7.3 Speciation Flashcards
(47 cards)
How is variation an advantage?
pops with low variation are not able to withstand change in environments = less likely to have an individual with a phenotype suited for the new environment
What are the 2 types of variation?
discontinuous and continuous
What is discontinuous variation?
distinct groups = no overlapp
involves features that have distinct categories, with no individuals in between
What is continuous variation?
a range of characteristics that change gradually
How are phenotypes measured in continuous and discontinuous variation?
discontinuous = qualitative phenotypes
continuous = quantitative phenotypes
How many genes is each type of variation controlled by?
discontinuous = 1/2 genes with multiple alleles
continuous = polygenic - controlled by many genes
What effect does the environment have on discontinuous variation?
little effect from environment on gene expression
What effect does the environment have on continuous variation?
more significant effect from the environment on gene expression
What is an example of discontinuous variation?
blood groups in humans - A B O
What is an example of continuous variation?
heights, body weight
What are the main 2 sources of variation?
genetics and environment
What are the 2 genetic causes of variation?
mutations and meiosis
How does meiosis cause variation?
crossing over
sexual recombination
random assortment
random fertilisation
How does the environment cause variation?
can change a phenotype over time due to changed lifestyles
What is the process of natural selection?
- new alleles for a gene are created by random mutations
- genetic variation rises in pop
- if environment changes = leads to competition/predation/ disease
- if the new allele increases the chances of survival in that environment more likely to survive and reproduce
- reproduction passes on the advantageous allele
- over many generations the new allele increases in freq in the gene pool
What is evolution?
the change of the allele frequencies in a population over time
Why does Hardy-Weinburg disagree with evolution?
the allele freq are constant
What is selection pressure?
any environmental pressure that limits the population or kills individuals, results in differential survival and reproduction
What is differential survival and reproduction?
some individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce at the expense of others
What is an example of a selection pressure?
antibiotics use in the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
What is disruptive selection?
favours either of the extreme phenotypes
What is speciation?
the evolution of new species from exisiting ones
What is the process of speciation?
- pops are reproductively isolated
- no gene flow between isolated groups - they cannot interbreed
- different mutations occur in DNA of each group
- because they are exposed to diff environments
- subject to diff selection pressures
- natural selection = diff gene pools of each group
- diff genetics expressed as diff phenotypes
- no longer interbreed to form fertile offspring = diff species
What is genetic drift?
no selective pressures
there is no favoured phenotype in the pop and only a few individuals can survive the change in the environment