Lecture 16: Fitness & Adaptation Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Lecture 16: Fitness & Adaptation Deck (15)
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1
Q

What is an adaptation?

A

An adaptation increases the fitness of the carrier

2
Q

What are the three kinds of adaptations?

A
  • Physiological
  • Genetic
  • Behavioral
3
Q

What is Darwinian fitness?

A
  • Survival and Reproduction
4
Q

Define fitness

A

an individual’s genetic representation in future generations

5
Q

Understnad adaptation vs. constraints

A

You want to be the very best but there are constraints

6
Q

Understand adaptation vs. “effect”

A

Why is sugar sweet? sugar is nutritious, mutations conferring good taste are favored. Apple farming is an effect, not an adaptation.

7
Q

Understand current utility vs. historical origin

A

Adaptation arise “for the purpose” of solving biological “problem”. Some evolve for one function, are co-opted for a second function.

8
Q

Define exaptation

A

a characteristic that evolves, but that isn’t considered an adaptation

9
Q

Understand how unusual structure arise.

A

Initial mutations that lead to phenotypic variation, subtle differences in survival or reproduction, heritable variation selected

10
Q

What is the adaptationist programme?

A

Consists of optimality and constraints.

11
Q

What type of constraints are organisms subject to?

A
  • Phylogenetic
  • Developmental
  • Design
  • Genetic
12
Q

What are phylogenetic constraints?

A

constraints referring to their phylogeny,

13
Q

What are developmental constraints?

A

constraints in how the organism develops

14
Q

What are design constraints?

A

constrains in the design on the organism, sea turtle

15
Q

What are genetic constraints?

A

contraints in the genetics make up