Studied by 0 people
Looks like no one added any tags here yet for you.
What is Anthropology?
The study of humans, past and present, examining them in social, cultural, and biological contexts.
What are the four fields of Anthropology?
Cultural, Linguistic, Archaeology, and Physical (Biological) Anthropology.
Define Science.
A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the natural world.
What is a scientific theory?
An explanation that is supported by a large body of evidence and has been repeatedly tested.
What is evolution?
The change in allele frequencies that occurs over time within a population.
What are some misconceptions about evolution?
Evolution is 'just a theory'; 2. Humans evolved from chimpanzees; 3. Evolution has an agenda; 4. It is random; 5. It indicates progress.
What was the Scala Naturae?
A hierarchical structure of all living things with humans at the top.
Who is Carl Linnaeus?
The Swedish botanist who is known as the father of modern taxonomy and developed binomial nomenclature.
What is Natural Selection?
The process by which organisms with features that increase their adaptation to the environment preferentially survive and reproduce.
List Darwin's three postulates of Natural Selection.
There is a struggle for existence. 2. There is variation in features related to survival and reproduction. 3. This variation is heritable.
What is Sexual Selection?
Selection for traits that increase mating success, leading to changes in the frequency of these traits.
What is an allele?
An alternate form of a gene.
What are dominant and recessive alleles?
A dominant allele masks the effects of another allele; a recessive allele is masked by a dominant allele.
What is Mendel's Law of Segregation?
Alleles segregate from each other during gamete formation.
What are the two primary sources of personal knowledge?
Personal experience and input from others.
What is Genetic Drift?
Random changes in allele frequency across generations that can reduce genetic variation.
What is the Bottleneck Effect?
A significant reduction in population size that leads to decreased genetic variation.
Define Gene Flow.
The movement of genes between populations through migration.
What are mutations?
Random changes in genes or chromosomes that can create new traits.
Define the Biological Species Concept.
Defines species as groups of interbreeding organisms capable of producing fertile offspring and reproductively isolated from other groups.
What is the purpose of classifying species?
To organize the diversity of life and aid in identifying organisms.
What is Taxonomy?
The science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.
What does the Hardy-Weinberg Eqilibrium indicate?
A state where allele frequencies remain constant, indicating no evolution.
What is Pleiotropy?
When a single gene influences multiple traits.
What is the significance of mitochondrial DNA?
It is inherited maternally and provides insight into human ancestry.
How does behavior influence evolution?
Behavioral flexibility can affect reproductive success and is heritable.
What are the characteristics of Primates?
Grasping hands and feet, nails instead of claws, large brains, and unspecialized dentition.
What is meant by 'K-selected' species?
Species that invest heavily in fewer offspring, typically exhibiting high parental care.
What is the significance of the Encephalization Quotient (EQ)?
It measures brain size relative to body size, indicating cognitive abilities.
Define adaptive radiation.
Rapid diversification of species to fill ecological niches.
What is the difference between homology and convergence?
Homology refers to similar traits due to shared ancestry, while convergence refers to similar traits that arise independently due to similar selective pressures.
What is the purpose of the Biological Classification System?
To organize and categorize species based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships.
What are the major taxonomic ranks in biological classification?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
What order do primates belong to?
Primates belong to the order Primates, which includes lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans.
What are the two main groups of primates?
Strepsirrhines (e.g., lemurs and lorises) and Haplorhines (e.g., tarsiers, monkeys, and apes).
What evolutionary trait is common among primates that aids in tree-dwelling habitats?
Primates typically have grasping hands and feet, which allow them to climb and manipulate objects.
Note 
Flashcard (80)