Chapter 19 Flashcards
(41 cards)
what are some common beliefs about evolution that are wrong
Evolution explains creation of life: it studies the descent with modification
Humans evolved from monkeys: we share a common ancestor
Evolution has a direct goal: it is unpredictable
Evolution goes from simple to complex: it can, but it can also go from complex to simple
Evolution produces perfect adaptations: there are downsides to some because it modifies an already made structure
Evolution is just a theory: a theory is an explanation with evidence to back it up
what two concepts does evolution demonstrate
Unity: all living organisms share a common ancestor (all life forms are related and share fundamental biological mechanisms and common characteristics
Diversity: all living organisms exhibit a wide range of adaptations and variations across different species due to the process of natural selection responding to different environments over time (organisms evolve to that specific environment)
what is evolution
the change in genetic composition of populations over time
where is evolutionary change observed on a regular basis
lab experiments, natural populations, and fossil records
what do genetic changes drive
the origin, and extinction of species and the diversification of species
what is evolutionary theory
the understanding of the mechanisms of evolutionary changes
what are some applications of evolutionary theory
- study and treatment of diseases
- developing better agricultural crops and industrial processes
- understanding the diversification of life and how species interact
- allows predictions about the biological world
what kind of theory is evolutionary theory
not a single hypothesis and isn’t guess work, it’s a vast array of geological, morphological, and molecular data that support the factual basis of evolution
did biologists bring up that species might’ve changed over time before Darwin
yes
what did Darwin observe in the Galapagos islands
the species were similar, but the same as, the species on mainland south America and the species varied from island to island
what did Darwin hypothesize about with these observations
the species had reached the islands from the mainland, but then underwent different changes on different islands
what three propositions did Darwin make
species changed over time (many argued this fact before)
descent with modification: divergent species share a common ancestor, and species have diverged gradually through time (revolutionary idea)
natural selection: the differential survival and reproduction of individuals is based on the variation in their traits; its a mechanism that produces the changes (preposition he’s best known for)
what is selective breeding
breeding of domesticated plants and animals to promote the occurrence of desirable traits
how have humans enforced our own descent with modification
the resulted domesticated breeds, customized to suit our needs, may bear little resemblance to their wild ancestors and that we have been doing this for a millennia
what is high reproductive capactity
each species produces more offspring than will survive to maturity
what is heritable variation
each individual has a unique combination of traits that either aids in its survival and reproductive success or doesn’t. Variation must be inherited so it can be passed on to its offspring
what is environmental resistance
limited resources causes competition between individuals because the environment can support only a limited number of individuals, predation and diseases are issues as well
what is differential reproductive success
individuals that possess the combination of characteristics that make them the most adapted to the environment are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass those traits to their offspring
how long did Darwin amass evidence to support his claims and what also happened at that time
1858 another biologists, Alfred Russel Wallace, proposed the idea of natural selection that was almost identical to Darwin’s
what did Darwin do after receiving that letter
they wrote a paper that was presented to the Linnaean Society of London in 1858, and Darwin published his book, On the Origin of Species, in 1859
what did the book have and cause
the book had a ton of evidence from many different fields to support evolution and natural selection. The book caused many to start to research documenting the history of life and testing evolutionary ideas
what did this research lead to
in the 20th century, the genetic mechanisms of evolution became clear with DNA sequencing allowing biologist to document evolutionary changes with great precision
what is evolution in biology
the change of genetic makeup of populations over time
what is a population
a group of individuals of a single species that live and interbreed in a particular geographic area
