Biology Category 3 Evolution

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What is evolution in biological terms?

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Evolution is the process through which species change over time through variations in traits, driven by natural selection, genetic drift, mutations, and gene flow.

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What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the mechanism by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the gradual evolution of species.

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Define genetic drift.

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Genetic drift is a random process that can cause changes in allele frequencies in a population, particularly in small populations, leading to evolutionary changes.

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What is the significance of mutations in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that can introduce new genetic variation into a population, which can be acted upon by natural selection.

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Explain the concept of speciation.

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Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species, often due to geographic isolation or other factors.

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What role does gene flow play in evolution?

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Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material between populations, which can introduce new alleles and increase genetic diversity.

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What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

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Homologous structures are similar due to shared ancestry, while analogous structures are similar due to convergent evolution, not common ancestry.

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What evidence supports the theory of evolution?

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Evidence for evolution includes fossil records, comparative anatomy, molecular biology, biogeography, and observed evolutionary changes in species.

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Define adaptive radiation.

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Adaptive radiation is the rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor in response to different environmental pressures.

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What is the importance of the fossil record in understanding evolution?

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The fossil record provides evidence of past life forms, their structures, and how they have changed over time, supporting the theory of evolution.