BIO 1001 EXAM 4 QUESTIONS AND 100%
VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS!!
B1. Relate Lamarck's major contributions to evolutionary thought to Darwin's evolution
by natural selection, explaining which of Lamarck's hypotheses were integral to Darwin's
idea, and which were not, providing reasons.
Lamarck acknowledged that the environment plays a role in shaping the species that live in it.
Lamarked stressed the importance of variation in natural populations
Lamarck claimed that simple organisms originate at the base of the chain by spontaneous
generation and then evolve by moving up the chain over time. Thus, Lamarckian evolution is
progressive - always producing larger and more complex or "better" species. Also, Lamarck
contended that species change through time via inheritance of acquired characters; the idea that
an individual's phenotype changes as that individual develop in response to challenges posed by
the environment, and these phenotypic changes are passed onto offspring.
a. Explain why Lamarck's hypotheses of use and disuse, and inheritance of acquired
characteristics are not supported.
Lamarckian evolution is progressive - always producing larger and more complex or "better"
species.
(Note: Lamarck happened to be wrong; but he was responsible for publicly proposing a formal
theory of evolution).
Darwin (and Wallace) proposed that evolution occurs because traits vary among individuals in a
population, and because individuals with certain traits leave more offspring than others do - and
,Darwin emphasized that variation among individuals in a population was the key to
understanding the nature of species (called "population thinking").
B2. Explain the influence of gradualism and uniformitarianism, and Malthus's ideas of
population growth and food supply on Darwin's ideas of natural selection
and evolution.
Gradualism : the idea that small changes eventually build and lead to a great change (e.g. slowly
adding a nickel into a jar and over years - that jar contains a large sum of money); concept
established by Hutton.
Uniformitarianism: refers to the idea that physical features constantly change (in other words, it's
the view that the same forces that shaped the world in the past continue to operate today) -
"present is the key to the past"; concept established by Lyell.
Malthus argued that the rate of population growth, actually outweighed food sources - have
struggle of existence - impact of Darwin and Wallace's theories. Darwin noted that these huge
population growths were rarely seen in nature; because of competition and high-death rate.
Darwin argued: Individuals with favorable traits were able to out-reproduce those without those
traits
B3. Summarize Darwin's five observations and three inferences that encompass the logic of
his theory of evolution by natural selection
Darwin's 5 Observations:
1. Populations have the potential to increase exponentially;
2. Populations generally remain stable once they reach a certain size;
3. Natural resources are limited;
, 4. Individuals in a population are not identical; they vary in many characteristics;
5. Many characteristics are heritable (i.e. are passed on from parent to offspring)
Darwin's 2 Inferences:
1. Not all offspring that are produced survive and reproduce because of a struggle for resources;
2. Some individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce than others because of their
heritable traits;
a. Explain the link between the two inferences.
"Link between 2 inferences"
3. Differences in survival and reproduction among individuals are non-random, with some traits
being passed on at a higher ratio than others and increasing in proportion in the population from
one generation to the next = evolution by natural selection
Microevolution
these are changes in genetic characteristics of a population over time, where allele frequencies in
a population change over time
Macroevolution
this is descent of different species from a common ancestor over many generations
Population
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time
Uniformitarianism
VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS!!
B1. Relate Lamarck's major contributions to evolutionary thought to Darwin's evolution
by natural selection, explaining which of Lamarck's hypotheses were integral to Darwin's
idea, and which were not, providing reasons.
Lamarck acknowledged that the environment plays a role in shaping the species that live in it.
Lamarked stressed the importance of variation in natural populations
Lamarck claimed that simple organisms originate at the base of the chain by spontaneous
generation and then evolve by moving up the chain over time. Thus, Lamarckian evolution is
progressive - always producing larger and more complex or "better" species. Also, Lamarck
contended that species change through time via inheritance of acquired characters; the idea that
an individual's phenotype changes as that individual develop in response to challenges posed by
the environment, and these phenotypic changes are passed onto offspring.
a. Explain why Lamarck's hypotheses of use and disuse, and inheritance of acquired
characteristics are not supported.
Lamarckian evolution is progressive - always producing larger and more complex or "better"
species.
(Note: Lamarck happened to be wrong; but he was responsible for publicly proposing a formal
theory of evolution).
Darwin (and Wallace) proposed that evolution occurs because traits vary among individuals in a
population, and because individuals with certain traits leave more offspring than others do - and
,Darwin emphasized that variation among individuals in a population was the key to
understanding the nature of species (called "population thinking").
B2. Explain the influence of gradualism and uniformitarianism, and Malthus's ideas of
population growth and food supply on Darwin's ideas of natural selection
and evolution.
Gradualism : the idea that small changes eventually build and lead to a great change (e.g. slowly
adding a nickel into a jar and over years - that jar contains a large sum of money); concept
established by Hutton.
Uniformitarianism: refers to the idea that physical features constantly change (in other words, it's
the view that the same forces that shaped the world in the past continue to operate today) -
"present is the key to the past"; concept established by Lyell.
Malthus argued that the rate of population growth, actually outweighed food sources - have
struggle of existence - impact of Darwin and Wallace's theories. Darwin noted that these huge
population growths were rarely seen in nature; because of competition and high-death rate.
Darwin argued: Individuals with favorable traits were able to out-reproduce those without those
traits
B3. Summarize Darwin's five observations and three inferences that encompass the logic of
his theory of evolution by natural selection
Darwin's 5 Observations:
1. Populations have the potential to increase exponentially;
2. Populations generally remain stable once they reach a certain size;
3. Natural resources are limited;
, 4. Individuals in a population are not identical; they vary in many characteristics;
5. Many characteristics are heritable (i.e. are passed on from parent to offspring)
Darwin's 2 Inferences:
1. Not all offspring that are produced survive and reproduce because of a struggle for resources;
2. Some individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce than others because of their
heritable traits;
a. Explain the link between the two inferences.
"Link between 2 inferences"
3. Differences in survival and reproduction among individuals are non-random, with some traits
being passed on at a higher ratio than others and increasing in proportion in the population from
one generation to the next = evolution by natural selection
Microevolution
these are changes in genetic characteristics of a population over time, where allele frequencies in
a population change over time
Macroevolution
this is descent of different species from a common ancestor over many generations
Population
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time
Uniformitarianism
