Lecture 1 Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is evolution?
- change through time
- over generations
- can measure change in phenotype or genetic changes
If there is a change within an individual, is it evolution?
if within an individul, it is not evolution, it is development
Is natural selection the only cause of evolution?
No, it is ONE cause, not the only one
What is a scientific theory?
an overarching set of principles or mechanisms that govern the natural world, based on repeated confirmation through observation and experiement
What is the similarities and differences between a scientific theory and scientific law?
scientific theory: explains why phenomena occur
scientific law: describes what phenomena happens
similarities: repeated successful predictions
Why is the theory of evolution credible, and why is it important for the field of biology?
- it is a testable, unifying theory
- applied at all levels
- fueled by observation and models
- asks both how and why
- capatalizes on new technology and new data
- addresses both fundamental and applied questions
What are the subfields of evolutionary biology?
- evolutionary mechanisms (microevolution)
- evolutionary history (macroevolution)
What are evolutionary mechanisms?
- determining the ecological and genetic mechanisms responsible for evolutionary change
- involve population level studies of natural selection, adaption, and speciation using diverse organisms
- testing of theoretical models by experiements in the labratory and field
What is evolutionary history?
- determining evolutionary relationships of organisms in terms of common ancestory (phylogenetics)
- affinities of organisms provide a basis for classification (taxonomy and systemics)
- comparative data from many sources (paleontology, morphology, genomics, etc)
What is the answer to how organisms became so well suited to their environment and why there are so many different kinds of organisms?
adaptation and diversity
What is evolution by natural selection?
- individuals within a population vary phenotypically (variation)
- phenotypic variation is at least partially heritable (variation)
- individuals vary in lifetime reproductive success (heritability)
- variation in survival/reproduction is nonrandom with respect to phenotype (selection)
What happens to the composition of populations during evolution by natural selection?
the composition of the population wil change between generatios
What can evolutionary analysis reveal?
the patterns and process of change
