Evolution

Evolution

Of or pertaining to the change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

Industry: Archaeology

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Evolution

Cladistic species concept

Archaeology; Evolution

The concept of species, according to which a species is a lineage of populations between two phylogenetic branch points (or speciation events). Compare with biological species concept, ecological ...

Genetic code

Archaeology; Evolution

The code relating nucleotide triplets in the mRNA (or DNA) to amino acids in the proteins.

Amphibians

Archaeology; Evolution

The class of vertebrates that contains the frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders. The amphibians evolved in the Devonian period (about 370 million years ago) as the first vertebrates to occupy the ...

Sex chromosome

Archaeology; Evolution

The chromosome or chromosomes that influence sex determination. In mammals, including humans, the X and Y chromosomes are the sex chromosomes (females are XX, males XY). Compare with autosome.

Geographic isolation

Archaeology; Evolution

See reproductive isolation.

Directional selection

Archaeology; Evolution

Selection causing a consistent directional change in the form of a population through time (e.g., selection for larger body size).

Disruptive selection

Archaeology; Evolution

Selection favouring forms that deviate in either direction from the population average. Selection favours forms that are larger or smaller than average, but works against the average forms between ...