1. Evolution and the Niche

Question 1

The genotype of an individual

Answer 1

The genotype of an organism is its complete set of genetic material. Genotype can also be used to refer to the alleles or variants an individual carries in a particular gene or genetic location

Question 2

the phenotype of an individual

Answer 2

Phenotype refers to an individual’s observable traits, such as height, eye color and blood type. A person’s phenotype is determined by both their genomic makeup (genotype) and environmental factors

Question 3

A person’s phenotype is determined by

Answer 3

both their genomic makeup (genotype) and environmental factors

Question 4

fitness

Answer 4

the ability of organisms- or populations or species- to survive and reproduce in the environment in which they find themselves, and thus contribute genes to the next generation.

Question 5

the ability of organisms- or populations or species- to survive and reproduce in the environment in which they find themselves, and thus contribute genes to the next generation is refereed to as

Answer 5

the fitness of an organism

Question 6

what is a mechanism of evolution where organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success. This process causes species to change and diverge over time

Answer 6

natural selection

Question 6

Natural Selection

Answer 6

Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution. Organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on the genes that aided their success. This process causes species to change and diverge over time

Question 7

situation:
there are green and brown beetles
birds prefer brown beetles and only eat the green
what happens generations later and what is this an example of

Answer 7

generations later the green beetles have been selected against and brown beetles have been flourished

this is an example of natural selection

Question 8

adaptation

Answer 8

1. Adaptation is the evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes better able to live in its habitat or habitats.
2. Adaptedness is the state of being adapted: the degree to which an organism is able to live and reproduce in a given set of habitats

Question 9

the evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes better able to live in its habitat or habitats is called

Answer 9

adaptation

Question 10

the degree to which an organism is able to live and reproduce in a given set of habitats is referred to as

Answer 10

the state of being adapted

Question 11

artificial selection

Answer 11

An evolutionary process in which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms –

for example, by choosing which individuals to save seeds from or breed from one generation to the next.
People have been artificially selecting plants and animals for thousands of years

Question 12

example of artificial selection by humans

Answer 12

choosing which individuals to save seeds from or breed from one generation to the next.
People have been artificially selecting plants and animals for thousands of years

Question 13

An evolutionary process in which humans consciously select for or against particular features in organisms is called

Answer 13

artificial selection

Question 13

what is the basis of the biological species concept

Answer 13

empirical test proposed to determine whether or not two populations were part of the same or different species.
Recognized that organisms belonged to a single species if they could (at least potentially) breed together in nature to produce fertile offspring

Question 14

The biological species concept defines

Answer 14

a species as members of populations that actually or potentially interbreed in nature, not according to similarity of appearance. Although appearance is helpful in identifying species, it does not define species.

Question 14

organisms belonged to a single species if they could

Answer 14

(at least potentially) breed together in nature to produce fertile offspring

Question 14

a species

Answer 14

a group of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups

Question 14

can populations which are indistinguishable from morphologically be classified as separate species if they do not interchange genes?

Answer 14

Yes, populations that are morphologically indistinguishable can be classified as separate species if they do not interchange genes

Question 15

how are biological species maintained?

Answer 15

keep them reproductively isolated

Question 16

reproductive isolating mechanisms is

Answer 16

anything that prevents the flow of genes from species, such as species living in close proximity to each other, so that they remain distinct from one another

Question 17

the 2 broad types of reproductive isolating mechanisms

Answer 17

1) premating or prezygotic mechanisms

2) postmating or zygotic isolating mechanisms

Question 18

premating or prezygotic mechanisms reproductive isolating mechanisms

Answer 18

1) ecological or habitat isolation (populations occur in different habitats)

2) seasonal or temporal isolation (eg- mating or flowering times occurring in different seasons)

3) sexual isolation (mutual attraction between different species is weak or absent - see this over time in songbirds that have been geographically isolated for a long time)

4) mechanical isolation (physical, non correspondence in genitalia or flower parts)

5) isolation by different pollinators (related species attract different pollinators)

6) gametic isolation (gametes nonviable)

Question 19

postmating or zygotic isolating mechanisms reproductive isolating mechanisms (mating taking place)

Answer 19

1) hybrid in viability (hybrid zygotes have reduced viability or are in viable- the offspring dont survive at all)

2) hybrid sterility (offspring will survive but they in turn cannot reproduce eg- with mules )

3) hybrid breakdown (hybrids have reduced viability or sterility )

Question 20

what is a condition in the context of species distribution and abundance

Answer 20

need to know the organisms’ history, resources, what is it required to survive, individual rates of births, deaths and migration, interactions with their own as well as other species and the effects of its environmental conditions

the condition is defined as a abiotic environmental factor that influences the functioning of organisms

eg- temperature, ph, salinity (these condtions in turn can be altered by the presence of another organism)

Question 21

example of a condition that can be changed/altered by the presence of other species

Answer 21

trees creating shade for other organisms (that reduces the amount of light that is reaching the forest floor- organisms changing the conditions for other organisms)

Question 22

how do conditions differ from resources

Answer 22

conditions are not depleatable

Question 23

conditions and resources can differ depending on

Answer 23

the organism
eg- solar radiation might be considered a condition for a insect but a resource for a plant

Question 24

some abiotic parameters can also be considered both resources and conditions depending on the situation
example -

Answer 24

so a plant uses water as a resource but if you have too much water from heavy rainfall that can wash away the plant = unfavourable condition

Question 25

environmental variability
several environmental parameters (conditions) may vary

Answer 25

temperature
acidity
salinity
osmolarity
radiation

these in turn have direct physiological and behavioral impacts on organisms

Question 26

environmental variability have direct physiological and behavioral impacts on

Answer 26

organisms

Question 27

if competition and predation affect the niche of an organism by reducing it, what effect would muralists have on a realized niche of an organism?

Answer 27

mutalists benefit one another
if a organism comes along that mutually benefits me i would expand my realized niche

realized niche would be expanded

Question 27

types of speciation

Answer 27

Allopatric Speciation

Parapatric speciation

sympatric speciation

Question 28

speciation

Answer 28

Speciation is how a new kind of plant or animal species is created.
Speciation occurs when a group within a species separates from other members of its species and develops its own unique characteristics

Question 29

Allopatric Speciation

Answer 29

new species evolves in geographic isolation from parent species

when a geographic barrier divides a population into two smaller populations

easiest one

Question 29

Parapatric speciation

Answer 29

occurs where the speciating populations are contiguous and hence only partially geographically isolated

when a small group breaker off from a larger group and forms a new species due to physical barriers - difference is one group that left is much smaller than the other and this small group may have different traits reflected in new generations

eg- larus gulls

Question 30

Niche

Answer 30

niche is not a place but an idea
niche is the summary of the organisms tolerance and requirements

not only talking about 1 environmental condition (such as temperature) but a combination of several different conditions)

organisms can change their niche as they develop

habitats typically consist of many different niches supporting many different species

Question 31

sympatric speciation

Answer 31

speciation where there is no geographic separation between the isolating populations

occurs through a change in host preference, food preference, or habitat preference in order to prevent new species from being swamped by gene flow