Overview of and topical guide to change in the heritable characteristics of organisms
The followingoutline is provided as an overview of and topical guide toevolution :
A diagram showing the relationships among various groups of organisms Inbiology ,evolution is change in theheritable characteristics ofbiological organisms over generations due tonatural selection ,mutation ,gene flow , andgenetic drift . Also known asdescent with modification . Over time these evolutionary processes lead to formation of new species (speciation ), changes within lineages (anagenesis ), and loss of species (extinction ). "Evolution" is also another name forevolutionary biology , the subfield ofbiology concerned with studyingevolutionary processes that produced thediversity of life on Earth.
Fundamentals about evolution [ edit ] −4500 —
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Macroevolution – Evolution on a scale at or above the level of speciesSpeciation – Evolutionary processNatural speciation Artificial speciation Hybrid speciation – Form of speciation involving hybridization between two different speciesDespeciation – Loss of a species of animal due to its combining with another speciesAnagenesis – Gradual evolutionary change in a species without splittingExtinction – Termination of an organism by the death of its last memberMicroevolution – Change in allele frequencies that occurs over time within a populationEvolutionary theory and modelling [ edit ] See alsoBasic principles (above)
Population genetics [ edit ] Population genetics – Subfield of geneticsProcessMutation – Alteration in the nucleotide sequence of a genomeSelection – Mechanism of evolution by differential reproductionPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Natural selection – Mechanism of evolution by differential reproductionSexual selection – Mode of natural selection involving the choosing of and competition for matesArtificial selection – Breeding used to develop desired characteristicsEcological selection – Mechanism of evolution by differential reproductionPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Gene flow – Transfer of genetic variation from one population to anotherGenetic drift – Concept in genetics VariationGenetic variation – Difference in DNA among individuals or populationsGenetic diversity – Total number of genetic characteristics in a speciesGene frequency – The relative frequency of a variant of a gene at a particular locus in a populationPolymorphism (biology) – Occurrence of two or more clearly different morphs or forms in the population of a species Key concepts Effects of selection Related topics Evolutionary phenomena [ edit ] Taxonomy, systematics, and phylogeny[ edit ] Taxonomy – Science of naming, defining and classifying organismsAlpha taxonomy – The discipline of finding, describing, and naming taxa, particularly speciesBiological classification – The science of identifying, describing, defining and naming groups of biological organismsBinomial nomenclature – Species naming systemEvolutionary taxonomy – Form of biological classificationCatalogue of life – Online database and index of taxaHomonym (biology) – Scientific name that is identical in spelling to a name with a different typeIntegrated Taxonomic Information System – Authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbesInternational Code of Zoological Nomenclature – Code of scientific nomenclature for animalsInternational Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants – Code of scientific nomenclatureLinnaean taxonomy – Rank based classification system for organismsPhenetics – Attempt to classify organisms based on overall similaritySpecies 2000 – Federated taxonomic database system for species checklistsTaxon – Grouping of biological populationsTaxonomic rank – Level in a taxonomic hierarchyType (biology) – Specimen(s) chosen to represent a newly described taxonSpecies description – Formal description of a discovered speciesSystematics – Branch of biologyCladogram – Diagram used to show relations among groups of organisms with common originsPhylogenetic tree – Branching diagram of evolutionary relationships between organismsPhylogenetics – Study of evolutionary relationships between organismsBasic concepts of phylogenetics [ edit ] Phylogenetic tree – Branching diagram of evolutionary relationships between organismsPhylogenetic network – Graph used to visualize evolutionary relationships, including reticulation eventsLong branch attraction – Systematic error in phylogeneticsClade – Group of a common ancestor and all descendantsGrade – Non-monophyletic grouping of organisms united by morphological or physiological characteristicsGhost lineage – Phylogenetic lineage that is inferred to exist but has no fossil recordSymplesiomorphy – An ancestral character or trait state shared by two or more taxaApomorphy – Two concepts on heritable traitsPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Synapomorphy – Two concepts on heritable traitsPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets Autapomorphy – Distinctive feature, known as a derived trait, that is unique to a given taxonEvolution of biodiversity [ edit ] Origin and evolutionary history of life [ edit ] Evolution of organisms [ edit ] Evolution of tetrapods [ edit ] Evolution of other animals [ edit ] Evolution of plants [ edit ] Evolution of other taxa [ edit ] Evolution of cells, organs, and systems[ edit ] Evolution of molecules and genes [ edit ] Evolution of behaviour [ edit ] Evolution of other processes [ edit ] Applications in other disciplines [ edit ] Evolutionary issues [ edit ] Controversy about evolution [ edit ] Religious and philosophical views of evolution [ edit ] Influence of evolutionary theory [ edit ] Publications and organizations concerning evolution [ edit ] Evolution scholars and researchers [ edit ] Prominent evolutionary biologists [ edit ] General information Experiments concerning the process of biological evolution Online lectures