Exam 2 Flashcards
What is Evolution?
change in the genetic composition (allele frequencies) of a population from GENERATION TO GENERATION
What is Biodiversity?
variation of life at ALL LEVELS of biological organization
referring to the SUM TOTAL of life forms across an area as well as the range of DIFFERENCES between these forms
Why is Biodiversity important?
-Rich biodiversity in nature
-Pattern of SHARED characteristics
-Organisms suited for life in their local environments
-It provides ecosystem services (food, fiber, medicine, clean water, air, pollination)
-the potential loss of medicines and other products yet undiscovered from threatened species
-potential loss of genes, some of which may code for proteins useful to humans
-risk to global ecological stability
What are some examples of what Biodiversity can encompass?
Variations:
e.g. in birds:
-body size
-bill size
-bill shape
-diet
-vocalizations
If there is no change in the allele frequency of a population from generation to generation, is evolution occurring?
No - we would then be in HW Equilibrium
Can Individuals evolve? Why or why not?
NO - individuals do not evolve! Evolution is from generation to generation as it changes in GENETIC COMPOSITION.
Individuals DO NOT decide to evolve to “get stronger” or “reproduce more!”
Are humans more evolved than other species?
Not exactly - we have all had the same amount of time to evolve since the Earth began as other organisms
If you look at the layers of sediment at the Grand Canyon, why is it that younger fossils are located closer to the top of the sediment layers and older fossils are located lower in the sediment layers?
slow, consistent geologic processes
fossils of extinct taxa are in a consistent order in Earth’s strata, with older (dissimilar) species being found in lower as sediment layers accumulate
What is the difference between an extinct species and an extant species?
Extinct = species that no longer exists (lost genetic heritage)
Extant = species that have lived until the present day
How does Lamarck’s inheritance of acquired characteristics differ from Darwin’s proposal of natural selection?
Lamarck: “Individuals match their environment”
-traits change due to USE and DISUSE
-characteristics acquired during lifetime are PASSED to offspring
You find a section of sedimentary rock in which the strata and some fossils have been exposed. You notice that a clam fossil is in a deeper strata than a fish fossil.
Using relative dating, which fossil is most likely older?
Clam - deeper strata = older fossil
What is an example of Lamarck’s “use and disuse” concept? Why is this concept not
supported by scientific inquiry?
If a giraffe stretched its neck for leaves, for example, a “nervous fluid” would flow into its neck and make it longer. Its offspring would inherit the longer neck, and continued stretching would make it longer still over several generations
What are some ways Galápagos finches differ? Why do they differ?
- Beak Shape (match food source, small/big seeds)
- Plumage (black is thought of as more mature)
- Body Size
Why is it that an individual who dies earlier in life can have higher individual fitness than an individual who lives a long life?
Fitness depends on the contribution an individual makes to the gene pool for the next generation relative to the contribution of others
So, if an individual leaves a lot of offspring, it could have a higher fitness even if it died young!
What is an Adaptation?
inherited traits that help an individual SURVIVE and REPRODUCE (enhance fitness)
Do individuals acquire an adaptation because of need? What about through individual behavior (e.g. diet choices, activity levels, levels of risk taken)?
Not always based on need.
Individuals who inherit traits that increase likelihood of survival and reproduction in a given environment leave MORE offspring than other individuals
e.g., peppered moth based on environment.
e.g., fish in cave with no natural light - evolved to have no eyes (just sockets) as it was not advantageous.
Explain the process of natural selection. What three conditions are required for natural selection to occur?
Natural Selection = differential survival and reproduction by individuals possessing differing heritable characteristics
- Traits VARY among individuals in a population
- Traits are INHERITED by offspring from parents
- More offspring produced than the environment can support (i.e., resources become limited) = UNEQUAL ability to survive and reproduce (individuals differ in reproductive output, “fitness”)
What is fitness and how is fitness related to natural selection?
Fitness = contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation relative to the contributions of other individuals
those who acquire traits that are favorable may do better in reproductive output, so fitness increases (e.g., peppered moth)
Overall, the traits of an organism suit the organism’s environment. Why?
When would the traits of an organism not suit its environment?
Environmental conditions vary spatially and temporally, so “favorable traits” are “unfavorable” in another location/time
-e.g., the white fur of a polar bear
A change in environment (say no more snow for a polar bear) would make a trait not suitable for its environment
Certain traits in an environment are more advantageous than others, which increase fitness and thus become “favorable” and suited for the environment
Dark moths on a dark background are more likely to survive (and reproduce) than light moths on a dark background. If the background were to change to a light background, what would you expect would happen over multiple generations to the percent of the population that consists of dark moths vs. the percent of the population that consists of light moths? Why?
The opposite…
More dark moths would be eaten than light moths, so the differential survival and reproduction of the light moths over time would lead to the accumulation of this trait to the light environment in the population (leading to all light moths, no dark moths)
What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection? How are these two processes similar?
We choose/shape the reproductive output and “fitness” in Artificial Selection…Natural Selection occurs in nature without human input
Similar in respect to:
1) traits are inherited from parents
2) They both result in changes in genetic traits of organisms
3) Both of these changes can occur and take place over many generations.
There is a hypothesis that is widely supported by scientific data that the gray wolf and the domestic dog share the same common ancestor that is now extinct. Based on this hypothesis, is it correct to state that your family dog evolved from a gray wolf? Why
or why not?
No - they both share the same common ancestor, but it is incorrect to say that the family dog evolved from the gray wolf - they are only related by the common ancestor
When you select for a trait in artificial selection, what are you doing?
non-naturally choosing favorable traits of the organism and shaping their reproductive output to select more for these traits (e.g., smaller body size for dogs)
When selection occurs in natural selection, what is happening?
Favorable heritable traits of organisms in the environment are more likely to let them survive and reproduce - passing these to generation and generation which diverges and changes the species over time
What is the smallest unit of evolution?
Populations
T/F: Only heritable traits respond to evolution by natural selection.
TRUE - characteristics acquired during an individual’s lifetime are NOT heritable
In evolutionary terms, an individual’s fitness is measured by its __________
contribution to the gene pool of the next generation (offspring)
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
Hypothesis: proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation
Theory: patterns and evidence consistent with tested hypotheses support a theory
Are phylogenetic trees (phylogenies) hypotheses or theories?
Hypotheses
Why is it so important that people understand evolution?
It is the unifying theory of all of biology and can help humans solve real-world problems on a biological basis
-e.g., antibiotics, genetic diseases (sickle-cell)
What is a population? How does a population differ from a species?
Population = a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area that interbreed and produce fertile offspring
How does understanding evolution help health professionals address human health issues?
Evolutionary Medicine is becoming a greater field…helps to understand topics like:
-Lactose Tolerance/Intolerance
-Sickle-cell Anemia
-MRSA
-Human Bidpedalism
-Narrow Birth Canal = constraints on giving birth
-Allergies
-Auto-immune Disorders
-Morning Sickness during Pregnancy
Explain how drug-resistant viruses evolve. Is this a similar process to how antibiotic-resistant bacteria evolve?
Yes - it is similar to the process of bacteria resistant to antibiotics
You are advised to take the entire amount of an antibiotic, even if you feel better. This is because by stopping, there may still be bacteria alive, which reproduce and adapt to the effects of the antibiotic.
This means that, when affected again, these bacteria will become resistant to the antibiotics before, allowing for their reproduction and evolution - and a new treatment option will need to be crafted
How is fitness maximized?
- Don’t die before reproducing
- Maximize output of viable and fertile offspring
How does the fossil record provide support for evolution?
In the different strata, and different depths, there were fossils of similar-looking “bug” organisms (Bristolia) that varied among each other, and it was found to be 4 separate species
How do homologous structures differ from analogous structures?
Homologous = structures similar in SHAPE and FUNCTION
-e.g., humerus in human vs cat
Analogous = structures similar in FUNCTION, but not shape
-wings of birds and butterflies (not same common ancestor)
How does convergent evolution occur?
similar characteristics independently evolved in two lineages (often in response to similar environmental or selective pressures)
e.g., Horned Lizards of N. America versus Thorny Devils of Australia…similar dry environment helped to develop and evolve into the special thorns (for collecting water)