Human Genetics and Evolution

These flashcards cover the key vocabulary and definitions related to human genetics, evolution, and ecology as outlined in the lecture notes.

Aneuploidy

Changes in chromosome number caused by disjunction in meiosis, resulting in conditions like monosomy or trisomy.

Autosomal dominant

An inheritance pattern where traits appear in every generation and affected individuals have at least one affected parent.

Natural selection

A process where individuals with beneficial traits reproduce more, leading to changes in allele frequencies over time.

Speciation

The process through which new species are formed, requiring reproductive isolation and often driven by geographic barriers.

Monophyletic group

A group that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants, also known as a clade.

Gene flow

The movement of alleles between populations that can increase or decrease genetic variation.

Homologous traits

Traits that are similar due to a common ancestor, resulting from divergent evolution.

Carrying capacity (K)

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain; it affects the growth rate and stability of populations.

Ecological species concept

Defines species based on their ecological niche and role in the ecosystem, noting the importance of resource utilization.

Exponential growth model

A population growth model where resources are unlimited, leading to rapid increases in population size.