APES Module 14, 15 & 17

Species Richness

Species Richness

number of species in a given area

Species Evenness

relative proportion of individuals within the different species in a given area

Phylogeny

branching pattern of evolutionary relationships

Evolution

change in genetic composition of a population over time

Microevolution

evolution below the species level

Macroevolution

evolution that gives rise to new species, genera, families, classes, or phyla

Gene

physical location on the chromosomes within each cell of an organism

Genotype

complete set of genes in an individual

Phenotype

set of traits expressed by an individual

Mutation

random change in the genetic code produced by a mistake in the copying process

Recombination

genetic process by which one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome during reproductive cell division

Evolution by Artificially Selection

process in which humans determine which individuals breed, typically with a preconceived set of traits in mind

Evolution by Natural Selection

process in which the environment determines which individuals survive and reproduce

Fitness

individual’s ability to survive and reproduce

Adaptation

trait that improves an individual’s fitness

Gene Flow

process by which individuals move from one population to another and thereby alter the genetic composition of both populations

Genetic Drift

change in genetic composition of a population over time as a result of random mating

Bottleneck Effect

reduction in genetic diversity of a population caused by a reduction in its size

Extinction

death of the last member of a species

Founder Effect

change in genetic composition of a population as a result of descending from a small number of colonizing individuals

Range of Tolerance

limits to abiotic conditions that a species can tolerate

Fundamental Niche

suite of abiotic conditions under which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce

Realized Niche

range of abiotic and biotic conditions under which a species actually lives

Distribution

areas of the world in which a species lives

Niche Generalist

species that can live under a wide range of abiotic or biotic conditions

Niche Specialist

species that is specialized to live in a specific habitat or to feed on a small group of species

Mass Extinction

large extinction of species in a relatively short period of time