UF BSC2010 – Evolution Questions
and Already Passed Answered 2025-
2026 Edition.
evolution - Answer genetic changes in a population over time; change in the genetic makeup
of a population over time
theory - Answer broad explanation for a wide range of phenomena; hypotheses that are well-
supported by evidence
evolutionary theory - Answer the mechanisms that result in genetic changes in populations
over time
Principles of Geology - Answer wind, rain, erosion, earthquakes responsible for the
geographical features of the Earth
An Essay on the Principle of Population - Answer populations have the potential for rapid
increase, but are kept in check by limited resources
"struggle for existence"
descent with modification - Answer divergent species share a common ancestor
evidence of natural selection as a mechanism for evolution - Answer - population must have
variation in a trait
- variation must be heritable
- some variants must be able to survive and/or reproduce better than others
mutation - Answer change in nucleotide sequence - deleterious, beneficial, or neutral
heritability - Answer the proportion of total phenotypic variation that is due to genetic
variation
h^2 = VG/VP or variation due to genetics/total phenotypic variance
, fitness - Answer relative contribution of an individual to the gene pool of the next generation
or relative reproductive success
directional selection - Answer individuals at one extreme of a phenotype distribution
contribute more offspring to the next generation
stabilizing selection - Answer the mean phenotype has the highest fitness and individuals with
extreme phenotypes have the lowest fitness
reduces variation in populations, mean does NOT change
disruptive selection - Answer individuals at both extremes of a character distribution have
higher fitness than intermediate values
increases variation in populations
frequency dependent selection - Answer type of selection where the fitness of a phenotype
varies depending on how common that phenotype is
negative (rare phenotypes more fit)
positive (common phenotypes more fit)
positive frequency dependent selection - Answer most common phenotype has a selective
advantage
negative frequency dependent selection - Answer rare phenotypes have a selective advantage
leads to maintenance of polymorphism over time
sexually dimorphic - Answer traits that are only present in one sex
sexual selection - Answer selection in which an organism's phenotype influences its mating
success and thus its fitness
types of sexual selection - Answer male competition - INTRAsexual
female choice - INTERsexual
and Already Passed Answered 2025-
2026 Edition.
evolution - Answer genetic changes in a population over time; change in the genetic makeup
of a population over time
theory - Answer broad explanation for a wide range of phenomena; hypotheses that are well-
supported by evidence
evolutionary theory - Answer the mechanisms that result in genetic changes in populations
over time
Principles of Geology - Answer wind, rain, erosion, earthquakes responsible for the
geographical features of the Earth
An Essay on the Principle of Population - Answer populations have the potential for rapid
increase, but are kept in check by limited resources
"struggle for existence"
descent with modification - Answer divergent species share a common ancestor
evidence of natural selection as a mechanism for evolution - Answer - population must have
variation in a trait
- variation must be heritable
- some variants must be able to survive and/or reproduce better than others
mutation - Answer change in nucleotide sequence - deleterious, beneficial, or neutral
heritability - Answer the proportion of total phenotypic variation that is due to genetic
variation
h^2 = VG/VP or variation due to genetics/total phenotypic variance
, fitness - Answer relative contribution of an individual to the gene pool of the next generation
or relative reproductive success
directional selection - Answer individuals at one extreme of a phenotype distribution
contribute more offspring to the next generation
stabilizing selection - Answer the mean phenotype has the highest fitness and individuals with
extreme phenotypes have the lowest fitness
reduces variation in populations, mean does NOT change
disruptive selection - Answer individuals at both extremes of a character distribution have
higher fitness than intermediate values
increases variation in populations
frequency dependent selection - Answer type of selection where the fitness of a phenotype
varies depending on how common that phenotype is
negative (rare phenotypes more fit)
positive (common phenotypes more fit)
positive frequency dependent selection - Answer most common phenotype has a selective
advantage
negative frequency dependent selection - Answer rare phenotypes have a selective advantage
leads to maintenance of polymorphism over time
sexually dimorphic - Answer traits that are only present in one sex
sexual selection - Answer selection in which an organism's phenotype influences its mating
success and thus its fitness
types of sexual selection - Answer male competition - INTRAsexual
female choice - INTERsexual
