Final Exam: Cumulative Stuff

Question 1

What is natural selection?

Answer 1

Forces of nature that pick winners and losers in one specific generation, with winners earning the ability to propagate further. Evolutionary arms race

Question 2

Define natural selection

Answer 2

A mechanism that can lead to evolution, whereby differential survival or reproduction of individuals causes some genetic types to replace (outcompete) others

Question 3

5 Facts of Natural Selection

Answer 3

1. All species have such great potential fertility that their population size would increase exponentially if all individuals born reproduced successfully.
2. Except from minor annual fluctuations and occassional major fluctuations, populations normally display stability
3. Natural resources are limited. In a stable environment they remain relatively constant.
4. No 2 individuals are exactly the same; every population displays enormous variability
5. Much of this variation is heritable.

Question 4

3 Inferences of Natural Selection

Answer 4

1. There must be a fierce struggle for existence among the individuals of a population, resulting in the survival of only a part of the progeny in each generation.
2. Survival is not random but depends on hereditary constitution of surviving individuals
3. This process of NS will lead to a continuing change of populations - to evolution and production of new species

Question 5

Dorudon

Answer 5

A 40-million year old whale, has teeth of different shapes that indicate that they were more of those of land mammals

Question 6

NS: More _____ are produced in a population than can survive

Answer 6

Offspring

Question 7

NS: As a result of mutations creating new alleles and segregation and independent assortment shuffling alleles into new combinations, individuals within populations are _____ for many traits.

Answer 7

Variable

Question 8

Individuals pass their alleles onto their offspring _____

Answer 8

Intact

Question 9

In every generation, some individuals are more successful at _____ and _____ than others.

Answer 9

Surviving and reproducing

Question 10

Individuals that survive and reproduce or who reproduce the most, are those with the _____ and _____ that best adapt them to their environment

Answer 10

Alleles and allelic combinations

Question 11

Natural selection acts on _____, but its consequences occurs in _____. _____ do not evolve

Answer 11

Individuals; populations

Individuals

Question 12

NS acts on _____, but evolution consists of changes in _____.

Answer 12

Phenotypes
Allele frequency (genotype)

Question 13

NS is not _____ _____.

Answer 13

Forward looking

Question 14

New traits can evolve, even though NS acts on _____

Answer 14

Existing traits

Question 15

NS does not lead to _____

Answer 15

Perfections

Question 16

NS is _____, but it is also not _____.

Answer 16

Nonrandom or progressive

Question 17

Selections acts on _____, not for the good of the species.

Answer 17

Individuals

Question 18

NS: _____ in characteristics occurs in the population.

Answer 18

Variation

Question 19

NS: _____ in biological fitness occurs in the population

Answer 19

Variation

Question 20

NS: Individuals in the population _____ for resources

Answer 20

Compete (competition drives)

Question 21

_____ influence which individuals with a given genetic phenotype will best survive and compete, thus will leave the most offspring in the next generation.

Answer 21

Prevailing environmental conditions