Chapters 1-5

Question 1

Natural Selection

Answer 1

Living species are the product of an unguided, unconscious process of reproductive competition among their ancestors.

Question 2

What 3 conditions are necessary for Natural selection to cause evolution

Answer 2

Variation, Differences in reproductive success, Heredity

Question 3

What is the difference between genes and alleles?

Answer 3

Genes are segments of DNA that typically code for the amino acid sequences of proteins. Alleles are different forms of genes, i.e. an allele for blue eyes.

Question 4

Eusociality

Answer 4

Species with colonies that contain special nonreproducing castes that work for the reproducing members of the colony

Question 5

Altruism

Answer 5

Helpful behavior that lowers the helper’s reproductive success while increasing the reproductive success of the individual being helped.

Question 6

William D. Hamilton’s theory

Answer 6

Kin selection

Question 7

Haploid vs. Diploid

Answer 7

Haploid is one copy of each gene like gametes. Diploid means having two copies of each gene.

Question 8

What is the difference between the round dance and waggle dance of honeybees?

Answer 8

Round dance = food within 50 meters of hive. Waggle dance= pollen source more than 50 meters away.

Question 9

What do the steps of the waggle dance of honeybees mean?

Answer 9

The bees points toward the food source in relation to the sun (if horizontal) or in relation to gravity (if vertical, straight up representing the position of the sun).

Question 10

What are some different reproductive strategies of Pied Kingfishers?

Answer 10

Primary helper=Provide parents with fish in year 1, 40% chance of mating in year 2. Secondary helper=help unrelated nesting pairs in year 1, 84% chance of breeding in year 2. Delayer=completely sit out 1st breeding season, 29% chance of breeding in year 2.

Question 11

Difference between facultative and obligate altruism.

Answer 11

Vertebrates sometimes have an optional loss of reproduction vs. Insects

Question 12

Sensory exploitation

Answer 12

Established sensory systems are hijacked in the evolution of signals

Question 13

The Panda Principle

Answer 13

The principle of imperfection, because Panda’s ancestors thumbs had modified to run with, it was unavailable to grasp with, so selection acted on variations in their radial sesamoid bones to become thumb-like.

Question 14

Honest signal

Answer 14

Signal that conveys accurate information about fighting ability or fitness

Question 15

Illegitimate signalers

Answer 15

deceptive signals that reduce the fitness of the signal receiver.

Question 16

Pleiotropy

Answer 16

When a gene has more than one effect. I.e. chickens with the frizzle gene have lower body temperatures.

Question 17

Selfish Herd

Answer 17

Members take advantage of one another

Question 18

Game theory

Answer 18

The adaptive value of one behavior is dependent on what the other members in the group do

Question 19

Operant conditioning

Answer 19

Learning by trial and error. Operant=action becomes more frequent if rewarded.

Question 20

Optimality theory

Answer 20

Attributes in organisms are better than others in the ration of fitness benefits to cost.

Question 21

Frequency-Dependent Selection

Answer 21

Members of a group with the least common feature are more fit because of their rarity.

Question 22

According to Hrdy, what is the explanatory hypothesis for why Hanuman Langurs kill infants?

Answer 22

It is a reproductive strategy of usurping males among nonseasonal and flexible female reproductive physiology in which they ovulate soon after the death of her infant.

Question 23

What are 4 reasons why male Belding’s ground squirrels disperse?

Answer 23

Neurological effects of gonad development, Triggered by the attainment of a minimum body mass, To reduce the likelihood of incest, Male dispersal evolved in many mammalian lineages in general.

Question 24

What are the 3 key lessons on collective intelligence from bees?

Answer 24

1. Open competition of ideas 2. Independence of opinions 3. Aggregating the opinions in a timely way while at the same time exploiting the breadth of knowledge in the group.

Question 25

What keeps animals like song sparrows from lying?

Answer 25

1. Certain developmental conditions must be present early in life fort them to have increased vocal abilities. 2. The use of soft song is so risky (due to the fact that other receivers can’t hear it) that they must mean business.

Question 26

Describe territoriality disputes among male loons.

Answer 26

Newcomers challenge residents. 30% of encounters end with resident death because they fight to the death and challengers are typically in their prime. New territory owners adopt a yodel vastly different from the old resident.