Evolution Flashcards

Natural Selection and Evolution

• Natural selection is a process that provides explanations for evolutionary changes, except for a stable physical environment.
• Present-day organisms have evolved from distinct ancestors, reflecting major concepts of biological evolution.
• The highest rates of natural selection occur in changing environments where organisms show genetic differences due to mutations and recombinations.

Adaptations and Survival

• In some bird species, genetically determined behaviors, such as mating and care for young, enhance survival based on historical advantages.
• Genetic adaptations do not involve the individual's genes changing to fit a new environment; instead, survival is influenced by hereditary traits.
• Bone arrangement differences among organisms support the idea that they have adapted to diverse environments.

Extinction and Environmental Change

• Populations with many variations in unstable environments are most at risk of extinction.
• Environmental changes have been major contributors to species extinction over time.

Inheritance and Evolution

• Characteristics that affect evolution need to be genetically based and present in the organism's gametes.
• Mutation and genetic recombination are key processes that generate variations influencing evolution in sexually reproducing species.

Common Ancestry and Evolutionary Relationships

• Genetic similarity, as shown through DNA comparisons, indicates evolutionary relationships between species, such as between the African elephant and the mammoth.
• The presence of inheritable traits is crucial for the survival of species through evolutionary pressures.

Processes of Evolution

• Meiosis contributes to evolutionary processes by creating genetic diversity in gametes.
• New plant varieties often emerge in regions experiencing climatic changes, providing evidence of ongoing evolution.
• Adaptive characteristics are insufficient during extinction events, leading to species' disappearance.

Environmental Adaptation and Behavior

• Species that reproduce sexually are better equipped to adapt to environmental changes over time.
• Evolutionary pathways often reveal that many relatives of a species may have become extinct.

Species Survival and Competition

• The fastest rate of evolution is observed in species with high adaptability, shown through evidence like DNA comparisons.
• As populations experience changes in gene frequency, biological evolution is likely to occur, influenced by competition for resources.

Variations in Species

• Different finch species illustrate how adaptation to specific niches prevents competition, such as cactus finches versus warbler and woodpecker finches.
• Tough seed coats of caltrop seeds and mutation processes contribute to survival adaptations among species.

Diversity in the Galapagos Islands

• The diversity of species in the Galapagos is primarily a result of natural selection, influenced by the unique environmental conditions of the islands.
• Herbivorous and carnivorous classifications among finches depict their roles in the ecosystem, with food sources dictating their competition and coexistence.

Ecological Relationships

• The concept of niches is apparent when closely related species have differing feeding behaviors, allowing them to inhabit the same area without competing directly.
• Introducing new ground finch species can limit food resources for existing finches in ecosystems like the Galapagos Islands.

Test your knowledge on key concepts of evolution with these flashcards. Each card presents a fundamental question about natural selection and the biological theory of evolution, aimed at enhancing your understanding of this vital scientific theory.