Jacksons Bio Test (4/18/25)

Taxonomy

Domain, kingdom, phylum , class, order, family, genus (plural, general), and species.

Fossils

A way to tell other things existed and a way to tell how old things are.

Darwin and Wallace

Responsible for creating the theory of evolution.

Natural selection

results in evolutionary adaptation, (process that causes animals to evolve over time. (if a organism is being hunted very easily it might adapt in order for it to survive)

Adaptation

A heritable trait or characteristic that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment, resulting from natural selection over generations. 

Evidence for evolution

1. Homologies

2. Evolutionary trees 

3. Vestigial structures

4. DNA evidence

5. Embryology

Homologies

similar bones in different organisms(common ancestry)

Evolutionary trees

Diagrams that depict the evolutionary relationships between different species or groups of organisms, showing how they are related through common ancestry. 

Vestigial structures

Non functional features that show signs of evolution(tailbone on a human)

DNA evidence

DNA evidence of evolution 

Embryology

study of embryos

Sources of genetic variation

1. Mutation

2. Sexual Selection

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism, which can be caused by errors during DNA replication, exposure to mutagens, or viral infection.

Sexual selection

Males or females attracting one another by a certain genetic variation.(peacocks)

Gene pool

the total collection of alleles in a population at any one time 

Founder effect

one organism moves into a new environment and becomes a different species

Bottleneck effect

When a population is reduced in size due to natural disasters, habitat loss, or overhunting

Gene flow

the transfer of genetic material (genes) from one population to another, often through the movement of individuals or gametes

Sexual selection

males attracting females to mate

Sexual dimorphism

the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species

Outcomes of natural selection

1. Directional selection

2. Disruptive selection

3. Stabilizing selection

Directional selection (def and example)

one trait is favored over another (giraffe neck being long over a short neck, long neck chosen for a higher chance of survival of the future generation because of evolution the neck will get longer over time.

Disruptive selection (example) 

Peppered moth could be dark or light depending on whats happening in its environment

Stabilizing selection (def & example)

the average trait is favored over more extremes (8fot giraffe neck average is better than 11 foot extreme)

Pre and post zygotic barriers

pre(habitat isolation, different breeding time, genitalia doesn't match ”lock and key”... Post- after breeding the offspring either dies while being conceited or the offspring is not able to breed itself.

Allopatric speciation

Occurs when populations become geographically isolated, leading to distinct species,

Sympatric speciation

Happens within the same geographic area, with reproductive isolation arising due to factors other than physical separation. 

Macroevolution

evolutionary changes that occur above the species level, encompassing the emergence of new species, genera, and higher taxonomic groups over vast periods of time.

Fossil record

how to tell how old something is based off fossils 

Geologic time scale

All of earth's time in a scale from 4.8 billion years ago to now

Radiometric dating

Geologists use the term radiometric to measure the decay rate (Based on what is in the rock, they know how old it is)

Plate tectonics

Earth is divided into multiple moving plates

Biogeography

the branch of biology that deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.

Mass extinctions

a event that whipped out more than 50 percent of the population

Phylogenetic trees

A diagram that depicts the lines of evolutionary descent of different species, organisms, or genes from a common ancestor (just need to know how to read it)