Evolution Notes

Pre-AP Biology 9

What is an organism?

Individuals of a species that have all characteristics of life like growth, reproduction, development, maintainment of homeostasis and response to stimuli. Ex: Asian Ladybug. Hierarchy spot: 1st

What is a population?

All organisms of the same species that live in a specific area and are capable of breeding among themselves. Ex: A pack of wild dogs or a group of salmon. Hierarchy spot: 2nd

What is a community?

An interacting group of various species in a common location. Ex: Coral reef. Hierarchy spot: 3rd

What is an ecosystem?

A community of organisms together with their physical environment. Ex: An ocean or grassland. Hierarchy spot: 4th

What is a biome?

An area classified according to the species that live in the location. Ex: A tundra. Hierarchy spot: 5th

What is a biosphere?

The region that encompasses all living organisms. Ex: Large parts of biomes like grasslands or tundras. Hierarchy spot: 6th

What is adaption?

The process where a species becomes fitted to its environment

What is evolution?

The change of characteristic in an entire population over multiple generations

What is mutation?

A change in the DNA sequence due to environment or mistakes when the DNA is copied (random)

What is natural selection?

How populations of organisms adapt and change (sorts winners and losers and drives evolution)

What is trait?

A specific characteristic of an organism determined by genes or the environment

What is variation?

The difference in DNA among individuals or the differences between populations (ladybugs)

What is speciation?

A group within a species separates and develops own characteristics (ex: a group of birds separate from the other birds and develop sharper beaks that work best for their new habitat

How do you calculate frequency?

Divide the number of individuals with a trait by all individuals in that species and multiply that number by 100.

Ex: Divide the number of snails with blue shells by the number of all snails in that species and multiply that by 100 to get the frequency of blue snails in that population.

What is the difference between adaption and evolution?

One happens to a species when it becomes fit for its environment. The other is a change in characteristic of an entire population over multiple generations.

What is an outgroup?

A animal on a phylogenetic tree whose ancestor is the most distant to the past with everything else