Exam 1

Question 1

What is the definition of evolution?

Answer 1

A change in allele frequencies over time.

This encompasses how populations change genetically across generations.

Question 2

What is a population?

Answer 2

A group of actually and potential mating individuals of the same species.

Question 3

Define gene.

Answer 3

Segments of DNA that codes for a trait.

Question 4

What are alleles?

Answer 4

Different versions of a gene.

Question 5

What is genotype?

Answer 5

Genetic code difference.

Question 6

What does phenotype refer to?

Answer 6

Displayed differences/varieties.

Question 7

What is a dominant trait?

Answer 7

The trait more likely to be expressed.

Question 8

What is a recessive trait?

Answer 8

The trait less likely to be expressed.

Question 9

What does homozygous mean?

Answer 9

XX, xx.

Question 10

What does heterozygous mean?

Answer 10

Xx.

Question 11

Define polymorphism.

Answer 11

Two or more phenotypes (and thus genotypes) in a population.

Question 12

What is a mutation?

Answer 12

A random change in genotypes.

Question 13

What is silent mutation?

Answer 13

Nothing changes.

Question 14

What is missense mutation?

Answer 14

Codes for a different amino acid and protein.

Question 15

What is nonsense mutation?

Answer 15

Stop codon.

Question 16

What is non-random mating?

Answer 16

Mating with selection either by individuals.

Question 17

What is positive assortative mating?

Answer 17

Choosing to mate with individuals similar to you.

Question 18

What is negative assortative mating?

Answer 18

Choosing to mate with an individual dissimilar to you.

Question 19

Define drift in evolutionary terms.

Answer 19

A change in allele frequency.

Question 20

What is the founder effect?

Answer 20

Small pool of genetic information due to a small population leaving/being separated from the main group.

Question 21

What is the bottleneck effect?

Answer 21

Natural disasters or other events occur which decimate the population.

Question 22

What is natural selection?

Answer 22

The favoring of a trait with survival and reproductive benefits.

Question 23

What is stabilizing selection?

Answer 23

Heterozygous traits favored over either extreme.

Question 24

What is disruptive selection?

Answer 24

Both extremes are favored over the heterozygous version.

Question 25

What is directional selection?

Answer 25

One extreme is favored.

Question 26

Define variation.

Answer 26

Differences in traits.

Question 27

What is heritability?

Answer 27

How much a trait’s variability in a population is due to genetics.

Question 28

What is differential reproductive success?

Answer 28

The different rates of success an individual has to reproduce based on successful traits.

Question 29

What is artificial selection?

Answer 29

Selection that occurs outside of natural selection, typically acted on by humans.

Question 30

What is speciation?

Answer 30

The process by which species diverge.

Question 31

Define biological species concept.

Answer 31

Species are individuals that can breed and produce viable offspring.

Question 32

What is the evolutionary species concept?

Answer 32

Species are a lineage of organisms with a distinct evolutionary trajectory.

Question 33

What is the ecological species concept?

Answer 33

Species are groups of organisms that share a common ecological niche.

Question 34

What is anagenesis?

Answer 34

A population changes as a whole.

Question 35

What is cladogenesis?

Answer 35

A population splits into two or more populations.

Question 36

What are reproductive isolating mechanisms?

Answer 36

Mechanisms that prevent gene flow between populations.

Question 37

Define allopatric speciation.

Answer 37

Speciation occurs when a population is separated by a geographical boundary.

Question 38

What is peripatric speciation?

Answer 38

Speciation occurs when a small group of individuals breaks off from the original community.

Question 39

What is parapatric speciation?

Answer 39

Speciation occurs without a solid boundary and populations can still intermix.

Question 40

Define sympatric speciation.

Answer 40

Speciation occurs within the former population.

Question 41

What is a cladogram?

Answer 41

Graphical representation of the branching sequence of evolution.

Question 42

What is a primitive trait?

Answer 42

Inherited trait from a common ancestor that is still retained.

Question 43

What is a derived trait?

Answer 43

Traits that occurred via mutation in a most recent ancestor.

Question 44

What does homologous mean?

Answer 44

Traits that are shared among organisms due to a shared common ancestor.

Question 45

What does analogous mean?

Answer 45

Traits that are shared among organisms due to a shared niche.

Question 46

What is taxonomy?

Answer 46

Science of classifying and organizing organisms.

Question 47

What is a taxon?

Answer 47

Group of organisms of any rank.

Question 48

What is a holotype?

Answer 48

The example organism that is used to describe and represent its species.

Question 49

Define apomorphy.

Answer 49

Unique/derived, non-primitive traits, unique to a lineage.

Question 50

What is synapomorphy?

Answer 50

Shared derived traits.

Question 51

What is plesiomorphy?

Answer 51

Primitive, retained traits.

Question 52

What is symplesiomorphy?

Answer 52

Shared primitive traits.

Question 53

Define phylogeny.

Answer 53

Evolutionary history and relationship among individuals or groups of species.

Question 54

What is phenetics?

Answer 54

Grouping based on overall similarities.

Question 55

What is paraphyly?

Answer 55

Branches of organisms grouped based on perceived similarities.

Question 56

What is polyphyly?

Answer 56

Branches grouped based on a shared recent common ancestor minus one or more.

Question 57

What is monophyly?

Answer 57

Branches grouped based on their shared most recent common ancestor.

Question 58

What does parsimony refer to in evolutionary biology?

Answer 58

The least amount of changes needed to explain the acquisition of a trait.

Question 59

What is the last common ancestor?

Answer 59

The most recent common ancestor between clades of organisms.