Study Guide -Evolution Test

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What is evolution?

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Evolution is the process through which species change over time through adaptations and natural selection.

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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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What is a gene pool?

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A gene pool is the sum of all genetic traits in a population's individuals at any given time.

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What is the significance of variation in a population?

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Variation provides the raw material for natural selection, allowing some individuals to survive better than others in changing environments.

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What is geographic isolation?

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Geographic isolation occurs when physical barriers, such as rivers or mountains, prevent populations from interbreeding, leading to speciation.

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What is the bottleneck effect?

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The bottleneck effect is a sharp reduction in the size of a population due to environmental events, leading to a loss of genetic diversity.

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What is the founder effect?

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The founder effect occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population, leading to reduced genetic variation.

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What is selective breeding?

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Selective breeding is the process by which humans breed plants and animals for specific traits.

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What is the role of mutations in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in DNA that can create new traits, which may be beneficial, harmful, or neutral, contributing to evolution.

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What is adaptive radiation?

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Adaptive radiation is the process by which a single ancestor species rapidly diversifies into a wide variety of forms to adapt to different environments.