Keyword list for Quiz 3

Microevolution

Subfield of evolutionary studies that devotes attention to short-term evolutionary changes that occur within a given species over relatively few generations.

Polymorphous

Describes alleles or traits that exist in two or more distinct forms within a population (e.g., ABO blood groups).

Modern Evolutionary Synthesis

The unification of Darwinian natural selection with Mendelian genetics into a unified biological framework.

Populations

Groups of interbreeding individuals of the same species living in a specific geographic region.

Phylogenetic Species Concept

Defines a species as the smallest diagnosable cluster of individual organisms within which there is a parental pattern of ancestry and descent.

Phenetic Fossil Species Concept

Defines species in the fossil record based on shared morphological/phenotypic similarities rather than reproductive isolation.

Gene Pool

The total sum of all genetic information (alleles) present within an interbreeding population at a given time.

Cline

A gradual change in a phenotypic or genetic trait across a continuous geographic gradient or distance (e.g., skin color gradation).

Race

A culturally constructed category used to classify humans; biologically invalid as human variation is continuous and clinal, not discrete.

Phenotypes

The observable physical or behavioral characteristics of an organism resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

Genotypes

The genetic makeup of an organism, specifically referring to the allele combination at one or more gene loci.

Phenotypic Plasticity

The physiological ability of an organism's phenotype to respond, adapt, or change in response to environmental conditions over its lifespan.

Natural Selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Mutation

A random change or alteration in a DNA sequence, serving as the ultimate source of new genetic variation.

Gene Flow

The transfer of genetic material between different populations through interbreeding or migration.

Genetic Drift

Random fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population from one generation to the next due to chance events.

Pleiotropy

A genetic phenomenon where a single gene influences multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits.

Polygeny

A genetic pattern where a single observable trait is influenced and controlled by multiple different genes.

Adaptation and Human Variation

The biological and behavioral adjustments human populations undergo to survive and thrive in diverse environmental conditions.

Gene Frequency

The relative proportion or percentage of a specific allele at a gene locus within a population's gene pool.

Artifact

A portable object made, used, or modified by human beings in the past.

Ecofact

Biological or environmental remains (such as animal bones, seeds, pollen) that show evidence of human activity or diet.

Site

A place where evidence of past human activity is preserved and identified by archaeologists.

Feature

A non-portable human-made structure or modification at an archaeological site (e.g., hearths, walls, pits).

Archaeological Record

The physical evidence of past human activity, including artifacts, ecofacts, features, and sites.

Processual Archaeology

An archaeological framework focused on explaining cultural processes, using scientific testing and environmental/economic adaptation.

Post-processual Archaeology

An archaeological perspective emphasizing human agency, subjectivity, power dynamics, symbolism, and internal interpretations of the past.

Types of Archaeological Sites

Varied locations of past human activity categorized by function (e.g., habitations, burials, kill sites, ritual sites).

Tell / Mound / Huaca / Tola

Artificial earthen or mud-brick mounds created by accumulated debris from centuries of human occupation and rebuilding.

Preservation of Organic Materials - Cold

Preservation of organic remains due to freezing temperatures which inhibit bacterial decay (e.g., mummies in ice).

Preservation of Organic Materials - Dry

Preservation of organic materials due to extreme aridity and lack of moisture needed for decomposers.

Preservation of Organic Materials - Waterlogged

Preservation of organic materials in anaerobic (oxygen-depleted) aquatic environments like bogs or marshes.

Single Component / Occupation

An archaeological site that represents only one distinct period or episode of human habitation.

Multicomponent / Multi-period

An archaeological site showing evidence of repeated or continuous human occupation across multiple time periods.

Ethnoarchaeology

The ethnographic study of living cultures to better understand and interpret the material record left behind by past societies.

Matrix

The physical material or sediment (e.g., soil, sand, clay) surrounding and supporting archaeological finds.

Association

The spatial relationship between two or more artifacts, features, or ecofacts found in the same context.

Provenance

The origin, history, and chain of custody or ownership of a cultural artifact.

Archaeological Context

The spatial and temporal setting of an artifact, including its matrix, provenance, and association with other finds.

Taphonomy

The study of processes (natural or biological) affecting organic remains after death and during fossilization/burial.

Documentary Sources

Written records, maps, accounts, or oral histories used alongside physical archaeological evidence to understand the past.

Survey

The systematic searching of a landscape to locate, record, and map archaeological sites without excavating.

Excavation

The systematic digging and exposure of buried archaeological remains to record their context in detail.

Aerial Remote Sensing

Non-invasive detection technologies operated from above (e.g., LiDAR, satellite imagery, aerial photography) to discover sites.

Ground Remote Sensing

Non-invasive geophysical techniques used on the ground surface (e.g., GPR, magnetometry) to detect subsurface features.

Obtrusiveness

The degree to which archaeological evidence contrasts with its surrounding landscape, affecting how easily it can be detected.

Visibility

The ease with which an archaeologist can see and identify surface remains, influenced by vegetation cover and modern structures.

Disturbances

Natural (bioturbation, erosion) or cultural (looting, construction) processes that alter or ruin original archaeological contexts.

Archaeological Assemblage

A collection of artifacts and ecofacts from a single site, context, or time period representing a specific human activity or group.

Subsistence Strategies

The methods, technologies, and practices human groups use to procure food and basic needs from their environment.

Forager

A group that relies on hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants for subsistence without food production.

Pastoralists

Societies whose main livelihood is based on herding domesticated animals for livestock products.

Social Organization

The structural pattern of social relationships and roles established within a society.

Band

A small, egalitarian social group typical of foragers, usually consisting of fewer than 100 kin-related individuals.

Tribal Society

A non-centralized social organization based on kin networks and farming/pastoralism, lacking formal social stratification.

Chiefdoms

A ranked, hierarchical society governed by a centralized leader with political authority and control over redistribution.

States

A highly stratified, complex political entity with centralized government, standing military, formal laws, and class systems.

Digital Heritage

The digitizing, preserving, and sharing of cultural heritage artifacts, sites, and knowledge using digital technologies.

Data Sovereignty

The right of indigenous and local communities to control and manage data regarding their own cultural heritage and resources.

Looting

The illegal, unauthorized excavation and theft of archaeological materials for private collection or commercial gain.

NAGPRA

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act: A US federal law requiring federal agencies to return cultural items to lineal descendants.

Gender Archaeology

An archaeological approach investigating past roles, activities, and power dynamics of different gender identities.

Collaborative Archaeology

An archaeological approach actively partnering with indigenous and descendant communities in research design and execution.