BIOL 336 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Crypsis, Homeothermy, Null Hypothesis
Document Summary
Reading: chapter 8, especially sections 8. 2, and 8. 4-6. Key terms: adaptation, cryptic, observational vs. experimental vs. theoretical tests. Outline: adaptations, testing hypotheses of adaptation, experimental approaches to testing adaptive hypotheses, adaptations. A trait or an integrated set of traits that has evolved by natural selection (and therefore enhances the fitness of individuals with the trait). Adaptations can be features of individuals, populations, species or groups of species. Adaptations improve the fit between phenotype and environment. could be a single allele or multiple phenotypes acting together. There is no gene for shirt pattern. needs to be a connection b/w phenotype and gene to be considered an adaptation need to have intermediate steps with the steps improving the tness from before. Adaptation may require the accumulation of many genetic changes, each of which increases fitness of individuals with these changes. Darwin saw the process of adaptation as the lynchpin of his theory.
