Chapter 10: Origin and Diversification of Life on Earth

Question 1

Classifying Asexual Species

Answer 1

Asexual reproduction does not involve interbreeding, so the concept of reproductive isolation is no longer meaningful

Question 2

Classifying Fossil Species

Answer 2

Differences in size and shape of fossil bones cannot reveal whether there was reproductive isolation between the individuals from which the bones came

Question 3

Determining when one species has changed into another

Answer 3

There is rarely a definitive moment marking the transition from one species to another

Question 4

Classifying Ring Species

Answer 4

Two non-interbreeding populations may be connected to each other by gene flow through another population so there is no exact point where one species stops and the other begins

Question 5

Classifying Hybridizing Species

Answer 5

The interbreeding of closely related species sometimes occurs and produces fertile offspring suggesting that the borders between the species are not clear cut

Question 6

Convergent Evolution

Answer 6

Occurs when populations of different organisms live in similar environments and experience similar selective forces

Question 7

Analogous Traits

Answer 7

Are characteristics that are similar because they were produced by convergent evolution not because they share a common ancestor

Question 8

Homologous Features

Answer 8

Features that are inherited from a common ancestor

Question 9

Macroevolution

Answer 9

The accumulated effect of micro evolution over a long period of time

Question 10

Micro evolution

Answer 10

A slight change in allele frequencies over one or a few generations

Question 11

Punctuated Equilibrium

Answer 11

Since the pace of evolution is not constant there are long periods of little evolutionary change mixed with bursts of rapid evolutionary change

Question 12

Gradual Change

Answer 12

Evolution occurs gradually in incremental steps

Question 13

Adaptive Radiation

Answer 13

A small number of species diversified into a much larger number of species that are able to live in a wide diversity of habitats

Question 14

Mass Extinction Events

Answer 14

With their competition suddenly eliminated, the remaining species can rapidly diversify

Question 15

Colonization Events

Answer 15

Moving to a new location with new resources and possibly fewer competitors the colonizers can rapidly diversify

Question 16

Evolutionary Innovations

Answer 16

With the evolution of an innovative feature that increases fitness, a species can rapidly diversify