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AP Biology Evolution Flashcards

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9712009788homologous structuresstructures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry0
9712009789vestigial structuresremnants of features that served important functions in the the organism's ancestors1
9712009790convergent evolutionthe independent evolution of similar features in different lineages2
9712009791Hardy-Weinbergthe frequencies of alleles and genotypes in a population will remain constant from generation to generation, provided that only Mendelian segregation and recombination of alleles are at work3
9712009792gene poolthe aggregate of all of the alleles for all of the loci in individuals in a population4
9712009793populationa group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area and interbreed, producing fertile offspring5
9712009794natural selectiona process in which organisms with certain inherited characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than are organisms with other characteristics6
9712009795genetic driftchanges in the gene pool due to random events7
9712009796founder effectwhen a individuals become isolated from a larger population, this smaller group may establish a new population whose gene pool differs from the source population8
9712009797bottleneck effectwhen there is a severe drop in population size, certain alleles may be overrepresented among the survivors, others may be underrepresented, and some may be absent altogether9
9712009798gene flowthe transfer of alleles into or out of a population due to the movement of fertile individuals or their gametes10
9712009799directional selectionwhen conditions favor individuals exhibiting one extreme of a phenotypic range, thereby shifting the frequency curve for the phenotypic character in one direction or the other11
9712009800disruptive selectionwhen conditions favor individuals at both extremes of a phenotypic range over individuals with intermediate phenotypes12
9712009801stabilizing selectionacts against both extreme phenotypes and favors intermediate variants13
9712009802sexual selectiona form of natural selection in which individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely than other individuals to obtain mates14
9712009803sexual dimorphismmarked differences between the two sexes in secondary sexual characteristics, which are not directly associated with reproduction or survival (differences in size, color, ornamentation, and behavior)15
9712009804diploidythe state of being diploid, that is having two sets of chromosomes16
9712009805heterozygote advantagewhen individuals who are heterozygous at a particular locus have greater fitness than do both kind of homozygous17
9712009806frequency-dependent selectionfitness of a phenotype declines if it becomes too common in the population18
9712009807speciationthe process by which one species splits into two or more species19
9712009808microevolutionchanges over time in allele frequencies in a population20
9712009809macroevolutionthe broad pattern of evolution over long time spans21
9712009810speciesa group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring- but do not produce viable, fertile offspring with members of other such groups22
9712009811reproductive isolationthe existance of biological barriers that impede members of two species from producing viable offspring23
9712009812hybridsoffspring that result from interspecific mating24
9712009813prezygotic barriersimpede mating or hinder fertilization if mating occurs (five types: habitat, temporal, behavioral, mechanical, gametic)25
9712009814post zygotic barriersprevents hybrid zygote from developing into a viable fertile adult through reducing hybrid viability, reducing hybrid fertility, or hybrid breakdown26
9712009815allopatric speciationgene flow is interrupted when a population is divided into geographically isolated subpopulations27
9712009816sympatric speciationspeciation occurs in populations that live in the same geographic area (usually occurs due to polyploidy, habitat differentiation, and sexual selection)28
9712009817polyploidyextra sets of chromosomes due to accidents during cell division29
9712009818autopolyploidan individual that has more than two chromosome sets that are all derived from a single species30
9712009819allopolyploidan individual that has more than two chromosome sets due to two different species interbreeding and after several generations can change a sterile hybrid into a fertile polyploid. Allopolyploids are fertile when mating with each other but cannot interbreed with either parent species31
9712009820punctuated equilibriumthe theory that in the evolution there are long periods of little morphological change punctuated by relatively short periods of significant change32
9712009823endosymbiosismitochondria and chloroplasts were formally small prokaryotes that began living within larger cells33
9712009824adaptive radiationPeriod of evolutionary change in which groups of organisms form many new species whose adaptations allow them to fill vacant ecological roles in their communities34
9712009825homeotic genesmaster regulatory genes that determine such basic features as where a pair of wings and a pair of legs will develop on a bird or how a plant's flower parts are arranged35
9712009826phylogenythe evolutionary history of a species or group of species36
9712009828phylogenetic treeevolutionary history of a group of organisms represented in a branching diagram37
9712009829analogysimilarity due to convergent evolution38
9712009830homologysimilarity due to shared ancestry39
9712009831cladea group of species which includes an ancestral species and all of its descendants40
9712009836Darwin's Theory (five parts)1. Variation 2. Overproduction 3. Competition 4. Survival of the fittest 5. Overtime, emergence of new species (new alleles)41
9712009840abiotic synthesisformation of organic molecules from inorganic material42
9712009842protocellorganic polymers enclosed in a membrane43
9712009844geologic timescaledivision of the history of Earth into eras, periods and epochs44
9712009845extinctiontotal disappearance of all members of a species45
9712009846mass extinctiontotal disappearance of a large number a species within a few million years46
9712009847extantstill in existance47
9712009848fitnessability to produce surviving offspring48
9712009849morphological species conceptnew species differ by physical characteristics known as diagnostic traits49
9712009850evolutionary species conceptmembers of a species share distinct evolutionary pathway and common traits50
9712009851phylogenetic species concepta family tree is used to identify species based on a common ancestor51
9712009852biological species conceptspecies are identified as separate because of reproductive isolation.52
9712009853plate tectonicsbranch of geology which follows the movement of pieces of Earth's crust which float on a lower, hot mantle layer53
9712009854continental driftchange over time of the positions of the continents54
9712009855fossilremains and traces of evidence of past life55
9712009856paleontologystudy of the fossil record56
9712009857index fossilsfossils used to identify deposits made at apparently the same time in different parts of the world, used for relative dating57
9712009858absolute datingrelies on radiometric dating to assign an age to a fossil58

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