Chap 5: Definitions

Question 1

SPECIES RICHNESS

Answer 1

The number of species in a given area.

Question 2

SPECIES EVENNESS

Answer 2

The relative proportion of individuals within the different species in a given area.

Question 3

PHYLOGENY

Answer 3

The branching pattern of evolutionary relationships

Question 4

EVOLUTION

Answer 4

A change in the genetic composition of a population over time.

Question 5

MICROEVOLUTION

Answer 5

Evolution below the species level.

Question 6

MACROEVOLUTION

Answer 6

Evolution that gives rise to new species, genera, families, classes, or phyla.

Question 7

GENE

Answer 7

A physical location on the chromosomes within each cell of an organism.

Question 8

GENOTYPE

Answer 8

The complete set of genes in an individual.

Question 9

PHENOTYPE

Answer 9

A set of traits expressed by an individual.

Question 10

MUTATION

Answer 10

A random change in the genetic code produced by a mistake in the copying process.

Question 11

RECOMBINATION

Answer 11

The genetic process by which one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome during reproductive cell division.

Question 12

EVOLUTION BY ARTIFICIAL SELECTION

Answer 12

The process in which humans determine which individuals breed, typically with a preconceived set of traits in mind.

Question 13

EVOLUTION BY NATURAL SELECTION

Answer 13

The process in which the environment determines which individuals survive and reproduce.

Question 14

FITNESS

Answer 14

An individual’s ability to survive and reproduce.

Question 15

ADAPTATION

Answer 15

A trait that improves an individuals fitness.

Question 16

GENE FLOW

Answer 16

The process by which individuals move from one population to another and thereby alter the genetic composition of both populations.

Question 17

GENETIC DRIFT

Answer 17

A change in the genetic composition of a population over time as a result of random mating.

Question 18

BOTTLENECK EFFECT

Answer 18

A reduction in the genetic diversity of a population caused by a reduction in it’s size.

Question 19

EXTINCTION

Answer 19

The death of the last member of a species.

Question 20

FOUNDER EFFECT

Answer 20

A change in the genetic composition of a population as a result of descending from a small number of colonizing individuals.

Question 21

GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATION

Answer 21

Physical separation of a group of individuals from others of the same species.

Question 22

ALLOPATRIC SPECIATION

Answer 22

The process of speciation that occurs with geographic isolation.

Question 23

REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION

Answer 23

The result of two populations within a species evolving separately to the point that they can no longer interbreed and produce viable offspring.

Question 24

SYMPATRIC SPECIATION

Answer 24

The evolution of one species into two, without geographic isolation.

Question 25

GMO: GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM

Answer 25

An organism produced by copying genes from a species with a desirable trait and inserting them into another species.

Question 26

RANGE OF TOLERANCE

Answer 26

The limits to the **abiotic conditions** that a species can tolerate. ## Footnote Abiotic condition include: temperature, humidity, salinity and pH.

Question 27

FUNDAMENTAL NICHE

Answer 27

The suite of **abiotic** conditions under which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce.

Question 28

REALIZED NICHE

Answer 28

The range of **abiotic and biotic** conditions under which a species actually lives. ## Footnote exemple of biotic condition include presence of competitors, predators and diseases.

Question 29

DISTRIBUTION

Answer 29

Areas of the world in which a species lives.

Question 30

NICHE GENERALIST

Answer 30

A species that can live under a wide range of abiotic of biotic conditions.

Question 31

NICHE SPECIALIST

Answer 31

A species that is specialized to live in a specific habitat or to feed on a small group of species.

Question 32

MASS EXTINCTION

Answer 32

A large extinction of species in a relatively short period of time.