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evolution
The gradual change in a species over time
natural selection
A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
Charles Darwin
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (1809-1882)
Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck
first evolutionist to believe that organisms change over time. Who developed three theories: the theory of need, the theory of use and disuse, the theory of acquired characteristics. (1700s)
paleontology
the study of fossils
biogeography
Study of past and present distribution of organisms
flora
plants of a region or era
fauna
animal life
embryology
study of embryos and their development
morphological homologies
Represent features shared by common ancestry
homologous structures
Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry.
analogous structures
structures that do not have a common evolutionary origin but are similar in function
molecular biology
the study of heredity at the molecular level
continuing evolution
Evolution is a continual process for all populations of life.
common ancestor
The shared ancestor of new, different species that arose from one population
phylogenetic tree (cladogram)
diagram tracing evolutionary relationship between species
out-group
any group with which an individual does not identify (least related to other species)
genetic variability
The genetic differences in every individual - survival of species is dependent on this
peppered moths
originally, the majority of these moths were light-colored, due to natural selection and then when the trees turned black due to the Industrial Revolution in England, the black colored moths came into the majority because of natural selection
environmental pressure
The factors in an ecosystem that make it hard to survive and reproduce (food, predators, temperature, mates). Also called "selective pressure"
random mutation
random changes in the genes of individuals, which allows for genetic variability and evolution to occur.
adaptation
A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce
evolutionary fitness
when an organism has a trait that helps them survive and reproduce
sexual selection
A form of natural selection in which individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely than other individuals to obtain mates.
genetic drift
A change in the allele frequency of a population as a result of chance events rather than natural selection.
bottleneck (founder effect)
the reduction in genetic variation that results when a small subset of a large population is used to establish a new colony
gene flow
movement of alleles from one population to another
directional selection
Natural selection in which individuals at one end of the phenotypic range survive or reproduce more successfully than do other individuals.
stabilizing selection
Natural selection that favors intermediate variants by acting against extreme phenotypes
disruptive selection
form of natural selection in which a single curve splits into two; occurs when individuals at the upper and lower ends of a distribution curve have higher fitness than individuals near the middle
artificial selection
Breeding organisms with specific traits in order to produce offspring with identical traits.
species
A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
reproductively isolated
unable to interbreed under normal circumstances to produce fertile offspring
divergent evolution
when two or more species sharing a common ancestor become more different over time
punctuated equilibrium
Pattern of evolution in which long stable periods are interrupted by brief periods of more rapid change
gradualism
The theory that evolution occurs slowly but steadily
adaptive radiation
an event in which a lineage rapidly diversifies, with the newly formed lineages evolving different adaptations
pre-zygotic barriers
A reproductive barrier that impedes mating between species or hinders fertilization if interspecific mating is attempted
post-zygotic barriers
barriers related to the inability of the hybrid to produce offspring, such as the sterile mule.
convergent evolution
Process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve similarities when adapting to similar environments
speciation
Formation of new species
allopatric speciation
The formation of new species in populations that are geographically isolated from one another.
sympatric speciation
The formation of new species in populations that live in the same geographic area
polyploidy
condition in which an organism has extra sets of chromosomes
Hardy-Weinberg law
Despite gene shuffling, relative frequencies of genotypes in a population still prevail over time. the dominant gene doesn't become more prevalent and the recessive gene doesn't disappear. The Hardy-Weinberg law only applies if a population meets five conditions: large population, no mutations, no immigration or emigration, random mating, and no natural selection.
Alexander Oparin and J. B. S. Haldane
1942 a Russian, _____ developed a theory to explain, in his view the origin of life on earth. in 1929 an English man____ developed basically the same idea of how life began on earth
Stanley Miller and Harold Urey
scientists who formed amino acids and other simple organic compounds in a laboratory experiment by reacting ammonia, methane, and hydrogen gases mixed with water vapor
RNA-world hypothesis
hypothesis that RNA served as the genetic information of early life
