Evolution

Question 1

What is evolution

Answer 1

A genetic change in a species over a very long period of time

Question 2

Who is given credit for the theory of how species change over time?

Answer 2

Charles darwin

Question 3

What led Darwin to come up with his theory of Evolution by Natural Selection?

Answer 3

The experiences that he had when traveling around the world on the HMS Beagle

Question 4

According to the theory of evolution, what organisms are the ones that survive and thrive?

Answer 4

The ones that are best suited to that particular environment

Question 5

Is it true that the organisms that are the “fittest” are always the largest and strongest?

Answer 5

No, the fittest are not always the fastest, strongest, biggest, etc. It is the ones that are best suited to that environment.

Question 6

What is natural selection? (please explain it in detail) What is it also known as?

Answer 6

Natural selection is also known as survival of the fittest. The organisms that survive and thrive are the ones that are better suited to the environment. They will be able to survive and pass on those traits to their offspring.

Question 7

Explain the concept of common descent/common ancestor. Are extinct species related to living species?

Answer 7

All organisms are descended from those that lived before them. Yes, extinct species can be related to living species. Example Darwin gave with really large armadillo creatures that lived in the past vs. the smaller versions presently found.

Question 8

Please define adaptation and then give a specific example of an adaptation. Are adaptions always physical traits?

Answer 8

An already existing genetic trait that helps an organism to survive in its environment.

Ex-the coloring of organisms that helps them to blend in with their environment.

No, adaption do not always have to be physical traits, they can be behavioral. Only the alpha male and female reproduce in a wolf pack.

Question 9

What is necessary for evolution to occur?

Answer 9

Variation among the organismss

Question 10

What are the two sources of this variation amongst organisms?

Answer 10

Sexual reproduction causes there to be differences amongst the organisms and so do mutations.

Question 11

What are mutations? Describe the relationship between mutations and variations in an organism.

Answer 11

A change in the DNA sequence. These mutations cause differences to exist amongst organisms of a species, and evolution is driven by these differences.

Question 12

How does the theory of natural selection explain the observed diversity of life?

Answer 12

Over time, those organisms that are best suited to the environment survive and reproduce. They pass on their traits to their offspring and create more individuals with the desired trait.

Question 13

Who was Alfred Wallace? What is he known for?

Answer 13

Alfred Wallace also came up with a theory of Evolution. He wrote to Charles Darwin to share his ideas so that Darwin could critique Wallace’s findings.

Question 14

Who was Thomas Malthus and how did he influence Darwin’s idea of evolution?

Answer 14

His ideas helped to shape Darwin’s theory of evolution

Question 15

Who was Charles Lyell and how did he influence Darwin’s idea of evolution?

Answer 15

His ideas helped to shape Darwin’s theory of evolution

Question 16

What are acquired traits? Can they be inherited as Lamarck had thought?

Answer 16

Acquired traits are traits that you get during your lifetime. You were not born with them. You cannot pass them to offspring.

No-Lamarck was wrong- acquired traits cannot be inherited. Example with long neck giraffes.

Question 17

What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection? Please also give an example of each.

Answer 17

Artificial selection is when humans/breeders choose traits that they want and breed the organisms until they get those desired characteristics. Think of dog breeders.

Natural selection is when the environment does the selecting, not a person.

Question 18

Can individual organisms intentionally change themselves to be better suited in their environment? (such as changing their coloring-if an organism needed to be better camouflaged, can it change itself?)

Answer 18

No, they are like that due to their genes and organisms cannot change their DNA on their own.

Question 19

What is fitness?

Answer 19

A measure of how many offspring an organism can have

Question 20

Darwin’s ideas regarding evolution include:
A. All of what we see is the result of unnatural forces
B. The is earth is young, measured in thousands of years
C. Over time, organisms do not change genetically and several new species do not arise from a common ancestor.
D. Selection for structure and function of life is determined by the evolution.

Answer 20

D

Question 21

Ideas that Shaped Darwin’s Thinking from his voyage to The Galapagos Islands included: True/False
Fossils show that extinct species closely resembled living species of the same area, different from species found on other continent. __________ (t/f)
Rock Layers show progressive changes in the fossils from one layer to the layers above _________(t/f)
Geographical Distribution of Species: True /False
Each continent had its own distinct grouping of similar animals. _____(t/f)
On the Galapagos Islands, birds had different sized beaks, which showed adaptation to the available food, is an example of adaptation. ___________ (t/f)

Answer 21

All true

Question 22

An elephant can live 100 years, will have an average of 5-6 babies, 19 million elephants could result from one breeding pair in just over 750 years. Why are there not that many elephants?
A.Life is a struggle
B.Competition for resources,
C.Some elephants are better able compete for resources
D.All of the above

Answer 22

D

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true?
Fossils of extinct species hold all the clues needed to explain evolution
Fossils of extinct species are never found above sea level
Fossils of extinct species help scientists reconstruct the past.
Fossils are rarely found and are a poor source of information

Answer 23

Reconstruct

Question 24

Natural selection tends to result in the success of
The weakest organisms
Organisms with the characteristics that most closely fit the specific current, local environment
Organisms with the characteristics that humans choose
The largest group of organisms

Answer 24

Environment

Question 25

Darwin identified a number of factors that affect the process of natural selection: Over production, competition and variation. Give a brief description of each and how it applies to evolution:

Answer 25

Over production ___there are more organisms born than can survive. Not every single organisms born will survive into adulthood to produce offspring_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b) Competition
_____There are limited number of resources (food, water, shelter, etc.) and the organisms that are best adapted have access to those limited resources_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
C) Variation
Due to sexual reproduction and mutations, organisms will not be identical to each other. Evolution acts on those differences

Question 26

Cheetahs can run faster than 60 miles per hour when in pursuit of prey. How would an evolutionary biologist explain how this ability evolved, assuming their ancestors could only run 20 miles per hour?

Answer 26

Through a mutation, some cheetahs could actually run faster. Those that could run faster, survived better and passed that onto their offspring, producing faster cheetahs over time.

Question 27

When would a species likely to go extinct? What would need to happen?

Answer 27

When the environment changes and organisms lack the traits that are best suited to that environment

Question 28

The variation that is needed for evolution to happen is a result of?

Answer 28

sexual reproduction
mutations

Question 29

If a mutation were to occur, it would only benefit the organism if?

Answer 29

That trait would be suited to that environment. For instance, have thick fur in a hot environment is not beneficial, but having thin fur in a hot environment is beneficial

Question 30

If an allele increases in a population over time, does that mean the allele is beneficial to the organisms or harmful?

Answer 30

Benefitial

Question 31

What are vestigial structures?

Answer 31

Inherited structures that are no longer functional

Question 32

What are analogous structures? Please give an example.

Answer 32

Body parts that share a common function, but not structure

Question 33

What are homologous structures? Please give an example.

Answer 33

Structures shared by related species inherited from a common ancestor-they share common structure, not common function

Question 34

What are the various lines of evidence to support the theory of evolution?

Answer 34

1. fossil record
   
   2. comparative anatomy (homologous vs. analogous structures)
   3. Comparison of amino acids sequences

Question 35

If a smaller population becomes isolated from the larger group, is it likely that the smaller group could become a new species? Explain.

Answer 35

Yes, if the group is small in size and cannot interact with the larger group.