Evolution Mechanisms Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the primary mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin?
Natural selection
True or False: Genetic drift can lead to changes in allele frequencies in a population.
True
Fill in the blank: The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring is called ______.
Natural selection
What is the term for the random change in allele frequencies in a population due to chance events?
Genetic drift
Which mechanism of evolution involves the movement of alleles between populations?
Gene flow
True or False: Mutation is the only source of new genetic variation in a population.
True
What is the definition of speciation?
The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.
Which type of selection favors individuals at both extremes of a trait distribution?
Disruptive selection
Fill in the blank: ______ selection occurs when individuals with intermediate phenotypes are favored.
Stabilizing
What is the role of mutation in evolution?
It introduces new genetic variations into a population.
What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection?
Natural selection occurs naturally, while artificial selection is driven by human choice.
True or False: All mutations are harmful to an organism.
False
What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle used for?
To predict allele frequencies in a non-evolving population.
Which mechanism of evolution is most likely to occur in small populations?
Genetic drift
Fill in the blank: The process by which two populations become so different that they can no longer interbreed is called ______.
Speciation
What is sexual selection?
A form of natural selection where individuals with certain inherited traits are more likely than others to obtain mates.
True or False: Gene flow can reduce differences between populations.
True
What is the impact of a bottleneck effect on a population?
It reduces genetic diversity due to a significant decrease in population size.
Fill in the blank: ______ is a mechanism of evolution that can occur through random mating within a population.
Genetic drift
What is the primary source of genetic variation?
Mutations
Which mechanism of evolution can lead to adaptive radiation?
Natural selection
True or False: All evolutionary changes are adaptive.
False
What does the term ‘fitness’ refer to in the context of evolution?
The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
Fill in the blank: The phenomenon where a small group of individuals establishes a new population is known as the ______ effect.
Founder
