Evolution
This phenomenon refers to the disappearance of a large number of species within a relatively short period of time.
What is mass extinction?
The term for the movement of genes from one population to another due to migration or mating.
What is gene flow?
The term for the pattern of speciation where unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar environments. Analogous structures are present.
What is convergent evolution?
This term describes is the natural capability to produce offspring.
What is Fecundity?
This type of selection favours individuals with traits that are at one extreme of a range of variation.
What is directional selection?
The degree of DNA similarity can be used to infer this type of relationship between species.
What is a phylogenetic relationship?
This process introduces new alleles into a population and is the ultimate source of genetic variation.
What is mutation?
This mode of speciation occurs when populations are physically isolated from each other by geographic barriers.
What is allopatric speciation?
The term for a sharp reduction in the size of a population, leading to reduced genetic diversity.
What is a population bottleneck?
This process involves random changes in allele frequencies within a population, often more pronounced in smaller populations.
What is genetic drift?
They are a distinctive, abundant fossil with a wide geographic distribution over a relatively short geological period of time.
What index species or index fossils?
This type of selection favours individuals with traits that are in the middle of a range of variation.
What is stabilising selection?
The term for the pattern of speciation where two related species evolve similar traits due to similar environments. For example the Australian sugar glider and the North American flying squirrel.
What is parallel evolution?
This genetic phenomenon arises when a small group of individuals establishes a new population in a different area, leading to altered allele frequencies due to limited genetic diversity.
What is the Founder Effect?
The process by which species adapt to their environment through the accumulation of advantageous traits.
What is natural selection?
The term for the diversification of a common ancestral species into a variety of descendant species. Usually with a number of homologous structures.
What is adaptive radiation?
The phenomenon where individuals with certain traits are more likely to find mates and reproduce. For example the peacock's tail.
What is sexual selection?
This mode of speciation occurs when new species arise within the same geographic area as the parent species. The barriers are not geographic, but rather establish reproductive isolation.
What is sympatric speciation?
It is an example of coevolution because each species influences the evolution of the other – they effectively imitate each other and look very similar.
What is mimicry?
The term used to describe small-scale variation of allele frequencies within a species or population, in which the descendant is of the same taxonomic group as the ancestor.
What is microevolution?
This type of evolution occurs when a species has periods of little change, and periods of rapid change caused by gene mutations. When those rapid changes occur, this can give rise to new species.
What is punctuated evolution?
The hypothesis that all living organisms share a common ancestor and have descended from that ancestor over time.
What is the theory of common descent?
This mode of speciation has three distinguishing characteristics: 1) mating occurs non-randomly, 2) gene flow occurs unequally, and 3) populations exist in either continuous or discontinuous geographic ranges.
What is parapatric speciation?
This term refers to a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants.
What is a clade?
It is the variation of allele frequencies at or above the level of species over geological time, resulting in the divergence of taxonomic groups, in which the descendant is in a different taxonomic group to the ancestor.
What is macroevolution?