Unit 7 - Natural Selection Flashcards
Adaptation
inherited characteristics that increase chances of survival and reproduction
Darwin’s Argument
- variations exists in populations that is an inherited trait
- more individuals are born than can survive
- individuals with traits better suited for to their environment will survive and reproduce
- unequal ability of organisms to survive leads to higher frequency of better traits/ high value traits
Fitness
measure of survival and reproduction
High fitness
traits will allow to produce + survive (ex. Speed in a predator )
What happens if the environment changes?
natural selection
Natural Selection
nature selects survivors so organisms that are better suited for the environment survive and reproduce
Natural Selection Results from
- predators, lack of food, temp, pollution
- gradual changes accumulate and less favorable ones will diminish
The peppered moth
in 1850’s in England, trees near factores were covered in soot which led to an increase in dark phenotype and decrease in peppered phenotype
Can an organism just adapt by mutating?
No
Can an individual choose to change its phenotype to suit its environment?
no
does the environment cause a mutation to occur?
no it’s not the environment, it’s the DNA sequence that causes a mutation to occur.
what happens if a population lacks genetic variation and the environment changes?
the population can possibly go extinct
what happens if a mutation arises in an offspring that results in an adaptation that increases the chance of surviving and reproducing?
phenotype will increase in future populations
stabalizing selection in a graph
selection towards the middle
directional selection in a graph
This occurs when one extreme of a trait is favored over the other. Over time, the population shifts in one direction
Diversifying selection/ disruptive in a graph
This occurs when both extremes of a trait are favored over the average. This can lead to a split in the population, where two different types may emerge.
Convergent Evolution
species that have similar traits but do not share a common ancestor (environmental pressures) ex. shark and dolphin
Ecological Niche
organisms role in its environment (ex. bees pollinate flowers, when organisms eat and mate)
Divergent vs. Convergent
convergent: similarities due to enviormental pressures
divergent: similarities due to a common ancestor
Divergent Evolution
similarites due to a common ancestor
What are the mechanisms through which populations can evolve?
Natural Selection
Sexual Selection
Mutations
Genetic Drift
Bottleneck Effect
Founder Effect
Gene Flow
What does it mean to evolve?
changes in allele frequency in ppopulatiosn overtime
Interdependent Sexual Selection
Females select mates based on certain desirable traits
Intradependent Sexual Selection
Males compete among themselves for access to mates