbreed to produce viable and fertile offspring.

Population

Members of the same species that are likely to encounter each other and have the opportunity to interbreed.

Natural Selection

Process where individuals with better traits flourish and reproduce due to competition for limited resources.

Homology

Similarity that occurs due to descent from a common ancestor, involving anatomical, developmental, or molecular features.

Vestigial Structures

Anatomical structures that have no apparent function but resemble structures of presumed ancestors.

Convergent Evolution

Two different species from different lineages show similar characteristics because they occupy similar environments.

Artificial Selection

Programs and procedures designed to modify traits in domesticated species, where breeders choose desirable phenotypes.

Biogeography

Study of the geographical distribution of extinct and modern species.

Transitional Form

A species that provides a link between earlier and later forms in the evolutionary record.

Molecular Homology

Similarities in cells at the molecular level indicate that living species evolved from a common ancestor.

Gene Duplication

Process that can lead to a gene family; results in paralogs within the genome of a single organism.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Process in which an organism incorporates genetic material from another organism without being the offspring.

Evolutionary Evidence

Includes fossil records, biogeography, convergent evolution, selective breeding, and homologies.

Darwin's Finches

Example of adaptive radiation in which distinct finch species evolved on the Galápagos Islands.

Descent with Modification

Evolution based on variation within a species, where heritable traits are passed from parent to offspring.

Selective Breeding

Also known as artificial selection, it refers to selecting specific traits for breeding in domesticated species.