Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Adaptation

A

A change of an organism or species that makes it more suited to its circumstances.

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2
Q

Allele

A

A copy or variant of a gene at a specific gene locus

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3
Q

Chromosome

A

A structure formed of DNA and proteins.

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4
Q

Fecundity

A

The number of gametes produced by an organism.

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5
Q

Fitness

A

A measure of the relative ability of an organism to survive and reproduce offspring that themselves can survive and have offspring.

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6
Q

Locus

A

The location of a gene on a chromosome

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7
Q

Natural selection

A

The process that causes evolutionary change.

Individuals with a genetically driven characteristic that increases the liklihood of them surviving and reproducing have a higher chance of passing that characteristic to successive generations, therefore it becomes more common in the population over time.

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8
Q

Altruism

A

Acting in the interest of others.

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9
Q

Angiosperms

A

A clade of plants that flower.

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10
Q

Apterygota

A

Wigless insects

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11
Q

Batesian mimicry

A

Mimicry in which a non-toxic species mimics and toxic one - benefits from reduced predation

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12
Q

Beltian bodies

A

Detachable end of some acacia’s leaves that are rich in proteins, lipids, and sugars.

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13
Q

Clade

A

All living and extinct descendants of a common ancestor.

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14
Q

Coevolution

A

Evolution changes in one taxonomic group and a second group influencing one another.

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15
Q

Convergent evolution

A

Similar characteristics in organisms that develop independently from one another.

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16
Q

Domatia

A

A structure produced by plants that can act as specialised homes for insects.

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17
Q

Domicile

A

Home

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18
Q

Endopterygota

A

Winged insects where the wings develop internally

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19
Q

Exopterygota

A

Winged insects where the wings develop externally

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20
Q

Extrafloral nectaries (EFN)

A

Plant structures that provide nectar that are separate from the flowers.

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21
Q

HI-VOC

A

Herbivore induced volatile organic compound

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22
Q

Homoptera

A

Suborder of plant-feeding insects

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23
Q

Hypogaeically

A

Underground

24
Q

Lineages

A

The hypothesised line of evolutional descent

25
Q

Mann-Whitney U-test

A

Test for significant difference between medians of two sample with no assumptions of distribution the samples.

26
Q

Mimicry

A

A species developing similar pattern or colour as seen in another species to warn off predators.

27
Q

Monophyletic

A

Group of organisms found within a single clad

28
Q

Mullerian mimicry

A

One toxic species mimicing another toxic species. Reinforces message of toxicity and reduces predation.

29
Q

Mutualism

A

An interaction between individuals in which both benefit.

30
Q

Null hypothesis

A

A statement used for investigations and experiments that hypothesises there will be no relationship or difference between variables.

31
Q

Omnivore

A

An organism that consumes primary producers AND consumers

32
Q

Paraphyletic

A

A taxonomic group that has one common ancestor but does not include all decendents of that ancestor

33
Q

Phylogeny

A

A diagram that shows evolutionary relationships between organisms

34
Q

Phytophagous

A

Herbivorous

35
Q

Procova (plural procoxae)

A

First segment of insect foreleg

36
Q

Pterygota

A

Winged insects

37
Q

Sclerotised

A

Hardened parts (like outside of beetle)

38
Q

Setae

A

Bristles

39
Q

Sister clades

A

Clades that emerge from the same branching event

40
Q

Speciation

A

The process of one species becoming two or more different species

41
Q

t-test

A

Statistical test to find out whether differences in two means from separate samples are significant. Assumes normally distributed data.

42
Q

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

A

Minimum metabolic rate of an endotherm

43
Q

Directional selection

A

Natural selection that favours one extreme of the phenotype range which shifts a population frequency curve for that characteristic in one direction

44
Q

Disruptive selection

A

Natural selection that favours both extremes of the phenotypic range which so individuals with intermediate values have lower fitness.

45
Q

Ectotherms

A

Organisms that rely on external heat sources to maintain body temperature

46
Q

Endotherms

A

Organisms that maintain their own body temperature usually through metabolism

47
Q

Facultative migration

A

When the pattern of migration and the proportion of individuals migrating in one populaton fluctuates from year to year. Usually short distances.

48
Q

Flyway

A

A long-distance migration corridor

49
Q

Homeostasis

A

The maintainence of a stable internal environment

50
Q

Homeotherms

A

Animsla that need a mostly uniform body temperature (older term used for endotherm)

51
Q

Irruptive migration

A

(Facultative migration)
‘When the pattern of migration and the proportion of individuals migrating in one populaton fluctuates from year to year. Usually short distances.’

52
Q

Metabolic rate

A

Energy used by an organism per unit time

53
Q

Migratory inclination

A

The tendency of individuals to either migrate or remain sedentary

54
Q

Migratory restlessness

A

A behaviour seen by laboratory-kept birds that mimic their wild migratory behaviour.

55
Q

Negative feedback

A

A system in which a change in the output of the system is balanced by a restorative action.

56
Q

Obligate migration

A

Consistent migration pattern and behaviour, usually over long distances