Species Identification and Phylogenetic Reconstructions

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to species identification and phylogenetic reconstructions.

Species

A group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.

BSC

Biological Species Concept; defines a species based on the ability to interbreed.

ESC

Ecological Species Concept; focuses on relatedness and shared ecology.

Morphological similarity

The concept of defining species based on structural features.

Lumpers vs. Splitters

Lumpers combine species into fewer categories, while splitters distinguish many separate species.

Fossil record

The historical record of past life, often incomplete, used to understand species’ ages.

Variation within species

Differences among individuals of the same species, caused by age, sex, pathology, etc.

Cranial differences

Distinct physical features in skulls of male and female individuals.

Morphometric techniques

Methods used to analyze the shape and form of organisms to determine variability.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationships among species.

Cladistics

A method of classifying species based on their evolutionary relationships.

Cladogram

A branching diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among species.

Analogous traits

Functional similarities between species that do not arise from a common ancestor.

Homologous traits

Similar features in species due to inheritance from a common ancestor.

Convergent evolution

The process where unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environments.

Molecular clocks

Techniques that use molecular data to estimate the time of evolutionary divergence.

Mitochondrial DNA

DNA found in mitochondria, inherited only from the mother, useful for studying lineage.

DNA hybridization

A method to determine the genetic similarity between organisms by measuring DNA combinations.

Morphological traits

Characteristics based on form and structure, important for phylogenetic reconstruction.

Adaptive concept of genus

A grouping of organisms differentiated by their adaptations to the environment.

EES

Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, emphasizes multiple mechanisms driving evolution.

Niche construction

The process by which organisms modify their environment, impacting evolution.

Geologic time scale

A system that categorizes the timing and relationships of geological and biological events.

Relative dating

Estimates whether an object is younger or older compared to another without assigning a specific age.

Absolute dating

Method that provides a specific age or date range for an object or event.

Law of Superposition

In undisturbed sedimentary strata, the oldest layers are at the bottom.

Biostratigraphy

A relative dating method that uses fossils to correlate and date strata.

Fluorine analysis

A method of determining the age of bones based on the fluorine content from the soil.

Radiocarbon dating

A method of determining age based on the decay of carbon-14 isotopes.

Potassium-Argon dating

Dating method based on measuring the ratio of radioactive potassium to argon in volcanic rock.

Uranium series dating

Dating method based on the decay of uranium isotopes to lead.

Thermoluminescence dating

A dating method based on the light released when a sample is heated.