ISB 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Belostomatidae, Sexual Reproduction, Disruptive Selection
Document Summary
A form of asexual reproduction where development of the embryo does not require fertilization (sperm not necessary) The carrying capacity is the max. population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely. Those organisms best fit to exist under the current conditions survive and produce more offspring. Best fit = a combination of genetic material that gives an organism an advantage over others in the population. Natural selection can be observed in nature and can be classified into three major forms. A shift in the frequency of a trait as result of current environmental conditions. A population of birds has a slight variation in beak size, which allows some individuals to reach food in the centers of flowers. Egg shell thickness needs to be maintained at an optimal level. Too think or too thick is not a favorable trait. Where the extremes of a trait are advantageous and the average values are selected against.