BIOL 1200 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
ECU AND ACTUAL ANSWERS.
What is a theory? - Answer Widely accepted explanation for a natural phenomenon that has
been scientifically tested
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory? - Answer -Theory is not considered
to be true
-Theory can be backed by evidence
-Hypothesis is testable
Charles Darwin - Answer English naturalist
-father of modern evolutionary theory
-Wrote "Origin of Species"
Inheritance of acquired characteristics - Answer -Lamarckian belief that changes in an
individual's life would be passed along to their offspring
-i.e. giraffe stretched neck to reach trees and offspring would have long necks
transitional forms - Answer fossils that connect ancestral species with their descendants
through a series of tiny steps i.e. pakicetus is an ancestor to whales
Vestigial traits with examples - Answer Structures in organisms that serve no purpose and are
residual from ancestor species i.e. wings on flightless birds, hind leg bones in fish
Homology - Answer anatomical commonalities between species indicating a common ancestor
i.e. arm bones in humans, fish, reptiles, etc.
Phylogeny - Answer origin of the division of a line of species
evolutionary history of a group or organisms that shows ancestor-descendent relationships
Developmental homology - Answer similarities of embryonic traits between several species
, 2.population variation exists
3. traits are genetically heritable
4. offspring better suited to the environment will survive
Selection operates on what (what is being selected) - Answer selection operates on the
physical characteristics-phenotype
What do Allele frequency changes occur in - Answer individuals
Biological Fitness - Answer ability of an individual to produce offspring compared to
individuals of the same species
Biological species concept- defining a species - Answer
prezygotic isolating mechanisms - Answer when individuals of different species are prevented
from mating
Temporal-different mating times
Habitats
Behavioral, i.e. different mating calls
Mechanical-structurally incompatible
genetic-gametes wont fuse
Postzygotic isolating mechanism - Answer individuals of different species mate but the hybrid
produced has low fitness and may not survive or produce offspring
inviability-embryos may not develop properly
fertility-hybrids cannot produce offspring
i.e. mules from horse and donkey
Allopatric speciation - Answer speciation due to geographic separation, when a population
becomes isolated by a physical barrier mutations arise and are reproductively isolated if the
species come into contact i.e. squirrels on either side of grand canyon
Vicariance - Answer the physical separation of a species
ECU AND ACTUAL ANSWERS.
What is a theory? - Answer Widely accepted explanation for a natural phenomenon that has
been scientifically tested
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory? - Answer -Theory is not considered
to be true
-Theory can be backed by evidence
-Hypothesis is testable
Charles Darwin - Answer English naturalist
-father of modern evolutionary theory
-Wrote "Origin of Species"
Inheritance of acquired characteristics - Answer -Lamarckian belief that changes in an
individual's life would be passed along to their offspring
-i.e. giraffe stretched neck to reach trees and offspring would have long necks
transitional forms - Answer fossils that connect ancestral species with their descendants
through a series of tiny steps i.e. pakicetus is an ancestor to whales
Vestigial traits with examples - Answer Structures in organisms that serve no purpose and are
residual from ancestor species i.e. wings on flightless birds, hind leg bones in fish
Homology - Answer anatomical commonalities between species indicating a common ancestor
i.e. arm bones in humans, fish, reptiles, etc.
Phylogeny - Answer origin of the division of a line of species
evolutionary history of a group or organisms that shows ancestor-descendent relationships
Developmental homology - Answer similarities of embryonic traits between several species
, 2.population variation exists
3. traits are genetically heritable
4. offspring better suited to the environment will survive
Selection operates on what (what is being selected) - Answer selection operates on the
physical characteristics-phenotype
What do Allele frequency changes occur in - Answer individuals
Biological Fitness - Answer ability of an individual to produce offspring compared to
individuals of the same species
Biological species concept- defining a species - Answer
prezygotic isolating mechanisms - Answer when individuals of different species are prevented
from mating
Temporal-different mating times
Habitats
Behavioral, i.e. different mating calls
Mechanical-structurally incompatible
genetic-gametes wont fuse
Postzygotic isolating mechanism - Answer individuals of different species mate but the hybrid
produced has low fitness and may not survive or produce offspring
inviability-embryos may not develop properly
fertility-hybrids cannot produce offspring
i.e. mules from horse and donkey
Allopatric speciation - Answer speciation due to geographic separation, when a population
becomes isolated by a physical barrier mutations arise and are reproductively isolated if the
species come into contact i.e. squirrels on either side of grand canyon
Vicariance - Answer the physical separation of a species
