0.1 Natural Selection

Vocabulary flashcards covering key Evolution & Natural Selection concepts from the lecture notes (Pages 14–36).

Evolution

The process by which descent with modification occurs; change in the genetic composition of a population over generations.

Descent with modification

Living species are descendants of ancestral species that differed from them; genetic changes accumulate over generations.

Change over time

A core aspect of evolution indicating that species' characteristics shift across generations.

Genetic composition of a population

Change in allele frequencies in a population from generation to generation.

Natural selection

The mechanism by which evolution occurs; differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to heritable traits.

Variation

Individuals in a population often vary greatly in their traits.

Heritable

Traits that can be passed from parents to offspring.

Overproduction

Species produce more offspring than their environment can support.

Limited resources

Because resources are limited, not all offspring born survive.

Unequal reproductive success

Individuals with heritable traits that help them survive and reproduce leave more offspring.

Adaptation

An inherited trait that enhances survival and reproduction in a specific environment.

Favorable traits accumulate

Unequal reproductive success leads to accumulation of favorable traits in populations over generations.

Macroevolution

Big evolutionary changes over long time scales, often leading to new groups.

Microevolution

Small evolutionary changes over a few generations within a single species.

Phenotypic differentiation

Observable differences in physical traits among individuals of a species due to genetic variation.

Not metamorphosis

A misconception that evolution is like metamorphosis; evolution is not metamorphosis.

Evolution is not goal-oriented

Evolution has no predetermined goal or perfection; changes arise from existing variation and selection.

Individuals do not evolve; populations do

Evolution occurs at the population level across generations, not within an individual's lifetime.

Adaptations do not appear on demand

New adaptations arise from existing variation and selection, not instantly when needed.