Chapters 15, 17 and Evolution

Question 1

Uniformitarianism

Answer 1

(Hutton/Lyell)
Gradual changes over deep time.
Forces like erosion and deposition that we see today and have been going on since the beginning.

Question 2

Catastrophism

Answer 2

Multiple extinction events that followed by influx and flourishing of previously uncommon species.

Question 3

Evolution

Answer 3

Change in genetic variation in a population over generational time.
Not random.
Does not result in increased/more complex traits.
Generated by observation of similar traits, deep time, and extinction.
The result of selection on existing variation.

Question 4

Lamarckian Evolution

Answer 4

Evolution determined by an organism’s action in their environment.
States that habits lead to changes in organisms; use/disuse.
States that organisms are unrelated.

Question 5

Natural Selection

Answer 5

There is a common ancestor of all life.
Surviving variants pass on inherited traits (filtering mechanism).
The environment is the deriving evolutionary force.
Removes variation by favoring particular alleles.
Environmental pressures.

Question 6

Linnaean Classification

Answer 6

Linnaeus built on previous systems to classify the immense diversity of life on earth.
Linnaeus used anatomy - organismal structure.
Linnaen freamwork is still used, but constantly updated and revised.

Question 7

Modern Classification

Answer 7

1. Geonomic analysis: studying the differences in gene sequences.
2. Behavioral analysis
3. Physiology

Question 8

Genetic Drift

Answer 8

The removal of alleles from a population because of random causes.
This usually happens in small populations, individuals with new alleles might not mate.
This can result in a loss of adaptive alleles that natural selection (environment) might prefer.
Removes Variation by random removal.

Question 9

Gene Flow

Answer 9

Exchange of genes between two population of a species.
An example would be that individuals from one population breed with members of another.
Generally maintains existing variations - reintroduces lost alleles.

Question 10

Morphological Species Concept

Answer 10

Do these two creatures look the same? - It is based on shared physical characteristics.
It is used for fossils and asexually reproducing organisms.

Question 11

Node

Answer 11

Represents the most recent common ancestor or all organisms that follow it in the tree.

Question 12

Clade

Answer 12

What is made up from a given ancestor and all of its descendants.

Question 13

Derived Traits

Answer 13

AKA Homologous Traits.
Traits that are obtained from a common ancestor.
Closely related species will share more derived traits than distantly related species.

Question 14

Convergent Traits

Answer 14

AKA Analogous Traits.
Appears in two lineages, but was not in their most recent common ancestor - they evolved the traits separately.
Anatomical and physiological inconsistencies are apparent.

Question 15

3 Domains of Life

Answer 15

1. Bacteria: unicellular pokaryotes.
2. Archaea: unicellular prokaryotes, have unique plasma membrane/cell wall components that separates them, occupy the wildest varieties of habitats.
3. Eukarya: unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes.

Question 16

6 Kingdoms of Life

Answer 16

1. Bacteria (P)
2. Archaea (P)
3. Protista (E)
4. Plantae (E)
5. Fungi (E)
6. Animalia (E)

Question 17

Prokaryotic Cellular organization

Answer 17

Usually unicellular.
Some prokaryotes exhibit colonial organization.
Movement via the flagella.
Plasmids: free-floating circular chromosomes.

Question 18

Limits of Evolution

Answer 18

1. Species cannot actively change to meet their needs; variation must already exist in a population.
2. Not all genes are possible; genetic constraints, developmental constraints, life-history constraints, or trade-offs.

Question 19

Population

Answer 19

A local group of interbreeding individuals.

The smallest level of life that evolves.

Question 20

Sexual Selection

Answer 20

Mate preference.

Question 21

Artificial Selection

Answer 21

Man’s impact on nature.

Question 22

Aerobic Process

Answer 22

Metabolic process of prokaryotes.

Need Oxygen.

Question 23

Anaerobic Process.

Answer 23

Metabolic process of prokaryotes.
Don’t need oxygen.
Oxygen may limit growth.

Question 24

Chamoautotrophs

Answer 24

Use inorganic chemicals from their environment, such as iron ore, hydrogen, or ammonia as an energy source.

Question 25

Extinction

Answer 25

The result of a species’ inability to adapt to adverse changes in the environment.
The idea of extinction was generated by fossils.

Question 26

Pathogens

Answer 26

Organisms that cause disease in other organisms.

Host specific.

Question 27

Exotoxins

Answer 27

Type of pathogen.

Secreted toxins that damage surrounding tissues.

Question 28

Endotoxins

Answer 28

Type of pathogen.

Toxins within their cell walls/membranes, which triggers illness in the host organism.

Question 29

Menthanogens

Answer 29

Anaerobic archaens that produce gas as a by-product of metabolism.

Question 30

Extremophiles

Answer 30

Organisms that thrive in extreme environments.

Ex: thermophiles, halophiles, and acidophiles.

Question 31

Speciation

Answer 31

One species splits to for two or more species that are reproductively isolated from one another by limiting gene flow.

Question 32

Polyploidy

Answer 32

Rapid chromosomal changes.
Condition in which an individual has more than two sets of chromosomes.
Can be a result from Sympatric Speciation.

Question 33

Biological Species Concept

Answer 33

Species are a group of natural populations that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

Question 34

Binary Fission

Answer 34

How prokaryotes reproduce asexually.
A copy of the DNA is transferred to each of the daughter cells.
Very fast way to divide.

Question 35

Limits to the Morphological Species Concept

Answer 35

1. Separate species can look the same.

2. Members of one species may vary drastically but can still breed.

Question 36

Hybrids

Answer 36

Offspring from distinct species that are able to interbreed in nature and are said to “hybridize”.

Question 37

Sympatric Speciation

Answer 37

The formation of new species in the absence of geographic isolation.

Question 38

The Importance of Cyanobacteria

Answer 38

1. It originated photosynthesis.This process changed the atmospheric composition of earth by increasing the level of available oxygen.
2. Some Eukaryotes took up cyanobacteria to become producers. Like Protists and Plants.

Question 39

Why are Prokaryotes important memebers of all Ecosystems?

Answer 39

1. Decomposers that are heterotrophic.
2. Nitrogen Fixation.
3. Fermentation.
4. Bioremediation.

Question 40

Rapid speciation event possible by…

Answer 40

1. Introduction of organism to new niches (food types in one area) in an isolated geographical area.
2. Mass extinction events.
3. Evolution of significantly advantageous traits.

Question 41

Atavisms

Answer 41

Ancestral traits reappear, presumable through dormant gene activation.

Question 42

Vestigial Organs/Traits

Answer 42

They may take on new functions, or may become severely reduces.
Examples: pelvic bones in snakes and whales, vitamin C gene in humans and other primates.

Question 43

Barriers to Reproduction (Reproductive Isolation)

Answer 43

1. Pre-zygotic: prevent sperm and egg from gamete from successful fusion to form a zygote (no zygote/embryo).
2. Post-zygotic: prevent zygotes from developing into health and fertile offspring (messed up zygote/embryo).

Question 44

Allopatric Speciation

Answer 44

The formation of new species from geographically isolated populations.
These species that are formed from allopatric isolation may not remain geographically isolated.

Question 45

Ring Species

Answer 45

Result of little gene flow between populations combined with geographic isolation.
Can develop when population loos around a geographic barrier; two ends of the loop are in contact with one another, yet individuals from those two populations cannot interbreed.