CH3: Evolution by Natural Selection

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to 'Evolution by Natural Selection' from BIOL-2142 (F25) lecture notes by Prof. Pitcher.

Variation

Members of a population vary in the traits they display.

Inheritance

Offspring tend to resemble their parents.

Differential Reproductive Success

Individuals with certain traits are more likely to survive and reproduce compared to those without them.

Evolution by Natural Selection

The process by which the proportion of different trait variants in a population changes over time due to differential reproductive success.

Fitness

The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Adaptation

A trait or characteristic of an organism that increases its fitness relative to individuals without the trait.

Mutations

Changes in genetic material that generate variation, occurring randomly with respect to an organism's needs.

Population Change

Natural selection causes traits of a population to change over time, not individuals.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics of an organism, which are the result of the interaction between its genotype and environment.

Genotype-Environment Interaction (GxE)

The interplay between an organism's genetic makeup and its environment that shapes its phenotype; natural selection acts on these phenotypic differences.

Reaction Norm

Describes how flexible or sensitive an organism's traits are to environmental changes, indicating that a genotype can produce different phenotypes under varying environmental conditions.

Model Systems

Organisms (e.g., Darwin Finches, Oldfield mouse, Trinidadian guppies, E. coli) used in scientific research to study fundamental biological processes like natural selection.

Life History Trait

Characteristics related to an organism's survival and reproduction, such as offspring size and number, often influenced by environmental factors like predation.

Evolution in a bottle

A term for experimental setups, often using microorganisms, to observe and study evolutionary change over many generations in a controlled laboratory environment.

Constraints of Natural Selection (Genetic Variation)

Limitations on what natural selection can achieve due to the existing genetic variation in a population or the influx of genes from other populations.

Constraints of Natural Selection (Physical Laws)

Limitations on evolutionary outcomes imposed by the physical structures of organisms and the fundamental laws of physics.

Binocular Vision

Vision where the fields of view from both eyes overlap significantly, providing depth perception and stereoscopic vision.

Monocular Vision

Vision primarily using each eye independently, leading to a wider total field of view but less depth perception.

Natural Selection (Lack of Foresight)

The principle that natural selection has no ability to anticipate future needs or goals; it only favors changes that are immediately advantageous based on past and present conditions.