Evolution
What is evolution?
A process of change in a species population through time
What is natural selection?
Individuals that have inherited traits with better fitness adapted to their environment survive and reproduce.
What is a common ancestor?
Trace back lineage to this point.
What is a vestigial structure?
An anatomical feature of an organism that no longer seems to have a purpose.
What are mutations?
Mutations are random chance changes to DNA or chromosomes.
What did Darwin learn from finch beaks?
Species change over time by natural selection.
What shows highest rate of natural selection?
Reproduction of organisms exhibiting genetic differences in a changing environment.
What is a derived characteristic?
A trait arose in the most recent common ancestor.
What are homologous structures?
They are similar in structure, but different in function.
What are the main sources of variation?
Mutations and the crossing over of DNA.
What is genetic drift?
Random event to a small population.
What is best fitness?
Having adaptations that better make a species able to win natural selection.
What derived characteristics does a species have?
Derived characteristics underneath a species on a cladogram.
What are analogous structures?
Have different structures, but the same function.
What is artificial selection?
When humans breed for specific traits.
What is gene flow?
Movement of genes into or out of a population.
What is overproduction?
Having more offspring than can actually survive.
What is shared by all organisms on a cladogram?
The derived characteristic on the bottom of the cladogram.
What are embryological structures?
Comparing embryos to see similarities or differences in species.
What is speciation?
A new species arise from a pre-existing species.
What are the 4 mechanisms of Evolution?
Mutations, Natural Selection, Genetic Drift, and Gene Flow
What is natural selection seen in bacteria?
Antibiotics killing susceptible bacteria and resistant bacteria surviving.
How do we know chimpanzee and human share a common ancestor using DNA?
Chimpanzees and humans have a 94% common DNA.
What are amino acid sequence similarities?
Molecular Similarities
What are adaptations?
Inherited traits that help survive a changing environment.