Rutgers Biology 115 Final Exam
(Lectures 19-26, 28) With Already
Passed Answers 2025/2026 Updated.
Lecture 19 - Darwinian Evolution - Answer *SEQ Pre-Darwin Ideas*
*SEQ, INTERPRET Darwin's work/ideas*
*CC evidence for evolution*
Which scientists had prevalent observations/influenced Darwin?
What were their contributions? - Answer Linnaeus ➡ (Hutton&Lyell) ➡ Lamarck ➡Malthus
*Linnaeus* - proposed binomial nomenclature hierarchy system (Kingdom, Phylum, Species
etc...), classified biodiversity
*Hutton* - gradualism; observed that natural processes produced such small changes which
must accumulate over time (Ex: erosion)
*Lyell* - uniformitarianism; refined gradualism, concluded that geological processes are
uniform/continuous over time, Earth is billions of years old
*Lamarck* - 1st to propose natural mechanism for evolution (was wrong but influenced Darwin)
Ideas: Use & Disuse, Inheritance of Acquired Traits
*Malthus* - Economist who stated natural resources are limited/scarce once population grows
too big
What is uniformitarianism? Who proposed this idea? - Answer ➡*Uniformitarianism*:
geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes; the
world is *always* changing
➡Proposed by *Lyell*
➡Concluded Earth was billions of years old
➡Heavily influenced Darwin
,What were 2 of Lamarck's main ideas?
How did Darwin disprove these ideas? - Answer Use & Disuse, Inheritance of Acquired Traits
*USE & DISUSE*
➡If a body part is used continuously over long period of time, it will become larger and stronger
➡If not used, it will get smaller/deteriorate
Ex: A giraffe which continuously reaches its neck out to a tall tree will stretch its neck out
WITHIN ITS LIFESPAN**
*INHERITANCE OF ACQUIRED TRAITS*
➡The traits an animal acquires during its lifespan is passed down to offspring.
Ex: The same giraffe which now has a longer neck will pass this long-neck trait down to offspring
How did Darwin develop his theory of evolution? - Answer ➡On his voyage, he studied &
observed plant/animal species
➡Took measurements of rock formation before & after earthquake, influenced
uniformitarianism belief
➡AR Wallace reached same conclusions as him studying species in Indonesia, sent manuscript
➡Also observed natural selection in nature (4 observations)
These helped him develop theory of evolution
How did Thomas Malthus influence Darwin? - Answer *Malthus*: He said that populations
grow faster than resources. This gave Darwin the idea of individuals in a population are
competing and struggling for these limited resources once it reaches a tipping point.
What did Darwin propose as the main mechanism for evolution? - Answer Darwin stated
*Natural selection* is the mechanism for evolution.
What were Darwin's 4 observations of natural selection? - Answer *OVERPRODUCTION*
➡more offspring are born than will survive to adulthood
,*UNEQUAL SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTION*
➡some individuals will survive longer/reproduce more than others
➡individuals will compete for scarce resources
*HERITABLE VARIATION*
➡Individuals have variation, offspring tends to resemble parents
*NONRANDOM SURVIVAL/REPRODUCTION*
➡Survival & reproduction rates are not random, they are based on phenotypic traits which are
most advantageous
➡Frequency of well-adapted individuals/traits will increase in a population,
(badly-adapted individuals die out and don't reproduce, decrease their frequency)
What does fitness mean?
What is a good measure of fitness? - Answer *Fitness*: refers to survival and reproductive
success, has nothing to do w/ physical fitness
➡how well a trait can allow one to survive, and continue to be passed down
Measured by: high # of offspring
How does artificial selection compare to natural selection? - Answer Artificial Selection
➡Humans consciously select whatever trait within a plant/animals that works best for us
Natural Selection
➡Environment unconsciously selects trait that best allows that individual to survive and
reproduce (*adapt*) within the environment
What is some evidence of evolution? What are vestigial organs? - Answer *ARTIFICIAL
SELECTION*
-humans perform "natural selection" when we selectively breed crops/livestock with favorable
traits, which increases the frequency of those traits in future generation (Ex: selectively
breeding wild mustard for different uses)
*DIRECT OBSERVATION*
, -By observing viruses/bacteria, who can reproduce extremely quickly, evolution can be
examined directly
*HOMOLOGY*
➡Similarity due to shared evolutionary ancestry
➡Homologous structures
➡*Vestigial organs* - structures of individuals which are not used after evolution, which served
purpose long before EX: Whale legs, Kiwi wings, Wisdom Teeth
*Fossil Record*
➡Remains or traces of previously existing organisms, record of morphology, time & place, help
infer relationships
Do individuals evolve?
How true was Lamarck's theory? - Answer Individuals do not evolve to fit their environment.
Individuals with better-adapted traits will survive longer/reproduce more which will increase
the frequency of those well-adapted traits within a population over time.
ORGANISMS ARE NOT POKEMON
*Lamarck was incorrect, since individuals do not evolve within their lifespan. It happens over
generations*.
What drives natural selection? - Answer *The environment drives natural selection*
-if trait is advantageous in one environment, that trait will increase in frequency within that
environment over generations
-If moved to a different environment where the trait is not advantageous, it will decrease in
frequency
not a conscious choice, whatever works in an environment is selected *adaptations*
What is descent with modification? - Answer the idea that species change over time, give
rise to new species, and share a common ancestor
Lecture 20 - Population Genetics - Answer *CC Sources of variation*
(Lectures 19-26, 28) With Already
Passed Answers 2025/2026 Updated.
Lecture 19 - Darwinian Evolution - Answer *SEQ Pre-Darwin Ideas*
*SEQ, INTERPRET Darwin's work/ideas*
*CC evidence for evolution*
Which scientists had prevalent observations/influenced Darwin?
What were their contributions? - Answer Linnaeus ➡ (Hutton&Lyell) ➡ Lamarck ➡Malthus
*Linnaeus* - proposed binomial nomenclature hierarchy system (Kingdom, Phylum, Species
etc...), classified biodiversity
*Hutton* - gradualism; observed that natural processes produced such small changes which
must accumulate over time (Ex: erosion)
*Lyell* - uniformitarianism; refined gradualism, concluded that geological processes are
uniform/continuous over time, Earth is billions of years old
*Lamarck* - 1st to propose natural mechanism for evolution (was wrong but influenced Darwin)
Ideas: Use & Disuse, Inheritance of Acquired Traits
*Malthus* - Economist who stated natural resources are limited/scarce once population grows
too big
What is uniformitarianism? Who proposed this idea? - Answer ➡*Uniformitarianism*:
geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes; the
world is *always* changing
➡Proposed by *Lyell*
➡Concluded Earth was billions of years old
➡Heavily influenced Darwin
,What were 2 of Lamarck's main ideas?
How did Darwin disprove these ideas? - Answer Use & Disuse, Inheritance of Acquired Traits
*USE & DISUSE*
➡If a body part is used continuously over long period of time, it will become larger and stronger
➡If not used, it will get smaller/deteriorate
Ex: A giraffe which continuously reaches its neck out to a tall tree will stretch its neck out
WITHIN ITS LIFESPAN**
*INHERITANCE OF ACQUIRED TRAITS*
➡The traits an animal acquires during its lifespan is passed down to offspring.
Ex: The same giraffe which now has a longer neck will pass this long-neck trait down to offspring
How did Darwin develop his theory of evolution? - Answer ➡On his voyage, he studied &
observed plant/animal species
➡Took measurements of rock formation before & after earthquake, influenced
uniformitarianism belief
➡AR Wallace reached same conclusions as him studying species in Indonesia, sent manuscript
➡Also observed natural selection in nature (4 observations)
These helped him develop theory of evolution
How did Thomas Malthus influence Darwin? - Answer *Malthus*: He said that populations
grow faster than resources. This gave Darwin the idea of individuals in a population are
competing and struggling for these limited resources once it reaches a tipping point.
What did Darwin propose as the main mechanism for evolution? - Answer Darwin stated
*Natural selection* is the mechanism for evolution.
What were Darwin's 4 observations of natural selection? - Answer *OVERPRODUCTION*
➡more offspring are born than will survive to adulthood
,*UNEQUAL SURVIVAL AND REPRODUCTION*
➡some individuals will survive longer/reproduce more than others
➡individuals will compete for scarce resources
*HERITABLE VARIATION*
➡Individuals have variation, offspring tends to resemble parents
*NONRANDOM SURVIVAL/REPRODUCTION*
➡Survival & reproduction rates are not random, they are based on phenotypic traits which are
most advantageous
➡Frequency of well-adapted individuals/traits will increase in a population,
(badly-adapted individuals die out and don't reproduce, decrease their frequency)
What does fitness mean?
What is a good measure of fitness? - Answer *Fitness*: refers to survival and reproductive
success, has nothing to do w/ physical fitness
➡how well a trait can allow one to survive, and continue to be passed down
Measured by: high # of offspring
How does artificial selection compare to natural selection? - Answer Artificial Selection
➡Humans consciously select whatever trait within a plant/animals that works best for us
Natural Selection
➡Environment unconsciously selects trait that best allows that individual to survive and
reproduce (*adapt*) within the environment
What is some evidence of evolution? What are vestigial organs? - Answer *ARTIFICIAL
SELECTION*
-humans perform "natural selection" when we selectively breed crops/livestock with favorable
traits, which increases the frequency of those traits in future generation (Ex: selectively
breeding wild mustard for different uses)
*DIRECT OBSERVATION*
, -By observing viruses/bacteria, who can reproduce extremely quickly, evolution can be
examined directly
*HOMOLOGY*
➡Similarity due to shared evolutionary ancestry
➡Homologous structures
➡*Vestigial organs* - structures of individuals which are not used after evolution, which served
purpose long before EX: Whale legs, Kiwi wings, Wisdom Teeth
*Fossil Record*
➡Remains or traces of previously existing organisms, record of morphology, time & place, help
infer relationships
Do individuals evolve?
How true was Lamarck's theory? - Answer Individuals do not evolve to fit their environment.
Individuals with better-adapted traits will survive longer/reproduce more which will increase
the frequency of those well-adapted traits within a population over time.
ORGANISMS ARE NOT POKEMON
*Lamarck was incorrect, since individuals do not evolve within their lifespan. It happens over
generations*.
What drives natural selection? - Answer *The environment drives natural selection*
-if trait is advantageous in one environment, that trait will increase in frequency within that
environment over generations
-If moved to a different environment where the trait is not advantageous, it will decrease in
frequency
not a conscious choice, whatever works in an environment is selected *adaptations*
What is descent with modification? - Answer the idea that species change over time, give
rise to new species, and share a common ancestor
Lecture 20 - Population Genetics - Answer *CC Sources of variation*
