Chapter 16: Darwin's Theory of Evolution Flashcards

0
Q

What is a mutation?

A

heritable errors in DNA; ultimate source of variation

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1
Q

What is variation?

A

difference in one or more characteristics in an organism

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2
Q

What is fitness?

A

ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment

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3
Q

What is an adaptation?

A

inherited characteristic that increases an organisms fitness level

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4
Q

What is an environment?

A

surroundings/conditions an organism lives/operates

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5
Q

What is evolution?

A

change over time

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6
Q

What is natural selection?

A

results in evolution of inherited characteristics of a population for a higher fitness level

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7
Q

What is a fossil?

A

preserved remains of an ancient organism

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8
Q

What is artificial selection?

A

breeding of a an organism for desired traits

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9
Q

What is common descent?

A

all organisms (alive or extinct) come from a common ancestor

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10
Q

What is a theory?

A

well tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations

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11
Q

What does a variation in fitness level lead to?

A

differential reproductive success

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12
Q

At what level does biological evolution and natural selection occur?

A

population level

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13
Q

What is a population?

A

interbreeding group of species

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15
Q

Where do new traits come from?

A

mutations

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16
Q

Who influenced Charles Darwin?

A

James Hutton, Thomas Malthus, and Charles Lyell

17
Q

What did James Hutton do?

A

proposed that gradual geological forces shape the planet and estimated Earth to be millions of years old

18
Q

What did Thomas Malthus do?

A

proposed that not every human can survive because more are being born than die

19
Q

What did Charles Lyell do?

A

proposed idea of uniformitarianism (geological processes we see today are the same ones that have shaped the Earth millions of years ago

20
Q

What is coevolution?

A

evolution of interacting species

21
Q

How old is the Earth?

A

4.56 B years old

22
Q

What is a homologous structure?

A

anatomical structures that have similarities between organisms even though they have different functions

23
Q

What is a vestigial structure?

A

anatomic structure that have lost their function (e. wisdom teeth)

24
Q

What is embryology?

A

similar patterns of embryological development prove common ancestor