week 1- what is evolution Flashcards
(55 cards)
What is sexual selection?
A mechanism of evolution where individuals with certain traits are more likely to find mates and reproduce
It includes both intrasexual and intersexual selection.
What are the ingredients for sexual selection?
Factors that contribute to the process of sexual selection
These include traits that enhance mating success.
What is the difference between (in)direct sexual selection?
(In)direct sexual selection refers to different ways traits can affect reproductive success, either directly through mate choice or indirectly through genetic benefits
Direct selection often involves traits that are attractive to the opposite sex.
What are the different types of selection in quantitative genetics?
Natural selection, sexual selection, artificial selection, and stabilizing selection
Each type affects the genetic composition of populations differently.
Define heritability in the context of evolution.
The proportion of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals
Important for understanding how traits can evolve.
What is the Price Equation?
A mathematical formulation that describes how average traits in a population change due to natural selection and other evolutionary forces
It links phenotype and fitness to evolutionary change.
What does phenotypic plasticity refer to?
The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental conditions
Important for survival and adaptation.
What is individual-level selection?
Selection that acts on individual organisms based on their traits and reproductive success
It contrasts with group-level selection, which considers the success of groups.
What is social evolution?
The study of how social behaviors evolve and how they impact the survival and reproduction of individuals in a group
It includes concepts like cooperation and altruism.
How does game theory relate to predicting evolution of strategies?
Game theory models the strategic interactions among individuals, helping to predict behavior and evolution in competitive scenarios
It applies to various evolutionary strategies.
What is the definition of life?
Life is characterized by the ability to grow, reproduce, and respond to stimuli
It includes metabolic processes and genetic information.
What are the origins of life?
Life originated from simple chemical compounds through processes like prebiotic synthesis
This includes hypotheses like the ‘RNA world’ theory.
What is the significance of nucleic acids in the origins of life?
Nucleic acids store, transmit, and utilize genetic information, essential for life
DNA and RNA are the two main types.
What processes are involved in DNA replication?
DNA replication involves unwinding the DNA strand and synthesizing a complementary strand
This is crucial for cell division and inheritance.
What is the ‘primordial soup’ hypothesis?
The hypothesis that life began in a ‘soup’ of organic molecules in water, facilitated by environmental conditions
It suggests that early Earth had the right conditions for life to emerge.
What role do catalysts play in chemical evolution?
Catalysts speed up biochemical reactions necessary for the formation of complex organic molecules
They are crucial for processes like polymerization.
What is the ‘RNA world’ hypothesis?
The hypothesis that early life was based on RNA molecules that had the ability to replicate and catalyze chemical reactions
It suggests RNA was a precursor to DNA.
What is the importance of the Viking program in the search for life on Mars?
The Viking program aimed to detect life in Martian soil through experiments, with mixed results
It was one of the first missions to explore the potential for life beyond Earth.
What are protocells?
Simple, membrane-bound structures that may represent an early stage in the evolution of life
They are thought to be precursors to true cells.
What are the characteristics of prokaryotes?
Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles
They include bacteria and archaea.
What evidence supports the endosymbiotic theory?
Mitochondria and chloroplasts resemble prokaryotic cells and have their own DNA, supporting the idea they originated from free-living bacteria
This theory explains the origin of eukaryotic cells.
What is the Cambrian explosion?
A rapid diversification of life forms that occurred around 500 million years ago
It marks a significant increase in the complexity of life.
What does the fossil record indicate about evolution?
The fossil record provides evidence of past life forms and their changes over time, supporting the theory of evolution
It shows common ancestry and descent with modification.
What are homologous features?
Similar structures in different species that indicate a common ancestor
They can arise from divergent evolution.
