Glossary
(except where noted otherwise, definitions come from the American Heritage Dictionary available at Bartelby's.)
meme NEW02-Dec-02
| fitness |
the relative ability of a member of a species to pass on his genes to future generations |
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one member of a pair or series of genes that occupy a specific position on a specific chromosome |
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a hereditary unit that occupies a specific location on a chromosome and determines a particular characteristic in an organism. Genes exist in a number of different forms and can undergo mutation. |
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So the gene determines eye color, based upon whether the specific allele it contains is coded for blue, green, brown etc.
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| genotype | 1. the genetic constitution of an organism or a group of organisms. 2. a group or class of organisms having the same genetic constitution. |
| phenotype | 1.a. the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism as determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences. b. the expression of a specific trait such as stature or bloodtype based on genetic or environmental influences. |
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By observing the great apes, that is, looking at their phenotypes one would think that chimpanzees and gorrillas were more closely related to one another than either species is to humans. In fact, by looking at the genotypes we know that the opposite is true, humans share more genes with both chimpanzees and gorillas than chimps share with gorillas.
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| monogamy | The condition of having only one mate. |
| polygyny | The condition or practice of having more than one wife at a time. |
| polygamy |
The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at a time. |
| natural selection | The process in nature by which, according to Darwin's theory of evolution, only the organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive and transmit their genetic characters in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while those less adapted tend to be eliminated. |
| sexual selection |
The differences in reproduction that arise from
variation among individuals in traits that affect success in competition
over mates and fertilizations. (definition from Andersson (1994) Sexual Selection Princeton University Press) |
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Sexual selection then is a subset of natural
selection. The two forces may work in contradiction, in that a
trait which improves fitness under sexual selection may degrade fitness
under natural selection. They may also be complements.
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| K-strategy | a fitness strategy characterized by a regulated, density-dependent propagation in view of the capacity limit of the habitat K |
| r-strategy | a fitness strategy characterized by a high rate of propagation. |
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both definitions of the fitness strategies come from
the biology department at the University of Hamburg here,
where you'll also find the relevant mathematical models and further
information.
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| meme |
A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural
practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from
one mind to another. pronounced to rhyme with 'team'. the study of memes, how they replicate and their effects is 'memetics'. |