"Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations."
The study of the processes by which organisms change over time, which informs taxonomic classification.
Genetics: The study of genes and heredity, which play a crucial role in the development and evolution of species.
Phylogenetics: The study of the evolutionary relationships between different species based on genetic and morphological similarities and differences.
Molecular biology: The study of the molecular basis of living organisms, including the structure and function of DNA, RNA, and protein molecules.
Population genetics: The study of the genetic makeup of populations and how it changes over time due to factors such as mutation, migration, and natural selection.
Biogeography: The study of the distribution of species and how it is influenced by geological and environmental factors.
Paleontology: The study of fossils and their use in reconstructing the evolutionary history of species.
Comparative anatomy: The study of the similarities and differences in the structure of different organisms, which can provide clues about their evolutionary relationships.
Ecology: The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment, which can impact the evolution and adaptation of species.
Adaptation: The process by which species evolve to better suit their environment, which can involve changes in behavior, morphology, or physiology.
Natural selection: The process by which advantageous traits become more common in a population over time, leading to the evolution of new species.
Phylogenetic Evolution: This type of evolution studies the evolutionary relationships between species and their ancestors. It creates a "tree of life" lineage that shows the evolutionary history of organisms based on their genetic and physical characteristics over time.
Morphological Evolution: This type of evolution studies the physical and structural changes that occur in an organism over time. It focuses on the similarities and differences in morphology between species and the changes in their traits.
Behavioral Evolution: This type of evolution studies the changes in behavior that occur in organisms over time. It focuses on the behavioral patterns and adaptations that have developed throughout the history of a particular species.
Genetic Evolution: This type of evolution studies the changes that occur in the genetic makeup of populations over time. It examines the ways in which mutations, genetic drift, and gene flow affect the genetic diversity and variation of organisms.
Ecological Evolution: This type of evolution studies the interactions between organisms and their environment. It focuses on the adaptations that species develop in response to changes in their environment.
Cultural Evolution: This type of evolution studies the changes in human culture and behavior over time. It examines how cultural traits and practices have evolved and spread throughout human populations.
"The processes that change DNA in a population include natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow."
"The theory of evolution by natural selection was conceived independently by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-19th century."
"Evolution occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation."
"Certain characteristics become more or less common within a population over successive generations."
"The theory was an explanation for why organisms are adapted to their physical and biological environments."
"(1) more offspring are often produced than can possibly survive; (2) traits vary among individuals; (3) different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction; and (4) traits can be passed from generation to generation."
"Evolution was combined with Mendelian inheritance and population genetics to give rise to modern evolutionary theory."
"All life on Earth—including humanity—shares a last universal common ancestor (LUCA), which lived approximately 3.5–3.8 billion years ago."
"The fossil record includes a progression from early biogenic graphite to microbial mat fossils to fossilised multicellular organisms."
"Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped by repeated formations of new species (speciation), changes within species (anagenesis), and loss of species (extinction)."
"Morphological and biochemical traits tend to be more similar among species that share a more recent common ancestor, which historically was used to reconstruct phylogenetic trees."
"Their discoveries have influenced not just the development of biology but also other fields including agriculture, medicine, and computer science."
"Researchers have constructed theories based on evidence from the field or laboratory and on data generated by the methods of mathematical and theoretical biology."
"Traits can be passed from generation to generation (heritability of fitness)."
"The processes that change DNA in a population include natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow."
"Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped by repeated formations of new species (speciation)."
"In this synthesis, the basis for heredity is in DNA molecules that pass information from generation to generation."
"Different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction (differential fitness)."
"Their discoveries have influenced not just the development of biology but also other fields including agriculture, medicine, and computer science."