Evidence for Evolution- (Evolution Dr.Huss)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the lecture notes on evolution, species concepts, biogeography, embryology, and artificial selection.

Evolution

Change over time in living organisms; implies that one species can give rise to new species; a unifying theme in biology.

Species

Basic unit of classification; originally referred to outward appearance; from Latin specere, 'to look at'.

Speciation

Process by which new species arise from existing ones.

Theodosius Dobzhansky quote

'Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution'—emphasizing evolution as central to biology.

Greek Species Concept

Aristotle and Theophrastus viewed species as unstable and changeable, with hybridization seen as a source of new species.

Spontaneous generation

The discredited idea that life arises from nonliving matter; historically invoked to explain new life forms.

Hybridization

Crossing between species; historically thought to readily produce new species.

Giraffa camelopardalis

Giraffe; its name comes from 'camel leopard' due to camel-like and leopard-like traits.

Struthio camelus

Ostrich; name derived from Greek meaning 'camel sparrow'; largest living bird.

Ostrich

Largest living bird; Struthio camelus is its scientific name.

Hybrids

Offspring of crosses between different species; many animal hybrids are sterile (e.g., mule, zebroid, zorse, liger).

Mule

Hybrid of donkey and horse; typically sterile.

Zebroid

Hybrid of zebra and horse; typically sterile.

Zorses

Hybrid of zebra and horse; typically sterile.

Liger

Hybrid of lion and tiger; typically sterile.

Rutabaga

Hybrid between turnip and cabbage.

Wheat

Modern wheat derived from crosses among grasses; an example of combining genetics across species.

Essentialism

Philosophical belief that variation is illusory and that every type has an unchanging essence.

Essence

Intrinsic properties that define a type or species.

Typological Species Concept

Idea that species are fixed types; each has a type specimen and a Latin binomial; little variation across space/time.

Type specimen

Representative specimen used to define a species; preserved as reference.

Latin binomial

Two-word scientific name (genus + species epithet) used to name species.

Great Chain of Being

Medieval view that species are fixed and ordered by God in a hierarchical chain.

Biogeography

Study of the geographic distribution of organisms on Earth.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in all its forms; millions described; major groups include animals, plants, fungi; new species described each year.

Comparative anatomy

Study of anatomical similarities and differences across species.

Embryology

Study of development of organisms; reveals how features emerge during development.

Vestigial structures

Anatomical remnants with reduced or no function (e.g., human appendix, pelvic bones in snakes).

Homologous structures

Structures with the same underlying anatomy from a common ancestor but different functions (e.g., bat wing, whale flipper).

Pharyngeal arches

Embryonic structures that develop differently across vertebrates (gills/jaw in fish; lower jaw, hyoid, larynx in humans).

Fossil record

Geological evidence of past life; fossils are remains or traces of organisms that existed previously.

Nicolaus Steno

Scientist who proposed that fossils are remains of past life and studied tongue stones; helped foundationalize paleontology.

Artificial selection

Human-driven selection of traits in animals and plants; leads to breeds and varieties.

Breeds of dogs

Dog varieties produced by artificial selection.

Varieties of plants

Plant varieties produced by artificial selection.

Paradigm shift

Fundamental change in scientific thinking; e.g., from typological to evolutionary perspectives.

Buffon

French naturalist who discussed species change and evolutionary ideas in the 18th century.

Erasmus Darwin

Darwin’s grandfather; early ideas about evolution.

Lamarck

Proposed inheritance of acquired characteristics as a mechanism of evolution.

Lyell

Geologist who promoted uniformitarianism and deep time; influenced evolutionary thinking.

Darwin

Charles Darwin; proposed natural selection as a mechanism of evolution.

Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace; independently conceived natural selection; jointly discussed/published with Darwin.