Evolution for Ecology

These flashcards cover key concepts and vocabulary related to evolution and ecology as discussed in the lecture.

Evolution

A change in the genetic composition of a population from one generation to the next.

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual, represented by the alleles present.

Phenotype

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

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to variations in traits.

Genetic Drift

The change in allele frequencies in a population due to random sampling of organisms.

Bottleneck Effect

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

Founder Effect

The reduced genetic diversity that results when a small group from a larger population establishes a new population.

Diploid

An organism or cell having two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid

An organism or cell having only one complete set of chromosomes.

Allele

A variant form of a gene that can determine a specific trait.

Dominant Allele

An allele that masks the effect of a recessive allele in heterozygous conditions.

Recessive Allele

An allele that is masked by the presence of a dominant allele in heterozygous conditions.

Codominance

A situation in which both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed.

Incomplete Dominance

A situation in which the phenotype of a heterozygote is intermediate between the phenotypes of the two homozygotes.

Gene Pool

The total collection of genes and their alleles in a population.

Adaptation

A trait that has evolved through natural selection to improve an organism's chances of survival and reproduction.

Fitness

The reproductive success of an individual relative to the average reproductive success in the population.

Heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait that is attributable to genetic variation within a population.

Allele Frequency

The proportion of a specific allele among all alleles for a particular gene in a population.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Species

A group of organisms that can reproduce and have fertile offspring.