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Questions and Answers
How does gene flow impact the genetic makeup of a population?
How does gene flow impact the genetic makeup of a population?
- It introduces new mutations at a high rate, causing rapid genetic change.
- It alters the genetic makeup by moving genes between different populations through migration. (correct)
- It randomly removes genes from the population, reducing genetic diversity.
- It stabilizes the existing gene pool by preventing the introduction of new genes.
Which of the following is the MOST accurate definition of biological fitness in the context of evolution?
Which of the following is the MOST accurate definition of biological fitness in the context of evolution?
- An organism's ability to protect itself from predators.
- The physical strength and endurance of an organism.
- The number of offspring an organism produces and its ability to pass on its genes. (correct)
- The ability of an organism to adapt to different environmental conditions.
What is the significance of homologous structures in the study of evolution?
What is the significance of homologous structures in the study of evolution?
- They demonstrate shared ancestry between different species, even if the structures have different functions. (correct)
- They are structures with the same function but do not signify evolutionary relationships.
- They show that species are not related and have evolved completely independently.
- They indicate convergent evolution where species develop similar traits independently.
How do vestigial structures contribute to the understanding of evolution?
How do vestigial structures contribute to the understanding of evolution?
How does the study of embryology provide evidence for evolution?
How does the study of embryology provide evidence for evolution?
What information can be derived from fossils regarding the evolution of a population?
What information can be derived from fossils regarding the evolution of a population?
Why are island populations often used as examples of evolutionary processes?
Why are island populations often used as examples of evolutionary processes?
How do continental drift and plate tectonics relate to the understanding of evolutionary patterns?
How do continental drift and plate tectonics relate to the understanding of evolutionary patterns?
Why is observing evolution easier in organisms with short generation times, such as bacteria?
Why is observing evolution easier in organisms with short generation times, such as bacteria?
Which of the following lines of evidence is LEAST useful when determining how closely related two species are?
Which of the following lines of evidence is LEAST useful when determining how closely related two species are?
Flashcards
Biological Evolution
Biological Evolution
Change in a population's inherited traits over generations; populations evolve, not individuals.
Population
Population
A group of organisms of the same species living in a particular geographic area and capable of interbreeding.
Gene Pool
Gene Pool
The total collection of genes in a population at any one time.
Gene Flow
Gene Flow
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Mutations
Mutations
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Genetic Drift
Genetic Drift
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Natural Selection
Natural Selection
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Homologous Structures
Homologous Structures
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Fossil
Fossil
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Radiometric Dating
Radiometric Dating
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Study Notes
- Biological evolution involves changes in a population's inherited traits across generations.
- Populations, not individual organisms, evolve.
Populations and Gene Pools
- A population consists of multiple organisms of the same species.
- Variety exists within a population with different traits coded for by genes.
- The collective variety of genes in a population is the gene pool.
- Changes in a population’s gene pool can lead to evolution.
Mechanisms of Evolution
- Gene flow occurs when genes move between populations through migration, altering the genetic makeup.
- Mutations are changes in genetic material that can be harmful, beneficial, or neutral.
- Mutations can change the genes in a population.
- Genetic drift involves changes in the genetic makeup of a population due to random chance events.
- Natural selection is when certain traits provide an advantage in a particular environment.
- Fitness in biology relates to the number of offspring produced, indicating genes are being passed down.
- Biological fitness is not necessarily related to an organism's strength.
- Evolution may or may not result in a new species.
Evidence of Evolution
- Comparing DNA relatedness, homologous amino acids, and protein characteristics supports evolution.
- Animals such as termites, turkeys, sea slugs, snakes, emus, and elephants are more related to each other than to bacteria.
- Turkeys and emus are more closely related than turkeys and termites.
- Turkeys and emus share a more recent common ancestor.
Types of Structures
- Homologous structures have similarity in arrangement and components, derive from shared ancestry, but not necessarily the same function.
- Analogous structures have the same function but do not derive from a shared common ancestor.
- Vestigial structures are inherited from an ancestor but have lost all or most of their original function.
Additional Evidence
- Embryology studies development stages for similarities among organisms, supporting shared ancestry.
- Fossils include remains, impressions, or traces of organisms that once lived.
- Fossils reveal changes in population characteristics over time.
- Fossils build understanding about ancestral organisms.
- Radiometric dating determines the age of fossils by analyzing the decay of radioactive isotopes.
- Biogeography examines how organisms are distributed geographically, supporting the understanding of evolution.
- Island populations can be unique due to independent evolutionary mechanisms.
- Island populations are most closely related to nearby populations.
- Continental drift and plate tectonics explain the distribution of marsupials in South America and Australia.
- Marsupials share common ancestry from the time of Pangea.
Evolution as an Ongoing Process
- Evolution is not a finished process and continues as populations change.
- Evolution is easier to observe in organisms with short generations, such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
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