UNLV BIO 189 FINAL EXAM CORRECT
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How does the fossil record reveal information about evolutionary changes? - ANSWER
Species change over time, and all organisms descended from a single common
ancestor.
What features make Tiktaalik a transitional fossil, and role do these types of fossils have
in the fossil record? - ANSWER Tiktaalik splits the difference of what you think of as a
fish and a limbed animal. These fossils show how organisms evolved from water to
land.
What can anatomy and DNA reveal about evolution? - ANSWER DNA shows the
amount of time that has elapsed since the two species shared a common ancestor.
Anatomy can be used to show how organisms are connected through certain bone
structures.
What are the major groups of organisms? - ANSWER Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya
What is the classification of species? - ANSWER Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family, Genus, Species
How do fossils form? - ANSWER An organism dies, and is preserved quickly either by
rapid freezing, burial in sediment layers, amber etc. If the conditions are right for
fossilization the organism is fossilized by mineralization or by imprint or mold.
What types of organisms is either most likely, or least likely to be fossilized? - ANSWER
Most likely is organisms with bony skeletons or hard shells. Least likely is soft
organisms like earthworms or jellyfish
Relative Dating - ANSWER Determines the age of a fossil from its position relative to
layers of rock and of other known fossils.
Radiometric Dating - ANSWER Uses radioactive isotopes as a measure for determining
the age of a rock or fossils. By measuring the products of decay of radioactive elements
present in layers.
Homology - ANSWER Anatomical, genetic, or developmental similarity among
organisms due to common ancestry.
Vestigial Structures - ANSWER A structure inherited from an ancestor that no longer
serves a clear function in the organism that possesses it.
,Why are vertebrate limbs so different despite structural abnormalities? - ANSWER They
have different functions.
Half-life - ANSWER The time it takes for one-half of a sample of a radioactive isotope
decay.
Adaptive Radiation - ANSWER The spreading and diversification of organisms that
occur when they colonize a new habitat.
Punctuated Equilibrium - ANSWER Periodic bursts of species change as a result of
sudden environmental change.
Convergent Evolution - ANSWER The process by which organisms that are not closely
related evolve similar adaptations as a result of independent episodes of natural
selection.
Microevolution - ANSWER Evolutionary change over a short period of time
Macroevolution - ANSWER Major evolutionary change over a period of time.
Reproductive Isolation - ANSWER The inability of a species to breed successfully due
to geographical, behavioral, physiological or genetic barriers.
Speciation - ANSWER The genetic divergence of populations, leading over time to
reproductive isolation and the formation of new species
Allopatric Speciation - ANSWER When organisms from the same species become
isolated from each other to an extent that prevents or interferes with genetic
interchange.
Sympatric Speciation - ANSWER New species evolve from a single ancestral species
while inhabiting the same geographic region.
Ontogeny - ANSWER Development of a specific organism
Convergent Evolution - ANSWER Unrelated organisms evolve similar adaptations
resulting from independent episodes of natural selection.
Divergent Evolution - ANSWER A group from a specific population evolves into two
different populations to adapt to their environments .
What are the prokaryotic domains of life? - ANSWER Bacteria and Archaea
Bacteria - ANSWER Some are autotrophs and others are heterotrophs, most possess a
cell wall, a lot of genetic diversity.
, Archaea - ANSWER simple cells that lack a nucleus, extremophiles and survive in
harsh environments.
What are the challenges faced by organisms living in the Lost City? - ANSWER Low
Oxygen, High Temperature, Extreme pH, High Pressure. they survive because they are
extremophiles.
Prokaryotic Cells - ANSWER A usually unicellular organism whose cell lacks internal
membrane-bound organelles and whose DNA is not contained within a nucleus
Eukaryote - ANSWER Characterized by the presence of a membrane-enclosed nucleus
and organelles.
What are plants characterized by? - ANSWER Multicellular eukaryote, cell walls,
photosynthesis, adapted to living on land.
What are animals characterized by? - ANSWER Multicellular eukaryote, obtains
nutrients by ingesting other organisms.
What are fungi characterized by? - ANSWER Unicellular or multicellular eukaryote that
obtains nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes onto organic matter and absorbing the
digested product
What are Protists characterized by? - ANSWER eukaryote that cannot be classified as a
plant, animal, or fungus, usually multicellular
Kingdoms of Eukarya - ANSWER Animals, Fungi, Plants, Protists: Cilia, Slime Molds,
Flagellates, Trichomonads, Microsporidia, Diplomonads
Nitrogen Fixation - ANSWER The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form that
plants can use for growth.
Symbiosis - ANSWER A relationship in which two different organisms live together,
often interdependently
Flagella - ANSWER Whip-like appendages of bacteria to move cell
Pili - ANSWER Short, hairlike appendages of bacteria used to adhere to surfaces
Capsule - ANSWER A sticky coating surrounding some bacterial cells that adheres to
surfaces
Halophile - ANSWER Thrives in high salt concentration
Methanogen - ANSWER bacteria that produces methane as a byproduct to in anoxic
conditions
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How does the fossil record reveal information about evolutionary changes? - ANSWER
Species change over time, and all organisms descended from a single common
ancestor.
What features make Tiktaalik a transitional fossil, and role do these types of fossils have
in the fossil record? - ANSWER Tiktaalik splits the difference of what you think of as a
fish and a limbed animal. These fossils show how organisms evolved from water to
land.
What can anatomy and DNA reveal about evolution? - ANSWER DNA shows the
amount of time that has elapsed since the two species shared a common ancestor.
Anatomy can be used to show how organisms are connected through certain bone
structures.
What are the major groups of organisms? - ANSWER Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya
What is the classification of species? - ANSWER Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family, Genus, Species
How do fossils form? - ANSWER An organism dies, and is preserved quickly either by
rapid freezing, burial in sediment layers, amber etc. If the conditions are right for
fossilization the organism is fossilized by mineralization or by imprint or mold.
What types of organisms is either most likely, or least likely to be fossilized? - ANSWER
Most likely is organisms with bony skeletons or hard shells. Least likely is soft
organisms like earthworms or jellyfish
Relative Dating - ANSWER Determines the age of a fossil from its position relative to
layers of rock and of other known fossils.
Radiometric Dating - ANSWER Uses radioactive isotopes as a measure for determining
the age of a rock or fossils. By measuring the products of decay of radioactive elements
present in layers.
Homology - ANSWER Anatomical, genetic, or developmental similarity among
organisms due to common ancestry.
Vestigial Structures - ANSWER A structure inherited from an ancestor that no longer
serves a clear function in the organism that possesses it.
,Why are vertebrate limbs so different despite structural abnormalities? - ANSWER They
have different functions.
Half-life - ANSWER The time it takes for one-half of a sample of a radioactive isotope
decay.
Adaptive Radiation - ANSWER The spreading and diversification of organisms that
occur when they colonize a new habitat.
Punctuated Equilibrium - ANSWER Periodic bursts of species change as a result of
sudden environmental change.
Convergent Evolution - ANSWER The process by which organisms that are not closely
related evolve similar adaptations as a result of independent episodes of natural
selection.
Microevolution - ANSWER Evolutionary change over a short period of time
Macroevolution - ANSWER Major evolutionary change over a period of time.
Reproductive Isolation - ANSWER The inability of a species to breed successfully due
to geographical, behavioral, physiological or genetic barriers.
Speciation - ANSWER The genetic divergence of populations, leading over time to
reproductive isolation and the formation of new species
Allopatric Speciation - ANSWER When organisms from the same species become
isolated from each other to an extent that prevents or interferes with genetic
interchange.
Sympatric Speciation - ANSWER New species evolve from a single ancestral species
while inhabiting the same geographic region.
Ontogeny - ANSWER Development of a specific organism
Convergent Evolution - ANSWER Unrelated organisms evolve similar adaptations
resulting from independent episodes of natural selection.
Divergent Evolution - ANSWER A group from a specific population evolves into two
different populations to adapt to their environments .
What are the prokaryotic domains of life? - ANSWER Bacteria and Archaea
Bacteria - ANSWER Some are autotrophs and others are heterotrophs, most possess a
cell wall, a lot of genetic diversity.
, Archaea - ANSWER simple cells that lack a nucleus, extremophiles and survive in
harsh environments.
What are the challenges faced by organisms living in the Lost City? - ANSWER Low
Oxygen, High Temperature, Extreme pH, High Pressure. they survive because they are
extremophiles.
Prokaryotic Cells - ANSWER A usually unicellular organism whose cell lacks internal
membrane-bound organelles and whose DNA is not contained within a nucleus
Eukaryote - ANSWER Characterized by the presence of a membrane-enclosed nucleus
and organelles.
What are plants characterized by? - ANSWER Multicellular eukaryote, cell walls,
photosynthesis, adapted to living on land.
What are animals characterized by? - ANSWER Multicellular eukaryote, obtains
nutrients by ingesting other organisms.
What are fungi characterized by? - ANSWER Unicellular or multicellular eukaryote that
obtains nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes onto organic matter and absorbing the
digested product
What are Protists characterized by? - ANSWER eukaryote that cannot be classified as a
plant, animal, or fungus, usually multicellular
Kingdoms of Eukarya - ANSWER Animals, Fungi, Plants, Protists: Cilia, Slime Molds,
Flagellates, Trichomonads, Microsporidia, Diplomonads
Nitrogen Fixation - ANSWER The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form that
plants can use for growth.
Symbiosis - ANSWER A relationship in which two different organisms live together,
often interdependently
Flagella - ANSWER Whip-like appendages of bacteria to move cell
Pili - ANSWER Short, hairlike appendages of bacteria used to adhere to surfaces
Capsule - ANSWER A sticky coating surrounding some bacterial cells that adheres to
surfaces
Halophile - ANSWER Thrives in high salt concentration
Methanogen - ANSWER bacteria that produces methane as a byproduct to in anoxic
conditions
