Biological Evolution - Bio 150 Final Exam Review Correct 100%(GRADED A+)

Evolution - ANSWER decent with modification Natural Selection - ANSWER organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive longer and transmit more of their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations than do those that are less well adapted (Darwin's theory of evolution) Fitness - ANSWER the ability to survive to reproductive age, find a mate, and produce offspring Adaptation - ANSWER a trait with a current functional role in the life of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection Convergent Evolution - ANSWER the process whereby organisms not closely related (not monophyletic), independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches Divergent Evolution - ANSWER process that occurs when two different species share a common ancestor but have different characteristics — 'diverges' into two or more descendant species, resulting in once similar or related species to become more and more dissimilar Homologous Structures - ANSWER an example of an organ or bone that appears in different animals, underlining anatomical commonalities demonstrating descent from a common ancestor Analogous - ANSWER an example of an organ or bone that arise through convergent evolution — different in basic structure but perform the same function Genetic Drift - ANSWER change in the frequency of a gene variation (allele) in a population due to random sampling of organisms — does NOT cause adaptation — does introduce new alleles — acts randomly — decreases genetic variation Gene Flow - ANSWER movement & exchange of genes or alleles from one population to another — does NOT cause adaptation — does introduce new alleles — does NOT act randomly — increases genetic variation Mutation - ANSWER occurs when a DNA gene is damaged or changed in such a way as to alter the genetic message — does NOT cause adaptation — does introduce new alleles — does act randomly — increases genetic variation