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Ecology and Evolution > Genetics, Mutations, and Evolution > Flashcards

Genetics, Mutations, and Evolution Flashcards

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1
Q

What is ecology?

A

The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and their physical surroundings.

Key names in the development of ecology include Ernst Haeckel, Gilbert White, Charles Darwin, Carl Linnaeus, Gregor Mendel, and Thomas Malthus.

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2
Q

Who formalized the process of naming species?

A

Carl Linnaeus

He also clustered them into higher taxa: genus, family, class, etc.

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3
Q

What is the Anthropocene?

A

The current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

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4
Q

Define keystone species.

A

A species that helps define an ecosystem or when lost has a disproportionate effect on the rest of the ecosystem.

Example: Beavers and dams.

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5
Q

What fraction of our planet is vulnerable to invasive species?

A

1/6

Reference: Most nations lack ability to deal with invasive species - BBC News.

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6
Q

What underlies biodiversity and enables evolutionary change?

A

Genetic diversity

It serves as the ‘recipe’ for species and populations that form communities and ecosystems.

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7
Q

What is the ultimate source of genetic variation?

A

Random mutations

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8
Q

What determines an organism’s phenotype?

A

An organism’s genotype and its environment

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9
Q

What does DNA stand for?

A

Deoxyribonucleic acid

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10
Q

What are the base pairs in DNA?

A

A-T, C-G

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11
Q

What is RNA?

A

Ribonucleic acid

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12
Q

What is the key function of messenger RNA (mRNA)?

A

Intermediate between DNA and protein

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13
Q

What is a protein?

A

Polymer of amino acids

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14
Q

What are the four levels of protein structure?

A
  • Primary structure
  • Secondary structure
  • Tertiary structure
  • Quaternary structure
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15
Q

Who showed that genes were units or particles passed on intact?

A

Mendel

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16
Q

What did Beadle and Tatum discover about mutations?

A

Mutations in genes cause defects in steps in metabolic pathways

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17
Q

What was demonstrated by Hershey and Chase?

A

Bacteriophages inject DNA, not protein, into bacteria

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18
Q

What does genetic variation refer to?

A

Differences in the A, T, C, G sequence of DNA

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19
Q

What is epigenetic variation?

A

Differences in gene expression, not sequence

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20
Q

What is a mutation?

A

A change in the sequence of bases in DNA

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21
Q

What are small mutations?

A
  • Point mutations
  • Substitutions
  • Insertions
  • Deletions
  • Inversions
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22
Q

What is CRISPR?

A

Gene editing technology

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23
Q

What are examples of large mutations?

A
  • Duplication
  • Inversion
  • Deletion
  • Insertion
  • Translocation
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24
Q

True or False: Some mutations are neutral and do not affect phenotype.

A

True

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25
What are alleles?
Slightly different DNA sequences at a specific region of the genome
26
What does homozygous mean?
Alleles are the same
27
What does heterozygous mean?
Alleles are different
28
What is a character in genetics?
Observable physical feature
29
What is a trait?
Form of a character
30
What is the formula for phenotype?
Phenotype = Genotype + Environment
31
How is genetic diversity measured within a population?
Allele frequencies for a given set of loci
32
What is a population bottleneck?
A reduction in genetic diversity due to small population sizes
33
What does inbreeding lead to?
Increased likelihood of mating between individuals with similar genotypes
34
What is the only source of new variation in evolution?
Mutation ## Footnote Selection, migration, and genetic drift only move existing variation around.
35
What can a lack of gene flow lead to?
Speciation ## Footnote Gene flow is essential for maintaining species integrity.
36
What are the two main types of evolution?
* Macroevolution * Microevolution
37
Define macroevolution.
The process by which new species are formed from pre-existing species over a long period ## Footnote Example: evolution from monkeys to humans.
38
Define microevolution.
Change in the genetic composition of populations between generations ## Footnote Example: adaptations of a species.
39
What is migration in the context of evolution?
The movement of individuals between populations.
40
What is gene flow?
The movement of genes between populations.
41
What is speciation?
A group of organisms with the potential to interbreed to produce viable offspring, requiring isolation and divergence ## Footnote Example: breeding different dog species.
42
What does relative fitness refer to?
The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation relative to others.
43
What is sexual selection?
Individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely to obtain mates.
44
Define intrasexual selection.
Individuals of one sex compete with each other for mates of the opposite sex.
45
Define intersexual selection.
Mate choice where individuals of one sex are choosy about their mates.
46
What is diploidy in genetics?
Some variation is hidden, such as recessive alleles in heterozygotes.
47
What is balancing selection?
Selection that maintains multiple forms, including heterozygote advantage and frequency-dependent selection.
48
True or False: Randomness rules everything in evolution.
True
49
What is the main idea behind the development of evolutionary theory?
More offspring are born than can survive, leading to competition, with the best-suited individuals surviving to produce offspring.
50
Who believed that species were fixed creations arranged according to their complexity?
Aristotle
51
What concept did Hutton introduce in the 18th century?
Gradualism
52
What is the uniformitarian principle introduced by Hutton?
Slow-moving forces work over very long periods of time and are still in operation today.
53
What did Curvier's study of fossils lead him to propose?
Species disappear due to catastrophic events, popularizing the idea of extinction.
54
What did Lyell advocate regarding geological events?
Past geological events must be explained by the same causes now in operation.
55
What is Lamarck's 'law of use and disuse'?
Changes are adaptations to the local environment acquired during an organism's lifetime and passed on to offspring.
56
What did Darwin observe about the reproductive potential of organisms?
The reproductive potential is always greater than the number of offspring that survive.
57
What does biogeography help us explain?
Current patterns of species distribution using fossil records and continental drift.
58
What is homology in evolutionary biology?
Similarity of structure, physiology, or development of different species based upon descent from a common ancestor.
59
What does analogy refer to in evolutionary contexts?
Similarity of function and superficial resemblance of structures that have different origins.
60
What causes individuals within a population to differ?
Different genotypes.
61
Why is there competition between genotypes?
Because environmental resources are limited.
62
What happens to genotypes that compete successfully?
They will leave more offspring and pass their genes on.
63
What is the result of successful competition among genotypes over time?
The genetic composition of populations will change.
64
What did Darwin believe about the connection between species?
All species were connected, descended from extinct ones ## Footnote This idea underpins the theory of evolution.

Ecology and Evolution (5 decks)

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