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Question 1

How can you explain Lamarck’s theory of acquired characteristics?

Answer 1

Lamarck proposed that traits acquired during an organism’s life can be passed to offspring, unlike Darwin’s natural selection.

Question 2

What is the mechanism of natural selection proposed by Darwin and Wallace?

Answer 2

Natural selection involves organisms with advantageous traits surviving and reproducing more successfully.

Question 3

What is the significance of Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species?

Answer 3

It introduced the theory of natural selection and explained how species evolve through survival of the fittest.

Question 4

What did Darwin propose about competition for resources?

Answer 4

Organisms compete for limited resources, and those with favourable traits are more likely to survive.

Question 5

How does natural selection lead to changes in populations?

Answer 5

Natural selection alters the gene pool over time, leading to evolutionary changes in the population.

Question 6

What causes variation in organisms that drives evolution?

Answer 6

Mutations in DNA create genetic variation, which is the basis for evolutionary change.

Question 7

What is an adaptation in evolutionary terms?

Answer 7

An adaptation is a trait that increases an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction in a given environment.

Question 8

What is the difference between allopatric and sympatric speciation?

Answer 8

Allopatric speciation involves geographic isolation, while sympatric speciation occurs without physical barriers in the same environment.

Question 9

How does sympatric speciation occur without geographic isolation?

Answer 9

Sympatric speciation can result from genetic, behavioral, or ecological changes that lead to reproductive isolation within the same area.

Question 10

Why is the Grants’ finch evolution study significant?

Answer 10

It provides real-world evidence of natural selection in action, showing how environmental factors can lead to evolutionary changes.

Question 11

How do paleontologists use fossils to study evolution?

Answer 11

Fossils allow scientists to trace evolutionary history and observe how species have changed over time.

Question 12

What types of evidence support evolution from living organisms?

Answer 12

Studies of anatomy, genetics, and biochemistry show similarities between species that support the theory of evolution.

Question 13

How can human activity influence evolution in species?

Answer 13

Human actions, like the overuse of antibiotics, can drive evolutionary changes, such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Question 14

How does biogeography explain the distribution of species today?

Answer 14

Geographic separation has caused species to evolve differently in various parts of the world, shaping their current distribution.

Question 15

What is convergent evolution?

Answer 15

Convergent evolution occurs when unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.

Question 16

What is divergent evolution?

Answer 16

Divergent evolution happens when related species evolve distinct traits due to differences in their environments.

Question 17

What is Darwin’s theory of natural selection?

Answer 17

Darwin’s theory states that organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass those traits to their offspring.

Question 18

What are the key differences between Darwin and Lamarck’s theories of evolution?

Answer 18

Darwin proposed natural selection, while Lamarck believed in the inheritance of acquired traits during an organism’s lifetime.

Question 19

What was Malthus’s key argument, and how did it influence Darwin’s theory?

Answer 19

Malthus argued that populations grow faster than food supplies, leading to competition, which influenced Darwin’s ideas on survival of the fittest.

Question 20

Why were Darwin and Wallace’s travels crucial for their theories?

Answer 20

Observing diverse species in different regions provided the key insights that helped them develop the theory of natural selection.

Question 21

What are the two types of speciation?

Answer 21

Allopatric speciation involves physical separation, while sympatric speciation occurs without physical barriers.

Question 22

Why are cheetahs more at risk of extinction than lions?

Answer 22

Cheetahs have low genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to environmental changes, while lions have greater genetic variation.

Question 23

How might sympatric speciation eventually lead to geographic isolation?

Answer 23

Sympatric speciation can result in reproductive isolation within the same area, which over time might lead to new species that are geographically distinct.

Question 24

What are the two types of evidence for evolution, and how do they complement each other?

Answer 24

Living organisms provide evidence through DNA and anatomical similarities, while fossils show transitional forms and evolutionary history.

Question 25

How did scientists predict where to find Tiktaalik, and why is this important?

Answer 25

By using evolutionary theory and geological data, scientists predicted where transitional fossils might be found, like Tiktaalik, demonstrating the scientific method in action.

Question 26

How can modern species help reconstruct dinosaur genomes?

Answer 26

Birds, as the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, can provide insights into dinosaur genomes through their evolutionary connections.

Question 27

Is human evolution still occurring, and how might it change in new environments?

Answer 27

Human evolution may still be ongoing, but colonizing new environments, like other planets, could lead to different evolutionary pressures and changes.

Question 28

How does the fossil record help explain monotreme distribution and evolution?

Answer 28

Fossils show the historical distribution of monotremes and help scientists understand how and where these species evolved.