Biology Flashcards: Connect Traits To Survival Success

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Connect Traits To Survival Success, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for Biology.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is an adaptation?

Answer: A heritable trait that increases fitness in a specific environment. Must improve survival or reproduction in that environment.

Flashcard 2: Which option best describes why antibiotic resistance can spread quickly in bacteria?

Answer: Resistant bacteria survive treatment and reproduce, increasing resistance alleles. Antibiotics create strong selection pressure favoring resistance.

Flashcard 3: Which option best describes why antibiotic resistance can spread quickly in bacteria?

Answer: Resistant bacteria survive treatment and reproduce, increasing resistance alleles. Antibiotics create strong selection pressure favoring resistance.

Flashcard 4: What is an allele?

Answer: An alternative version of a gene at a specific locus. Different versions create variation within populations.

Flashcard 5: Which term describes a trait that evolved because it increased survival to reproduction age?

Answer: Adaptation. Trait evolved specifically to enhance survival to maturity.

Flashcard 6: What is a heritable trait?

Answer: A characteristic that can be passed from parents to offspring via genes. Encoded in DNA and transmitted through reproduction.

Flashcard 7: What is a physiological adaptation?

Answer: An internal functional trait (biochemical/process) that increases fitness. Internal processes that improve survival or reproduction.

Flashcard 8: What is differential reproductive success?

Answer: Individuals with certain traits leave more viable offspring than others. Drives evolution by favoring beneficial traits.

Flashcard 9: Which option best describes why pesticide resistance evolves in insect populations?

Answer: Resistant individuals survive spraying and leave more offspring. Pesticides act as selection pressure favoring resistance genes.

Flashcard 10: What is a structural (morphological) adaptation?

Answer: A physical body feature that increases fitness. Body form or anatomy that enhances fitness.

Flashcard 11: Choose the correct statement: Can a trait be beneficial in one environment and harmful in another?

Answer: Yes; a trait's fitness effect depends on the environment. Context determines whether traits are adaptive.

Flashcard 12: Which option describes how sexual selection can favor traits that reduce survival?

Answer: Traits can increase mating success enough to outweigh survival costs. Reproductive benefits can outweigh survival costs.

Flashcard 13: What is the definition of gene pool?

Answer: All alleles present in a population. Contains all genetic variation available for selection.

Flashcard 14: What is the relationship between variation and natural selection?

Answer: Selection requires variation; without variation, no trait is favored. Variation provides raw material for selection to work on.

Flashcard 15: What is the definition of a population in evolution?

Answer: A group of the same species living and interbreeding in one area. Basic unit where evolution occurs through mating.

Flashcard 16: Identify the correct interpretation: A trait increases survival but decreases mating success.

Answer: It involves a fitness trade-off. Evolutionary compromises between competing fitness components.

Flashcard 17: Which option best describes why pesticide resistance evolves in insect populations?

Answer: Resistant individuals survive spraying and leave more offspring. Pesticides act as selection pressure favoring resistance genes.

Flashcard 18: What is mimicry as an adaptation?

Answer: Resembling another organism or object to gain a survival advantage. Deception strategy that confuses predators or prey.

Flashcard 19: What is the key difference between survival and fitness?

Answer: Fitness measures reproduction; survival alone does not guarantee gene transfer. Reproduction is essential for passing genes forward.

Flashcard 20: Which option is the best evidence that a trait is adaptive?

Answer: Individuals with the trait leave more viable offspring in that environment. Reproductive advantage demonstrates adaptive value.

Flashcard 21: What is camouflage as an adaptation?

Answer: A trait that reduces detection by predators or prey. Reduces predation risk by blending with surroundings.

Flashcard 22: Identify the correct cause of variation that selection can act on in a population.

Answer: Mutations and genetic recombination. Creates new alleles and gene combinations for selection.

Flashcard 23: What is a mutation in the context of evolution and traits?

Answer: A change in DNA that can create new alleles. Source of new genetic variants in populations.

Flashcard 24: What is a trade-off in evolution?

Answer: A trait improves one aspect of fitness but reduces another. Evolution involves compromises between competing demands.

Flashcard 25: What is gene flow?

Answer: Movement of alleles between populations via migration and reproduction. Introduces new alleles from other populations.

Flashcard 26: Which option best defines survival of the fittest in biology?

Answer: Those with higher fitness leave more offspring, not necessarily the strongest. Fitness is about reproduction, not physical dominance.

Flashcard 27: Which term describes random changes in allele frequencies, not driven by trait advantage?

Answer: Genetic drift. Random changes not based on trait advantages.

Flashcard 28: What is a mutation in the context of evolution and traits?

Answer: A change in DNA that can create new alleles. Source of new genetic variants in populations.

Flashcard 29: What is the phenotype?

Answer: Observable characteristics produced by genes and environment. Result of genotype interacting with environment.

Flashcard 30: Which option best connects a thicker fur trait to fitness in a cold climate?

Answer: Thicker fur increases survival, raising reproductive success. Better insulation improves survival in cold conditions.

Flashcard 31: Which option best connects a bright male plumage trait to reproductive success?

Answer: It can increase mate attraction, increasing mating success. Bright colors signal male quality to potential mates.

Flashcard 32: What is aposematic coloration?

Answer: Warning coloration that signals toxicity or danger to predators. Honest signal that deters predators from attacking.

Flashcard 33: What is the definition of fitness in evolutionary biology?

Answer: Relative reproductive success; contribution of genes to next generation. Fitness is about reproductive success, not physical strength.

Flashcard 34: What is the relationship between heritability and natural selection?

Answer: Traits must be heritable for selection to change allele frequencies. Only heritable traits can evolve through natural selection.

Flashcard 35: What is the phenotype?

Answer: Observable characteristics produced by genes and environment. Result of genotype interacting with environment.

Flashcard 36: Identify the correct outcome: If only very small or very large seeds exist, which selection type favors extreme beaks?

Answer: Disruptive selection. Two food sizes favor two different beak extremes.

Flashcard 37: Identify the correct outcome: If medium beak size is best, which selection type acts on beak size?

Answer: Stabilizing selection. Extremes are selected against when medium is optimal.

Flashcard 38: Identify the correct outcome: If predators prefer large prey, which selection type is likely on prey size?

Answer: Directional selection favoring smaller size. Predation creates consistent pressure against large size.

Flashcard 39: Identify the correct conclusion: A new predator appears; darker coloration reduces predation.

Answer: Dark coloration will likely increase in frequency over generations. Selection favors camouflage, increasing dark allele frequency.

Flashcard 40: Identify the correct outcome: If only very small or very large seeds exist, which selection type favors extreme beaks?

Answer: Disruptive selection. Two food sizes favor two different beak extremes.

Flashcard 41: Identify the correct outcome: If predators prefer large prey, which selection type is likely on prey size?

Answer: Directional selection favoring smaller size. Predation creates consistent pressure against large size.

Flashcard 42: Identify the correct link: How does a beneficial trait affect allele frequency over generations?

Answer: It tends to increase the allele's frequency in the population. Selection increases frequency of advantageous alleles over time.

Flashcard 43: What is adaptive value?

Answer: The extent to which a trait increases fitness in a given environment. Measures how much a trait improves fitness.

Flashcard 44: What is the genotype?

Answer: An organism's genetic makeup; the alleles it carries. Determines which traits can be expressed.

Flashcard 45: Choose the correct statement: Can a trait be beneficial in one environment and harmful in another?

Answer: Yes; a trait's fitness effect depends on the environment. Context determines whether traits are adaptive.

Flashcard 46: What is a selective pressure?

Answer: An environmental factor that affects survival or reproduction. Creates the selection that drives evolutionary change.

Flashcard 47: What is phenotypic variation?

Answer: Differences in observable traits among individuals in a population. Raw material for natural selection to act upon.

Flashcard 48: What is an environmental change that can shift which traits are favored called?

Answer: A change in selective pressures. Alters which traits provide survival or reproductive advantage.

Flashcard 49: Identify the correct interpretation: A trait increases survival but decreases mating success.

Answer: It involves a fitness trade-off. Evolutionary compromises between competing fitness components.

Flashcard 50: Identify the correct cause of variation that selection can act on in a population.

Answer: Mutations and genetic recombination. Creates new alleles and gene combinations for selection.

Flashcard 51: Identify the correct conclusion: A drought favors plants with deeper roots for water access.

Answer: Alleles for deeper roots will likely become more common. Water access advantage increases deep root alleles.

Flashcard 52: Which term describes a trait that evolved because it increased survival to reproduction age?

Answer: Adaptation. Trait evolved specifically to enhance survival to maturity.

Flashcard 53: Identify the correct statement: Does natural selection act on individuals or populations?

Answer: It acts on individuals, but populations evolve (allele frequencies change). Selection targets individuals but changes population genetics.

Flashcard 54: Which term describes the ability to produce offspring that can also reproduce?

Answer: Reproductive success. Ultimate measure of evolutionary fitness.

Flashcard 55: What two conditions are required for natural selection to occur?

Answer: Heritable variation and differential reproductive success. Without variation, selection has nothing to act on.