natural selection
A natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment.
random evolution
mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow
directional evolution
occurs when a certain allele has greater fitness than others, resulting in an increase of its frequency
selective pressure
when the environment pushes an individual or population to adapt or evolve
natural selection conditions
variation, heritability, differential reproductive success
Evidence for natural selection
-Fossil record -Earth's age -Mechanism for heredity -Comparative anatomy
artificial selection
Selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms
CRISPR
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
condition in which a population's allele frequencies for a given trait do not change from generation to generation
Population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
gene pool
Combined genetic information of all the members of a particular population
allele frequency
Number of times that an allele occurs in a gene pool compared with the number of alleles in that pool for the same gene
Allele
Different forms of a gene
p
frequency of dominant allele
q
frequency of recessive allele
p+q=1
allele frequency equation
BB
p^2
Bb
2pq
bb
q2
p^2+2pq+q^2=
1 or 100%
sample problem
Example: 2500 individuals in rabbit population, 900 have white fur Must know that white is recessive to black 900 out of 2500 are bb q2 = 900/2500 = 0.36 q = 0.6 and p = 0.4 (because p + q = 1)
allele frequencies change due to...
small population size non-random mating mutations migrations selection
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumptions
Large population
No mutation
No immigration or emigration
Random mating
No natural selection
Breaking Assumptions
1)genetic drift randomly changes allele frequencies from generation to generation 2)inbreeding increases homozygosity non-random mates favor certain traits 3)mutations add genetic diversity 4)gene flow homogenizes distinct populations 5)selection can fix beneficial alleles, purge deleterious alleles, or maintain an appropriate balance between them
genetic drift
random change in allele frequencies that occurs in small populations
silent mutation
alters a base but does not change the amino acid
nonsense mutation
changes a normal codon into a stop codon
missense mutation
A base-pair substitution that results in a codon that codes for a different amino acid.
Any violation of the conditions necessary for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can result in
changes in allele frequencies
Speciation
Formation of new species
species
A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Speciation concepts
members of populations that are able to interbreed -may not actually do so, but are capable of doing so -offspring must be viable and fertile
ability to interbreed is not necessarily based on similar morphology, but has a variety of underlying causes -relies on reproductive barriers
reproductive barriers
factors that prevent different species from reproducing
pre-zygotic barriers
A reproductive barrier that impedes mating between species or hinders fertilization if interspecific mating is attempted
post zygotic barriers
reduced hybrid viability, reduced hybrid fertility, hybrid breakdown
habitat isolation
populations live in different habitats and do not meet
temporal isolation
form of reproductive isolation in which two populations reproduce at different times
behavioral isolation
isolation between populations due to differences in courtship or mating behavior
mechanical isolation
Morphological differences prevent fertilization.
gametic isolation
Sperm of one species may not be able to fertilize eggs of another species
reduced hybrid viability
When the genes of different species interact and impair hybrid development.
reduced hybrid fertility
Sterile hybrids due to uneven chromosome number.
hybird breakdown
hybrid offspring are born and fertile, but their offspring are weak and/or infertile
allopatric speciation
The formation of new species in populations that are geographically isolated from one another.
allopatric variance
non-overlapping habitats are formed by extrinsic events that split up a population
ex: lake drying up to form smaller lakes
results in isolated populations that diverge if the gene flow stops not all species are affected equally
-not all species are affected equally
allopatric dispersal
when a few members of a species move to a new geographical area
sympatric speciation
The formation of new species in populations that live in the same geographic area
Sympatric sexual selection
habitats overlap, but a population gradually diverges into tow new species
Sympatric habitat differentiation
habitats overlap, but a population gradually diverges into two new species
Autopolyploidy
an individual that has more than two chromosome sets that are all derived from a single species
Polyploidy
condition in which an organism has extra sets of chromosomes
Biomes
A community of living organisms of a single major ecological region.
Ecology
The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment
organismal ecology
behavioral, physiological, and morphological ways individuals interact with environment
population ecology
factors that affect population size & composition
community ecology
interactions between species ecosystem ecology- energy flow between living and nonliving elements
landscape ecology
study of multiple linked ecosystems
global ecology
study of the biosphere- sum of all the planet's ecosystem
How are biomes determined?
climate
terrestrial biomes
classified by temperature and annual precipitation biomes determine
-fauna -flora -microbes -fungi
biomes are dynamic
respond to natural events
tropical forests
-found closer to equator -tropic rain forest- high amounts of annual rainfall -tropical dry forest- seasonal precipitation -intense competition for light -more animal diversity than in any other terrestrial biome
deserts
-temp varies seasonally and daily -precipitation is low but varies -vegetation is sparse -nocturnal animals -adaptations to survive water loss
savanna
-equatorial and subequatorial regions -warm year round -low rain -grassland and trees -supports large herbivorous mammals -insects such as termites -fire is important in maintaining savanna biomes
chaparrals
-high plant and animal diversity -organisms have adaptations to both fire and drought
temperate grasslands
-seasonal variation in temp -deep fertile soils
-ideal for grain architecture -most grassland -deep fertile soils
coniferous forests
-largest terrestrial biome on earth -home to birds and mammals -target for logging
-old growth forests disappear
temperate broadleaf forests
-lots of precipitation -removed for cities -trees become dormant through winter -mammals hibernate and birds migrate
tundra
covers large areas of the arctic -also found on high mountain tops at all latitudes
permanently frozen layer (permafrost) prevents root growth
migratory birds and mammals, though some large mammals stay year-round
aquatic biomes
aquatic biomes are set by the presence of salt vs. fresh water
photic zone
upper layer, receives enough light for photosynthesis
benthic zone
bottom layer of sand & sediment
abyssal zone
deep regions of open, water 2-6km deep
Wetland Biome
-include marshes, bogs, & swamps -saturated or periodically flooded -one of the most productive biomes ex: home to diverse communities -many microorganisms producing & decomposing exs:water and soil have low dissolved O2 high capacity to filter dissolved nutrients and pollutants
streams & rivers
-bodies of water that move in one direction -headwaters- cold, turbulent ex: -carry little sediment, mineral, nutrients -water picks up nutrients and oxygen as it travels downstream -nutrient content will be determined by terrain and vegitation
further from headwater- water movement slows, more nutrients picked up, path of travel becomes broad
estuaries
-transition between river and sea -varies in salinity ex: daily fluctuations from tides -support many fish and invertebrate species -crucial feeding areas for many species of birds
intertidal zones
-marine biome sometimes is submerged and exposed -upper intertidal zone exposed to air longer ex: greater variation in salinity and temperature -many organisms live only at a particular level of the intertidal zone ex: optimized for water, salinity, and temperature ranges
oceanic pelagic biome
open blue water
covers 70% of earth surface
high oxygen levels, low nutrients level
coral reef
-found in the photic zone of stable tropic marine environments -temp between 18-30c -reef formed by calcium carbonate skeletons of coral animals -vertebrates and invertebrates -reduction in reefs due to coral collection, overfishing, global warming
marine benthic zone
-sea floor; receives no sunlight -organisms must adapt to continuous cold and extremely high pressure -unique communities arise around hydrothermal vents
Biogeography
study of past and present distribution of individuals species
biotic factors
living organisms in the environment
abiotic factors
nonliving physical or chemical factors
biotic factors
food availability predator herbivores for plants pollinators parasites/pathogens
abiotic factors
temperature sunlight rainfall temperature nutrients soil conditions predation, parastisim, & competition (biotic) non-favorable environmental conditions (abiotic)
sunlight is key for distribution
provides energy that drives nearly all ecosystems
actual range
area where a species currently lives
potential range
area where a species could live, even though it does not
negative interactions
predation, parasitism, & competition (biotic) non-favorable environmental conditions (abiotic) <not enough water
positive interactions
presence of food (biotic) & water (abiotic) symbiotic species (biotic) favorable conditions (abiotic) -ability to camouflage -correct temperature for physical traits
population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
population characteristics- density
density results from processes that add or remove individuals
add birth migration remove death emigration (having to leave)
population characteristics- dispersal
dispersion may be due to habitat preferences, social interaction, or other factors
population characteristics- demographics
demography- study of vital stats in a population
population growth
in an idealized population (with no immigration/ emigration):
ΔN/Δt= B-D
n
change in population size
t
time interval
b
births
d
deaths
per capita birth rate
number of offspring produced per unit time by an avg member of the population
per capita death rate
number of expected deaths per unit time in a population
per capita rate of increase
r=b-d r>0= pop growth r<0= pop decline r=0= zero pop growth (steady)