BIO120

define biological evolution

the change in inherited attributes of populations across generations

explaint the process of evolution at large

within a population from generation to generation, heritable attributes change in frequency

what are the two definitions of biodiversity?

• the diversity of life on earth

• the nubmer and kinds of living organisms in a given area

what are the 2 definitions of adaptation

• any trait that makes an organism better able to survive or reproduce in a given environment

• the evolutionary process that leads to the origin and maintenance of such traits

define evolutionary history

• involves how species relate to each other

• study of long-term large-scale patterns in evolution

define evolutionary mechanisms

• involves the processes of evolution and the forces that drive it

• focused at the population level

define microevolution

evolutionary patterns and processes observed within species

define macroevolution

evolutionary patterns and processes observe among species (e.g. phylogeny)

what did paley believe

living creatures had a designer b/c their features had purpose

what did lamarck believe

• organisms could change within their lifetime and pass those attributes down to their children

• organisms grew increasingly complex

weissman’s germplasm theory

• inheritance by gametes

• genetic info flows from DNA —> protein and not the other way around

thoery of evolution

• all organisms descended with modification from a common ancestor

• the process leading to evolution is natural selection operating on variation of individuals

lyell’s work on uniformitarianism implied

• dynamic world

• changes build gradually through constant mechanisms

malthus’ work implied

idea of “struggle for existence”

important elements of darwins theory

• evolution occurs at population level

• variation is not directed by environment

• fitness definition depends on environment

• evolution works w/ available variations

sources of evidence for evolution (4)

1. geology

2. homology

3. biogeography

4. domestication

homology

similarity of characteristics due to inheritence from common ancesetor

vestigial structures

features inherited from ancestor but reduced in morphology and function

geological evidence of evolution

• earth is old —> lots of time!

• intermediate forms linking distant relatives

• fossils in younger strata resemble forms now

homology evidence of evolution

• homology (obviously)

• vestigial structures

• organismal features consistent w/ modifications of existing structures

biogeographical evidence of evolution

• remote island biotas dominated by good colonists and have continental affinities

• ecologically convergent species (endemic radiation) in isolated regions

domestication evidence of evolution

• vast amounts of heritable variation within species

• artificial selection = human analog of NS

• variation can be selected on —> changes over time