Evolution Flashcards
What is evolution?
Evolution is change. Changes in morphology and behaviour between generations. It is NOT the changes that occur within a generation as that is DEVELOPMENT.
All living organisms relate as the biospheres link together.
What does evolution resolve?
Hint: 4 things
- The origin of complexity
- Appearance of being designed
- Adaptation
- Patterns of decent
What is the theory of evolution?
Hint: 4 things
- Hypothesis (a vague idea)
- Theory (slightly better than hypothesis)
- Testing occurs
- Law is formed (a grown-up theory)
What does evolution also explain?
Note that evolution also explains the deep divisions between major biotic groups.
What are some key complexity components in humans?
- Some 10 trillion living cells in all of DNA.
- Over 200 bones, muscles and ligaments.
- Huge area for gas exchange in the lungs.
- Brian.
- Kms of nerves.
- Acute sensory of organs.
What did Charles Darwin say?
Complexity doesn’t arise by chance. It starts from something so simple that is could have arisen by chance, complexity is added gradually in a series of small steps.
Does complexity arise chance?
No, it does not.
What is needed to operate Natural Selection?
Hint: 3 things
- Constant struggle for survival.
Nature red in tooth and claw. - Variable population.
Mutations/genetic mixing - Some mechanism for passing on beneficial changes to the next generation.
Genes
Does Natural Selection rely on chance?
No, it does not.
When is the only time chance comes into the picture?
The only time chance comes into the picture is in the source of variation. But note that new species are NOT produced by the chance rearrangement of genes in a single generation.
What are homologies?
Homologies are body parts which occupy a similar position and/or structure (but not necessarily in function) reflecting a common evolutionary ancestor.
An example of a homology…
A panda’s thumb. Similar to humans (opposable).
Organisms (humans) have the same bones in the same place while teradactyls have one extra bone.
Elephants and humans have the same feet bones. Elephants just have extra padding.
Gas exchange systems, breathing, heat came from ancestral sharks. Seen in human and giraffes.
What do homologies imply?
A common ancestor.
What is Microevolution?
Microevolution is the accumulation of small scale changes WITHIN a species.
What is macroevolutionary?
Macroevolutionary is the accumulation of small amounts of microevolutionary change = Formation of new species and the appearance of large groups such as families.
