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creationism

belief that biogoligcal similarities and differences originated at the Creation

Carolus Linnaeus

first to develop comprehensive and influential classification (taxonomy) of plants and animals

catastrophism

fires, floods, and other catastrophes destroyed ancient species (supports Creationism)

evolution/transformism

belief that new species arise from old ones through a long and gradual process of transformation, or descent with modification over the generations (Darwin, Wallace)

Charles Darwin

founding father of natural selection

natural selection

selection of favored forms through differential reproductive success

inheritance of acquired characteristics

the idea that in each generation, they change slightly (false)

Gregor Mendal

scientist that discovered genes

dominant

an allele that masks another allele in a heterozygote

recessive

a genetic trait masked by a dominant trait

chromosomes

paired lengths of DNA composed of multiple genes

gene

the place (locus) on a chromosome that determines a particular trait

allele

a variant of a particular gene

homozygous

having identical alleles of a given gene

heterozygous

having different allele’s of a given gene

genotype

an organism’s hereditary makeup

phenotype

the expressed biological (physical) characteristics of an organism

independent assortment

chromosomes inherited independent of one another

codominant

two different genes that are both expressed in

recombination

the exchange of genetic material between organisms which leads to production of offspring with combinations of traits that differ from those found in either parent

mutations

primary source of all new genetic variations

population genetics

studies genetics of breeding populations

gene pool

all the genetic material in a breeding population

genetic evolution

change in gene (allele) frequency in a breeding population

adaptive

favored by natural selection

directional selection

long-term selection of the same trait(s)

sexual selection

selection of traits that enhance mating success

stabilizing selections

population mean stabilizes on a particular non-extreme trait

balances polymorphism

allele’s maintain a constant favored, or equally opposed by selective forces

random genetic drift

genetic change due to chance

fixation

total replacement of one gene by another (random)

gene flow

exchange of genetic material through interbreeding

species

a population whose members can interbreed to produce offspring that can live and reproduce

speciation

the formation of a new species

microevolution

genetic changes in a population or species over a few, several, or many generations, but without speciation

macroevolution

genetic changes in a population or species, usually over a longer period of tie, which result in speciation

punctuated eqauilibrium

long periods of stability with occasional evolutionary leaps

RNA

“messenger” molecule necessary in protein building, carries DNA messages from nuclues to cytoplasm to guide construction of protein

cytoplasm

outer area of cell

protein

chain of amino acids

zygotes

fertilized egg

mitosis

ordinary cell division (producces 2)

meiosis

the process by which sex cells are produces (produces 4)

crossing over

homologous chromosomes intertwine and exchange DNA with breakage and reattachment

naturalism

belief that only natural laws and forces operate in the universe (Linnaeus)

simple traits

physical hereditary traits (dimples, hair)

complex traits

traits that can be affected by environment (cancer, height)

Law of Independent assortment and recombination

chromosomes separate and recombine

adaptive

favored by natural selection

chromosomal rearragenment

pieces of a chromosome breaking off, turning around and reattaching, or migrating somewhere else on that chromosome

taxonomy

the assignment of organisms to categories

phylogeny

genetic relatedness based on common ancestry

homologies

traits inherited from a common ancestor

analogies

adaptive traits due to convergent evolution

convergent evolution

similar selective forces produce similar adaptive traits (

arboreal

live in trees

orthograde posture

straight and upright stance of apes and humans

sexual dimorphism

marked differences in male and female biology

brachiation

hand-over-hand, under-the-branch swinging

behavioral ecology

the study of the evolutionary basis of social begavior

reproductive fitness

genetic contribution to future generationsi

individual fitness

measured by the number of direct descendants an individual has

terrestrial

primates that live on the ground

opposable thumbs

thumbs can touch the other fingers

bipedal

two footed

stereoscopic vision

ability to see in depth and color vision

inclusive fitness

reproductive success measured by the genes one shared with descendents

proto-monkey

monkey precursors, earliest hominoids

diurnal

active during the day

hominoid

zoological superfamily that includes extinct and living apes and hominins

strepsirrhini

primates suborder that includes lemurs, lorises, and their ancestors, means wet nose

haplorrhini

primate suborder that includes tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans, means dry hairy nose

Danuvius guggenmosi

proto-ape 11.6 mya that walked upright

mid-sex

midway between male average and female average

Oldowan

earliest (2.6-1.2 mya) stone tools, sharp flakes struct from cores (shoppers)
- used by H. habilis

global cooling

grass increased and forest region decreased (7 mya)

Paleolithic period

2.5mya-15kya

Sahelanthropus tchadnensis

- 6-7 mya
- first hominin fossil found (skull)
- Chad

Orrorin tungensis

- 6 mya
- several fossils found in Kenya

Ardipithecus

- 5.8-4.4 mya
- earliest hominin fenus
- Ar. kadabba, Ar. raminus
- Ardi
- ominovores

Ar. kadabba

5.8-5.5mya

Ar. ramidus

4.4 mya

Ardi

earliest hominin skeleton (Ar. ramidus)

Australopithecine

gracile- Australopithecus
robust- Paranthropus

Au. anamensis

- 4.4-3.8mya
- overlapped with Au. afaransis
- found in Kenya

Au. afaransis

- 3.8-3.0 mya
- Lucy + Baby (3.2mya)
- found in Tanzania + Ethiopia

Au. africanus

- 3.5-1.7 mya
- found in South Africa

Au. garhi

- 2.6-2.5mya
- first toolmakers?
- found in Ethiopia

Paranthropus robustus

1.8-1.2mya (South Africa)

Paranthropus boisei

2.5-1.5mya (East Africa)

Paranthropus aethiopicus

2.7-2.3 mya (East Africa)

Kenyanthropus platyops

- 3.5mya
- more than one type of hominin in African Great Rift Valley
- “flat-faced man of Kenya”
- near complete skull, partial jawbone

H. naledi

15 individuals found in Rising Star cave system (3-2mya), big game hunting

H. rudolfensis

- 2.4-1.7mya
- Richard Leaky
- KNM-ER 1470

Paleolithic

Old Stone Age (2.6mya-12kya)

Acheulean

- first found in 1.76mya
- Lower Paleolithic tool tradition
- associated with H. erectus
- symmetrical (predetermination)
- more variety of tools

Pleistocene

time of dramatic climate change (2.6mya-11.7kya)
- Lower: 2.6mya-781kya (ice age)
- Middle: 781k-126k
- Upper: 126k-11.7k

glacial

major advances of continental ice sheets in Europe and North America

interglacial

extended warm periods between glacial

ice sheets

massive glaciers