Conceptual Web

Miller-Urey → supports → Oparin-Haldane hypothesis → explains → Origin of Life (chemical evolution)

Natural Selection → requires → Heritable Variation → provided by → Mutations (which violate H-W)

H-W Equilibrium → violated by → 5 mechanisms (mutation, migration, selection, drift, non-random mating) → each mechanism → drives Evolution

Genetic Drift → most powerful in → Small Populations → examples: Founder Effect and Bottleneck Effect

Allopatric Speciation → requires → Geographic Isolation → prevents → Gene Flow → allows → Genetic Divergence → leads to → Reproductive Isolation → creates → New Species

Homologous Organs → evidence for → Divergent Evolution → evidence for → Common Ancestry

Analogous Organs → evidence for → Convergent Evolution → evidence for → Similar Environmental Pressures

Adaptive Radiation → combines → Allopatric Speciation + Natural Selection → example: Darwin's Finches

Cross-Topic Connections for NEET Integration Questions

1. Hardy-Weinberg + Genetic Drift: H-W violated when population is small → genetic drift (founder effect, bottleneck) drives evolution even without selection.

2. Natural Selection + Speciation: Directional selection + geographic isolation → allopatric speciation. Disruptive selection + same area → sympatric speciation.

3. Homologous Organs + Human Evolution: All mammalian forelimbs (including human arms, whale flippers) are homologous — they share the pentadactyl limb plan inherited from the first tetrapod ancestor.

4. Molecular Evidence + H-W: Cytochrome c differences quantify evolutionary distance; H-W quantifies evolutionary change in populations. Both are mathematical approaches to evolution.