Mechanisms and Pace of Evolution

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What is gene flow?

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Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material (alleles) between populations, often through migration and interbreeding.

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What does the fossil record indicate about past environments?

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The fossil record can show how environments have changed over time, such as a forest being replaced by a freshwater lake.

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What is evidence of common ancestry between species?

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Similar structures in different species indicate common ancestry, suggesting they evolved from a shared ancestor.

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What is genetic drift?

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Genetic drift is a change in allele frequencies in a population due to random events, such as natural disasters.

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Which process has the least influence on evolutionary change?

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Asexual reproduction has the least influence on the rate of evolutionary change compared to other processes.

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What is mutation in the context of evolution?

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Mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that can lead to new traits in a population, contributing to genetic diversity.

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How does natural selection work?

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Natural selection is the process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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What is the significance of homologous structures?

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Homologous structures are similar in different species due to shared ancestry, providing evidence for evolution.

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What is the role of meiosis in evolution?

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Meiosis creates genetic variation through recombination and independent assortment, which are essential for evolution.

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What is the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction?

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Sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic material from two parents, while asexual reproduction involves a single parent.