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Questions and Answers
What did Charles Darwin observe in fossils from the Argentinian coast?
What did Charles Darwin observe in fossils from the Argentinian coast?
What is the main reason for the resemblance between semiaquatic rodents and rodents from the mountains?
What is the main reason for the resemblance between semiaquatic rodents and rodents from the mountains?
What was the title of Charles Darwin's book on descent by modification?
What was the title of Charles Darwin's book on descent by modification?
What is the term for the process by which advantageous hereditary traits become more common in a population?
What is the term for the process by which advantageous hereditary traits become more common in a population?
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What is the phylogenetic tree used to represent?
What is the phylogenetic tree used to represent?
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What is the mechanism that drives evolution, according to Darwin's theory?
What is the mechanism that drives evolution, according to Darwin's theory?
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What did Charles Darwin observe on the Galapagos Islands?
What did Charles Darwin observe on the Galapagos Islands?
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What is the term for the process of species changing over time through natural selection?
What is the term for the process of species changing over time through natural selection?
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What is the primary difference between artificial and natural selection?
What is the primary difference between artificial and natural selection?
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What is the term for the study of the evolution of developmental processes?
What is the term for the study of the evolution of developmental processes?
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Study Notes
Morphological Novelties
- Paedomorphosis: the development of reproductive capability in an organism with juvenile characteristics, a common form of heterochrony
- Exaptation: the original version of a trait, which may then be modified by natural selection to enhance its new function
- Examples: feathers were not initially used for flight but for insulation or to attract a mate, and later evolved for flight
Evolutionary Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary developmental biology: studies how evolutionary changes in genes regulating embryonic development can lead to morphological changes and increase biodiversity
- Genetic "Tool Kit": a set of several hundred homeotic genes shared among animals, which control development and govern the basic design of the body
- Examples: Hox gene (controls limbs), Pax-6 gene (triggers formation of light sensing organs/eyes)
Modern Synthesis
- Integrated data from biogeography, comparative morphology, comparative embryology, paleontology, and taxonomy
- Considered natural selection as the primary mechanism of evolution
- Embraced Darwin's gradualism idea and de-emphasized the significance of mutations
Micro-Evolution and Macro-Evolution
- Micro-evolution: small-scale genetic changes within populations, often in response to environmental changes
- Macro-evolution: large-scale evolutionary changes observed in species and more inclusive groups, resulting from the gradual accumulation of micro-evolutional changes
Development of Theory
- Selective breeding and heredity: understanding how offspring resemble parents and how artificial selection can enhance desired characteristics
- Hypothesis and prediction: recognizing that not all offspring survive to maturity, and that variations in hereditary traits enable some individuals to survive and reproduce more than others
- Natural selection: the process by which variations in hereditary traits become more common in a population over time, favoring adaptive traits
Theory of Descent with Modification
- Evolutionary alteration and diversification of ancestral species
- Natural selection drives evolution, leading to the development of a phylogenetic tree
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Description
This quiz covers the development and evolution of organisms, including paedomorphosis, heterochrony, and exaptation.
