BIO 210 Exam 1
What is critical for Darwin's idea of natural selection? - Answer-Individuals vary in their
traits
-Natural resources are limited
-Some individual variation is heritable
In general, a scientific hypothesis never becomes a theory - answer False
How were Darwin and Wallace similar? - answer-Both used birds as examples for
checks in population size
-Discussed a branching tree of life
-Argued that artificial selection is analogous to natural selection
Which mechanism of genetic mutation is the most important driver of genetic variation in
populations? - answer Chromosomal mutations
When narrow-sense heritability is high for a particular trait, offspring tend to resemble
their parents for that trait - answerTrue
Four factors that play into phenotypic variation in a population (1 most important, 4 least
important) - answer1) allelic variation
2) gene interactions
3) environmental variation
4) differential reproductive success
Heritability indicates the degree to which a characteristic is genetically determined -
answerTrue
Measures of heritability are specific to a defined population in a given environment -
answerTrue
If broad-sense heritability for a trait is very high and narrow sense heritability is very low,
what must be true? - answerEnvironmental variance must be high relative to total
phenotypic variance
A trait with a broad sense heritability = 0 - answerThe phenotypic variation in the
population is explained by differences in the environments experienced by individuals
A trait with a narrow sense heritability = 0 - answerVariation in trait is not due to
variation in additive genetic effects
, Any change in a population from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can be defined as -
answerEvolution
Gene expression - answerthe appearance in a phenotype of a characteristic or effect
attributed to a particular gene
Spontaneous mutation - answerMutation that arises naturally and not as a result of
exposure to mutagens
Regulator genes - answerControlling the expression of one or more genes
Analogous - answerBiological structures having similar/corresponding function but not
from the same evolutionary origin
Chromosome - answerDNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an
organism
Charles Lyell - answer-Gradual geologic processes have shaped Earth's surface
-Influenced Darwin
Biological/Darwinian fitness - answerAbility to survive to a reproductive age, find a mate,
produce offspring. More offspring=greater biological fitness
Histone Methylation - answerModification of certain amino acids in a histone protein by
the addition of one, two, or three methyl groups
Histone Acetylation - answeralters accessibility of chromatin to allow DNA binding
protein to activate gene transcription and downstream cellular functions
DNA Methylation - answerMethyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Can change
the activity of DNA segment without changing the sequence
Why does genotype not equal phenotype - answerGenotype= genetic makeup.
Phenotype= physical characteristics. Gene expression, gene interactions, heritability,
epigenetics
How is genotypic variation generated - answerMutations, gene flow, meiosis
Difference in hypothesis and theory - answerA hypothesis is a suggested explanation
for an observable phenomenon. A theory is a tested, well substantiated, unifying
explanation
How is the Hardy-Weinberg theorem used as a null hypothesis for evolution -
answerBecause the theorem describes the conditions under which allele frequencies do
not change
What is critical for Darwin's idea of natural selection? - Answer-Individuals vary in their
traits
-Natural resources are limited
-Some individual variation is heritable
In general, a scientific hypothesis never becomes a theory - answer False
How were Darwin and Wallace similar? - answer-Both used birds as examples for
checks in population size
-Discussed a branching tree of life
-Argued that artificial selection is analogous to natural selection
Which mechanism of genetic mutation is the most important driver of genetic variation in
populations? - answer Chromosomal mutations
When narrow-sense heritability is high for a particular trait, offspring tend to resemble
their parents for that trait - answerTrue
Four factors that play into phenotypic variation in a population (1 most important, 4 least
important) - answer1) allelic variation
2) gene interactions
3) environmental variation
4) differential reproductive success
Heritability indicates the degree to which a characteristic is genetically determined -
answerTrue
Measures of heritability are specific to a defined population in a given environment -
answerTrue
If broad-sense heritability for a trait is very high and narrow sense heritability is very low,
what must be true? - answerEnvironmental variance must be high relative to total
phenotypic variance
A trait with a broad sense heritability = 0 - answerThe phenotypic variation in the
population is explained by differences in the environments experienced by individuals
A trait with a narrow sense heritability = 0 - answerVariation in trait is not due to
variation in additive genetic effects
, Any change in a population from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can be defined as -
answerEvolution
Gene expression - answerthe appearance in a phenotype of a characteristic or effect
attributed to a particular gene
Spontaneous mutation - answerMutation that arises naturally and not as a result of
exposure to mutagens
Regulator genes - answerControlling the expression of one or more genes
Analogous - answerBiological structures having similar/corresponding function but not
from the same evolutionary origin
Chromosome - answerDNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an
organism
Charles Lyell - answer-Gradual geologic processes have shaped Earth's surface
-Influenced Darwin
Biological/Darwinian fitness - answerAbility to survive to a reproductive age, find a mate,
produce offspring. More offspring=greater biological fitness
Histone Methylation - answerModification of certain amino acids in a histone protein by
the addition of one, two, or three methyl groups
Histone Acetylation - answeralters accessibility of chromatin to allow DNA binding
protein to activate gene transcription and downstream cellular functions
DNA Methylation - answerMethyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Can change
the activity of DNA segment without changing the sequence
Why does genotype not equal phenotype - answerGenotype= genetic makeup.
Phenotype= physical characteristics. Gene expression, gene interactions, heritability,
epigenetics
How is genotypic variation generated - answerMutations, gene flow, meiosis
Difference in hypothesis and theory - answerA hypothesis is a suggested explanation
for an observable phenomenon. A theory is a tested, well substantiated, unifying
explanation
How is the Hardy-Weinberg theorem used as a null hypothesis for evolution -
answerBecause the theorem describes the conditions under which allele frequencies do
not change
