Midterm Flashcards
(39 cards)
When using cladistics, the species whose phylogenetic relationship we want to determine is called the _________
Ingroup
The theory of common descent
Was proposed by Charles Darwin
States that all living species were derived from a single common ancestor
A bat wing and a bird wing are examples of
Analagous traits
Traits that increase the chance of survival and reproduction are called
Adaptations
Ecological fitness describes an increased chance of
Survival and reproduction
Adaptations arise as a result of
Genetic mutations
Evolution is defined as
Change in allele frequencies in a population over time
Examples of environmental pressures include:
Predation Interspecific competiton (same species) Intraspecific competition (different species)
Do all mutations result in adaptations?
No
Camouflage is a type of
Adaptation
Over time, _______________ are gradually phased out
Non-adaptive traits
The theory of natural selection states that differences in ability to survive and/or reproduce arise as a result of
Genetic variation among individuals in a population
Evolution is the ______________ in relation to natural selection
Outcome
Growth rates for a given population are a function of several factors, including:
Death rates
Birth rates
Emigration
Immigration
What can result in eutrophication?
Excess of nutrient flow into an aquatic system
Fertilizer run-off into a lake
An environmental contaminat that is difficult to break down is said to be
Persistent
Carnivores represent which thropic level?
Secondary consumers
The accumulation of persistent toxins in the tissues of organisms is termed:
Bioaccumulation
How does immigration change overall growth rate?
Increases it
The largest population size that an environment can sustain is referred to as its
Carrying capacity
The increase in concentration of persistent environmental contaminants in higher tropic levels is referred to as
Biomagnification
In an environment with unlimited resources, the trend in population growth would be referred to as
Exponential
The two major processes that occur at the ecosystem level are
The flow of energy from the sun
Nutient cycling through organisms and the non-living world
Species abundance is:
The total number of individuals in a population