anthro 2b Exam Comprehensive
Questions (Frequently Tested) with
Verified Answers Graded A+
Macro-Evolution - Answer: above species level. changes that occur at higher levels, such as the
evolution of new families, phyla or genera, are also therefore macroevolution, but the term is
not restricted to those higher levels. It often also means long-term trends or biases in evolution
of higher taxonomic levels.
Micro evolution - Answer: below species level. changes in the frequency within a population or
a species of its alleles (alternative genes) and their effects on the form, or phenotype, of
organisms that make up that population or species. It can also apply to changes within species
that are not genetic.
Biological species concept - Answer: organisms from diff pop must be able to interbreed in
nature and their offspring must be fertile.so miles don't count
Speciation - Answer: one species split into 2. involves reproductive isolation mechanisms.
evolutionary process by which new biological species arise. formation of new species from
parent species. eliminate or reduce of gene flow btwn pops. isolation does not always mean
speciation.genetic diff accumulates, and mutations and genetic drift and natural selection then
genetic divergence
extrinsic - Answer: factors producing geographic isolation
ex:movement of plate tectonics. like rivers or mountains that prevent organisms from getting
together.
instrinsic - Answer: don't rely on geography. mechanisms, such as mechanical isolation
(incompatibility of reproductive organs), behavioral isolation (differences in courting rituals),
seasonal isolation (mating at different times of the year), and postmating sterility (hybrid
offspring that are sterile) ensure that there is no exchange of genes between groups).
,Pre-zygotic - Answer: makes sure sperm never meet egg. Ecological Isolation: Even if individuals
live in the same place, they might use the space differently and so they rarely come into contact
with each other.
Temporal Isolation: Fertilization is prevented if plants flower during slightly different times or if
animals mate during different seasons or times of day
Post-zygotic - Answer: individuals successfully mate and a zygote is formed, but the resulting
offspring is unsuccessful.
Temporal Isolation - Answer: Fertilization is prevented if plants flower during slightly different
times or if animals mate during different seasons or times of day
Behavioral (or Sexual) Isolation - Answer: For some reason, individuals just don't see the other
individuals as mates.
pollinator isolation - Answer: This is limited to plants that rely on pollinators to do their
business
gametic isolation - Answer: This is the only form of prezygotic isolation in which mating actually
occurs. However, it's an unsuccessful attempt because the gametes (egg and sperm) of the
mating individuals are incompatible
Hybrid inviability - Answer: The hybrid offspring is either weaker than the parent species, or
totally inviable
Hybrid Sterility - Answer: Even if the hybrid offspring is otherwise perfectly healthy, either one
or both sexes is sterile.
We get successful mating with viable, fertile offspring, but when the offspring try to have
offspring, things go wrong
,Natural Selection and Population Variabiltiy - Answer: Fundamental principle of natural
selection
the rate of evolutionary change is directly proportional to the degree of variability in a
populations. Selection is a directional process that leads to an increase or a decrease in the
frequency of genes or genotypes.
Anagenesis - Answer: slow gradual, incremental changes after each generations. "phyletic
change", is the evolution of species involving an entire population rather than a branching
event, as in cladogenesis. old eventually diff from new. ex)horse-donkey-mule
Cladogenesis - Answer: *speciation. a small subset of an existing species evolves into a new
species by adapting to a new environment, but the old species continues to persist, relatively
unchanged, at the same time as the new species.
branching - Answer: one or more species branch from an original splitters
Phyletic Gradualism - Answer: *emphasize anagenic
*slow gradual change. slow steady divergence of lineages.
The modern form of the organism differs from the original form so much that the two can be
considered separate species
Punctuated Equilibrium - Answer: a large amount of change in a short time tied to a speciation
event. -tiny changes and then big rapid changes and then small bitty changes and then rapid
changes
*emphasize cladogenesis
*most changes during speciation event
theory in evolutionary biology which proposes that most sexually reproducing species will
experience little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an
extended state called stasis. model for macro
, Adaptive Radiation - Answer: rapid expansion and diversification of a group of organisms as
they adapt to newly available ecological space.
-series of cladogenic events
-rapid speciation
any changes that open up new potential habitats to a group of organisms
-things move to unoccupied space, move to new space (new way of using environment)
an event in which a lineage rapidly diversifies, with the newly formed lineages evolving different
adaptations. ex: Galapagos finches: new environmental niche let rapid speciation
Generalized - Answer: exploit a wide range of ecological space (broadly defined eco-niche)
-can eat many things
-"jack of all trades, ace on none"
Generalized creatures have greater adaptive potential
-generalized organisms begin adaptive radiation
Specialized - Answer: specialized in narrowly defined eco niche
-does one thing very well.
"ace of one trade"
overspecialization leads to extinction
-competition fuels speciation as groups of organisms specialize
Evolutionary Homology - Answer: homology-similarities btwn organisms due to common
ancestry
-if the last common ancestor also had same structure
-homologous structures often have different function (structural, not functional similarity)
-want to use this comparison
Questions (Frequently Tested) with
Verified Answers Graded A+
Macro-Evolution - Answer: above species level. changes that occur at higher levels, such as the
evolution of new families, phyla or genera, are also therefore macroevolution, but the term is
not restricted to those higher levels. It often also means long-term trends or biases in evolution
of higher taxonomic levels.
Micro evolution - Answer: below species level. changes in the frequency within a population or
a species of its alleles (alternative genes) and their effects on the form, or phenotype, of
organisms that make up that population or species. It can also apply to changes within species
that are not genetic.
Biological species concept - Answer: organisms from diff pop must be able to interbreed in
nature and their offspring must be fertile.so miles don't count
Speciation - Answer: one species split into 2. involves reproductive isolation mechanisms.
evolutionary process by which new biological species arise. formation of new species from
parent species. eliminate or reduce of gene flow btwn pops. isolation does not always mean
speciation.genetic diff accumulates, and mutations and genetic drift and natural selection then
genetic divergence
extrinsic - Answer: factors producing geographic isolation
ex:movement of plate tectonics. like rivers or mountains that prevent organisms from getting
together.
instrinsic - Answer: don't rely on geography. mechanisms, such as mechanical isolation
(incompatibility of reproductive organs), behavioral isolation (differences in courting rituals),
seasonal isolation (mating at different times of the year), and postmating sterility (hybrid
offspring that are sterile) ensure that there is no exchange of genes between groups).
,Pre-zygotic - Answer: makes sure sperm never meet egg. Ecological Isolation: Even if individuals
live in the same place, they might use the space differently and so they rarely come into contact
with each other.
Temporal Isolation: Fertilization is prevented if plants flower during slightly different times or if
animals mate during different seasons or times of day
Post-zygotic - Answer: individuals successfully mate and a zygote is formed, but the resulting
offspring is unsuccessful.
Temporal Isolation - Answer: Fertilization is prevented if plants flower during slightly different
times or if animals mate during different seasons or times of day
Behavioral (or Sexual) Isolation - Answer: For some reason, individuals just don't see the other
individuals as mates.
pollinator isolation - Answer: This is limited to plants that rely on pollinators to do their
business
gametic isolation - Answer: This is the only form of prezygotic isolation in which mating actually
occurs. However, it's an unsuccessful attempt because the gametes (egg and sperm) of the
mating individuals are incompatible
Hybrid inviability - Answer: The hybrid offspring is either weaker than the parent species, or
totally inviable
Hybrid Sterility - Answer: Even if the hybrid offspring is otherwise perfectly healthy, either one
or both sexes is sterile.
We get successful mating with viable, fertile offspring, but when the offspring try to have
offspring, things go wrong
,Natural Selection and Population Variabiltiy - Answer: Fundamental principle of natural
selection
the rate of evolutionary change is directly proportional to the degree of variability in a
populations. Selection is a directional process that leads to an increase or a decrease in the
frequency of genes or genotypes.
Anagenesis - Answer: slow gradual, incremental changes after each generations. "phyletic
change", is the evolution of species involving an entire population rather than a branching
event, as in cladogenesis. old eventually diff from new. ex)horse-donkey-mule
Cladogenesis - Answer: *speciation. a small subset of an existing species evolves into a new
species by adapting to a new environment, but the old species continues to persist, relatively
unchanged, at the same time as the new species.
branching - Answer: one or more species branch from an original splitters
Phyletic Gradualism - Answer: *emphasize anagenic
*slow gradual change. slow steady divergence of lineages.
The modern form of the organism differs from the original form so much that the two can be
considered separate species
Punctuated Equilibrium - Answer: a large amount of change in a short time tied to a speciation
event. -tiny changes and then big rapid changes and then small bitty changes and then rapid
changes
*emphasize cladogenesis
*most changes during speciation event
theory in evolutionary biology which proposes that most sexually reproducing species will
experience little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an
extended state called stasis. model for macro
, Adaptive Radiation - Answer: rapid expansion and diversification of a group of organisms as
they adapt to newly available ecological space.
-series of cladogenic events
-rapid speciation
any changes that open up new potential habitats to a group of organisms
-things move to unoccupied space, move to new space (new way of using environment)
an event in which a lineage rapidly diversifies, with the newly formed lineages evolving different
adaptations. ex: Galapagos finches: new environmental niche let rapid speciation
Generalized - Answer: exploit a wide range of ecological space (broadly defined eco-niche)
-can eat many things
-"jack of all trades, ace on none"
Generalized creatures have greater adaptive potential
-generalized organisms begin adaptive radiation
Specialized - Answer: specialized in narrowly defined eco niche
-does one thing very well.
"ace of one trade"
overspecialization leads to extinction
-competition fuels speciation as groups of organisms specialize
Evolutionary Homology - Answer: homology-similarities btwn organisms due to common
ancestry
-if the last common ancestor also had same structure
-homologous structures often have different function (structural, not functional similarity)
-want to use this comparison
