Biology 200 Exam 1 with 100% Correct
Answers
Define Evolution and Adaptation - ANSWER--The gradual change in a species over
time
-the process of changing to fit a new environment or different conditions, or the resulting
change
What was Aristotle's scala naturae? - ANSWER-Aristotle made a great chain of being
which is a hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought by medieval Christianity to
have been decreed by god. The chain exhibits numerous figures from god to minerals in
the earth.
Describe the ideas of catastrophism, gradualism, transformism, and uniformitarianism -
ANSWER-Catastrophism(Georges Cuvier)- theorizes the Earth has been shaped by
SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED, VIOLENT events Gradualism(James Hutton)- theorizes that
change comes about
GRADUALLY in nature as opposed to suddenly Transformism(Jean-Bapiste Lamarck)-
theorizes that changes occur within a lineage population but that lineages do not split;
there is no speciation. "Use + Disuse"+ "Inheritance of characteristics"
What is Darwinian fitness? How is this different from how non-scientists use this word? -
ANSWER-"The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next gene pool
of the next generation relative to the contribution of other individuals." Non-scientists
use the word loosely to describe how physically fit an organism is relative to their
environment.
What is Darwinian fitness? How is this different from how non-scientists use this word? -
ANSWER-"The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next gene pool
of the next generation relative to the contribution of other individuals." Non-scientists
use the word loosely to describe how physically fit an organism is relative to their
environment.
Explain why individuals cannot evolve. What is the smallest unit that can evolve? -
ANSWER-INDIVIDUALS DO NOT EVOLVE, NOT POKEMON. Once you are born with
god given traits they cannot be genetically changed over your lifetime. Evolution occurs
over a large amount of time where once no generation shows any other trait than the
one that has evolved, then it'll be considered as evolution. Smallest unit that can evolve
is a population!
, What does it mean that natural selection acts on the individual? Or acts on the
phenotype? Or
"grades on a curve"? - ANSWER-When natural selection acts on an individual, it is
selecting those with a higher overall fitness compared to the rest of the population.
When it acts on the phenotype, the physical characteristics that give an organism a
reproductive advantage may become more common in a population.
Grades on a curve:
Stabilizing selection: Intermediate phenotypes have the highest fitness, and the bell
curve tends to narrow.
Directional selection: One of the extreme phenotypes has the highest fitness. The bell
curve shifts towards the more fit phenotype.
Disruptive selection: Both extreme phenotypes have a higher fitness than intermediate
phenotypes. The bell curve develops two peaks.
Explain the statement "It is the population, not the individual, that evolves." - ANSWER-
A single organism cannot evolve by itself. Natural selection is survival of the fittest, so
the adaptations are relative to each other.
Define the terms population , species, and gene pool - ANSWER-Population: all of the
individuals of a species living within a specific area
Species: group of populations that interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Gene Pool: a collection of all the gene variants in the species.
Explain the role of population size in genetic drift. - ANSWER-Larger populations are
unlikely to change this quickly as a result of genetic drift.
Smaller populations are more likely to have quicker changes.
bottleneck effect: when the size of the population is severely reduced.
Founders effect: when a small group of individuals break off from a larger population to
establish a colony.
Describe how gene flow can act to reduce genetic differences between adjacent
populations. - ANSWER-Gene flow can act to reduce genetic differences in adjacent
populations because gene flow increases the movement of genes from different
populations of species. The more interbreeding between the two populations, the more
similar their genes.
Be able to explain how each of the 5 mechanisms can cause a population to evolve -
ANSWER-1. Mutation
2. genetic drift
3. gene flow
4. non-random mating
5. natural selection
Answers
Define Evolution and Adaptation - ANSWER--The gradual change in a species over
time
-the process of changing to fit a new environment or different conditions, or the resulting
change
What was Aristotle's scala naturae? - ANSWER-Aristotle made a great chain of being
which is a hierarchical structure of all matter and life, thought by medieval Christianity to
have been decreed by god. The chain exhibits numerous figures from god to minerals in
the earth.
Describe the ideas of catastrophism, gradualism, transformism, and uniformitarianism -
ANSWER-Catastrophism(Georges Cuvier)- theorizes the Earth has been shaped by
SUDDEN, SHORT-LIVED, VIOLENT events Gradualism(James Hutton)- theorizes that
change comes about
GRADUALLY in nature as opposed to suddenly Transformism(Jean-Bapiste Lamarck)-
theorizes that changes occur within a lineage population but that lineages do not split;
there is no speciation. "Use + Disuse"+ "Inheritance of characteristics"
What is Darwinian fitness? How is this different from how non-scientists use this word? -
ANSWER-"The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next gene pool
of the next generation relative to the contribution of other individuals." Non-scientists
use the word loosely to describe how physically fit an organism is relative to their
environment.
What is Darwinian fitness? How is this different from how non-scientists use this word? -
ANSWER-"The contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next gene pool
of the next generation relative to the contribution of other individuals." Non-scientists
use the word loosely to describe how physically fit an organism is relative to their
environment.
Explain why individuals cannot evolve. What is the smallest unit that can evolve? -
ANSWER-INDIVIDUALS DO NOT EVOLVE, NOT POKEMON. Once you are born with
god given traits they cannot be genetically changed over your lifetime. Evolution occurs
over a large amount of time where once no generation shows any other trait than the
one that has evolved, then it'll be considered as evolution. Smallest unit that can evolve
is a population!
, What does it mean that natural selection acts on the individual? Or acts on the
phenotype? Or
"grades on a curve"? - ANSWER-When natural selection acts on an individual, it is
selecting those with a higher overall fitness compared to the rest of the population.
When it acts on the phenotype, the physical characteristics that give an organism a
reproductive advantage may become more common in a population.
Grades on a curve:
Stabilizing selection: Intermediate phenotypes have the highest fitness, and the bell
curve tends to narrow.
Directional selection: One of the extreme phenotypes has the highest fitness. The bell
curve shifts towards the more fit phenotype.
Disruptive selection: Both extreme phenotypes have a higher fitness than intermediate
phenotypes. The bell curve develops two peaks.
Explain the statement "It is the population, not the individual, that evolves." - ANSWER-
A single organism cannot evolve by itself. Natural selection is survival of the fittest, so
the adaptations are relative to each other.
Define the terms population , species, and gene pool - ANSWER-Population: all of the
individuals of a species living within a specific area
Species: group of populations that interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Gene Pool: a collection of all the gene variants in the species.
Explain the role of population size in genetic drift. - ANSWER-Larger populations are
unlikely to change this quickly as a result of genetic drift.
Smaller populations are more likely to have quicker changes.
bottleneck effect: when the size of the population is severely reduced.
Founders effect: when a small group of individuals break off from a larger population to
establish a colony.
Describe how gene flow can act to reduce genetic differences between adjacent
populations. - ANSWER-Gene flow can act to reduce genetic differences in adjacent
populations because gene flow increases the movement of genes from different
populations of species. The more interbreeding between the two populations, the more
similar their genes.
Be able to explain how each of the 5 mechanisms can cause a population to evolve -
ANSWER-1. Mutation
2. genetic drift
3. gene flow
4. non-random mating
5. natural selection
