Skip to main content
Back

General Biology: Evolution and Classification

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/32
  • Primary mechanism driving evolution

    Natural selection is the primary mechanism driving evolution according to modern evolutionary synthesis.

  • Binomial nomenclature

    A two-part naming system for species using genus and species names, e.g., Homo sapiens.

  • Father of taxonomy

    Carolus Linnaeus is considered the father of taxonomy.

  • Nested classification system concept

    Introduced by Carolus Linnaeus, organizing species into hierarchical groups based on shared characteristics.

  • Georges Cuvier's scientific field

    Paleontology, the study of fossils and extinct organisms.

  • Layers of sedimentary rock with fossils

    Called strata, these layers preserve fossils and provide a timeline of life.

  • Darwin's first job after theology school

    Naturalist on the HMS Beagle, collecting species globally.

  • Gradualism in geology

    Proposed by Charles Lyell, stating Earth's features are shaped by slow, continuous processes over long periods.

  • Lamarck's incorrect evolutionary idea

    He proposed that organisms pass on traits acquired during their lifetime, which is incorrect.

  • Darwin's term for evolution

    Descent with modification, meaning species change over time from common ancestors.

  • Inherited characteristics enhancing survival

    Adaptations are inherited traits that improve survival and reproduction in specific environments.

  • Darwin's friend with similar theory

    Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed the theory of natural selection.

  • Artificial selection

    Humans modify species by selecting and breeding individuals with desired traits.

  • Two observations leading to natural selection

    1) Variation exists in populations.
    2) More offspring are produced than can survive.

  • Evolution occurs at which level?

    Population level, as allele frequencies change over generations.

  • Does natural selection create new traits?

    No, it selects for existing variation but does not create new traits.

  • Evidence for evolution

    Includes direct observation, fossil record, homology, and biogeography.

  • Vestigial structures

    Structures with no current function but inherited from ancestors, supporting evolution.

  • Homologous vs. analogous structures

    Homologous share ancestry; analogous have similar function but different ancestry.

  • Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

    A model where allele frequencies remain constant if five conditions are met: no mutation, random mating, no gene flow, infinite population size, and no selection.

  • Genetic drift types

    Bottleneck effect: drastic population reduction.
    Founder effect: small group isolated.

  • Modes of natural selection

    Directional, disruptive, and stabilizing selection.

  • Sexual selection types

    Intrasexual: competition within a sex.
    Intersexual: mate choice by one sex.

  • Biological species concept

    Defines species as groups that can interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring.

  • Prezygotic barriers

    Barriers preventing fertilization, e.g., temporal, habitat, behavioral, mechanical, and gametic isolation.

  • Postzygotic barriers

    Barriers after fertilization, including reduced hybrid viability, fertility, and hybrid breakdown.

  • Allopatric speciation

    Speciation due to geographic isolation of populations.

  • Polyploidy

    Having multiple sets of chromosomes, common in plants, leading to speciation.

  • Phylogenetic tree

    Diagram showing evolutionary relationships among species based on common ancestry.

  • Homologous vs. analogous traits in phylogeny

    Homologous traits indicate shared ancestry; analogous traits arise from convergent evolution.

  • Clade

    A group including an ancestor and all its descendants (monophyletic group).

  • Maximum parsimony principle

    Choosing the phylogenetic tree that requires the fewest evolutionary changes.