Intro and History of Evolution

Question 1

“Nothing in Biology makes sense except in the Light of Evolution”

Answer 1

Theodosius Dobzhansky

Question 2

Viewed evolution as “a change in the frquency of an allele within a gene pool.”

He postulated the idea that it is through mutations in genes that natural selection takes place.

Answer 2

Theodosius Dobzansky

Question 3

“Impenetrable thicket of life”

Answer 3

Ford Doolittle
Biologist at Dalhousie University, Canada

Question 4

Swedish Botanist, Physician and Zoologist

Proposed the science of classifying organisms emerged and formalised the binomial nomenclature, hence he is the ‘Father of Modern Taxonomy’

believed that species are fixed, immutable or created independent of the others.

Answer 4

Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)

Question 5

French naturalist, mathematician, cosmologist and encyclopaedic author

Wrote 44-vol natural history (Histoire Naturelle) describing all known plants and animals

evolutionary change influenced by: geographical isolation, overcrowding, and the struggle for existence

believed in separate creation and the fixity of species

Answer 5

Comte de Buffon (1707-1788)

Question 6

Grandfather of Charles Darwin

His writings in botany and zoology mention the possibility of evolution

based changes undergone by animals during development, artificial selection by humans, presence of vestiges/vestigal organs

Offered no definite theory of evolution

Answer 6

Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)

Question 7

French naturalist and zoologist, Father of Paleontology

First to use comparative anatomy to develop a system of classifying animals

advocate of separate creation and fixity of species

Faced a problem with geological evidence showing progression of life forms

Catastrophism through series of world-wide catastrophes causing mass extinctions

Answer 7

George Cuvier (1769-1832)

Question 8

Provided first coherent theory of evolution

stated that more complex organisms descended from less complex organisms

believed organisms can achieve perfection

plants and animals adapted to their environment

theory on ‘Inheritance of acquired characteristics’ or ‘soft-inheritance’ or ‘use and disuse theory

Answer 8

Jean Baptiste de Lamarck (1744-1829)

Question 9

Inheritance of acquired characteristics is not possible because the ___ ___ that produce the ___ ___ are ___ ___ from the ___ __ that are present in the body in general.

Answer 9

germ cells, sex cells, entirely separate, somatic cells

Question 10

British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, and biologist

Father of Biogeography

Theory of natural selection

sent manuscript to Darwin

Answer 10

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913)

Question 11

Authored Principles of Geology

Popularized the Uniformitarianism theory by James Hutton

Believed the cumulative effects of all geological changes and the earth was very old

stressed gradual nature of geographical changes

Answer 11

Charles Lyell

Question 12

believed the Earth was not static - rather the Earth was subject to cycles of erosion and uplift

Put forward the idea of Uniformitarianism

Answer 12

James Hutton (1726-1797)

Question 12

Can show evidence of gradual change over time

Answer 12

Fossils in different layers of rock

Each layer may be correlated to certain events in the past

Question 13

Had a lifelong love of nature

His father wanted him to study medicine, he did not finish it

attended Cambridge University with the intention of leaving the clergy

His mentor and botany professor, John Henslow, recommended him for a position as ship’s naturalist aboard the beagle

Answer 13

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Question 14

Darwin started out on a ___ year trip around the world aboard the ___ in ___. He was 22.

Answer 14

five, Beagle, 1831

Question 15

Darwin’s Key Observations (4)

Answer 15

Plants and animals in temperate areas of South America were more similar to tropical South American species than they were to temperate European species.

Fossils found in South America were more like modern South American species than European species.

Read Lyell’s Principles of Geology.

Experienced an earthquake in Chile and observed that the coastline had risen several feet.

Question 16

Darwin became interested in the ___ ___ of organisms after visiting the ___ islands

Answer 16

geographic distribution, Galapagos

Question 17

Darwin realized that ___ and ___ were closely linked processes.

Answer 17

adaptation to the environment, the origin of new species

Question 18

Cactus eater Finch

Answer 18

cactus ground finch (Geospiza scandens)

Question 19

Seed eater finch

Answer 19

large ground finch (Geospiza magnirostris)

Question 20

Insect eater finch

Answer 20

green warbler finch (Certhidea olivacea)

Question 21

Darwin’s idea was in contrast to the prevailing view that ___ and ___ (the ___ of species).

Answer 21

all life had been created and remains unchanged, immutability

Question 22

the theory Darwin developed to provide a mechanism by which evolution can occur was ___.

Answer 22

nonteleological

Question 23

Organisms strive towards perfection and on the way, they try to acquire certain characteristics

Answer 23

teleological

Question 24

4 important elements necessary for natural selection to occur:

Answer 24

struggle for existence
variations
survival of the fittest
adaptation

Question 25

Created the article stating: Human populations increase faster than limited food resources.

Answer 25

Thomas Malthus

Question 26

human population growth, food production growth

Answer 26

(1,2,4,8,16,32),(1,4,7,10,13,16)

Question 27

Different characteristics members of a population can have (3)

Answer 27

functional, physical, behavioral

Question 28

Individuals with traits most suited to reproduction in their environment generally leave more offspring than individuals with other traits

Answer 28

Survival of the fittest

Question 29

Humans can choose what traits are favorable in a species and breed accordingly

Answer 29

Artifical selection

Question 30

Can be recognized when unrelated organisms display similar characteristics because they live in a similar environment

Answer 30

adaptation

Question 31

Pre-Darwinian concepts (4)

Answer 31

Earth is relatively young - age was measured in thousands of years

Fixity of species - organisms do not change and the number of species has remained the same

A creator previously decided the structure and function of each type of organism

Observation and experimentation are unnecessary to substantiate self evident truth

Question 32

Post-Darwinian concepts

Answer 32

Earth is relatively old - age is measured in billions of years

Organic evolution - organisms can change and several new species can arise from a single ancestor

Adaptation to environment - explains structure and function of each type of organism

Observation and experimentation - are used to substantiate theories of evolution

Question 33

According to Comte de Buffon:

Evolutionary change could be influenced by 3 factors

Answer 33

geographical isolation, overcrowding, the struggle for existence

Question 33

The 44-volume of natural History written by Comte de Buffon

Answer 33

Histoire Naturelle

Question 34

Erasmus Darwin’s conclusion is based on changes undergone by animals such as(3)

Answer 34

Development, artifical selection by humans, presence of vestiges/vestigial organs

Question 35

T or F Evolution is organisms adapting to their environment

Answer 35

False, discredited

Question 36

T or F Random genetic mutations cause some Giraffes to be born with longer necks causing an increased chance of survival

Answer 36

True

Question 37

T or F Evolutionary fitness is just a matter of how well-suited they are to their environement

Answer 37

True

Question 38

T or F Survival is how evolution occurs

Answer 38

False, it is reproduction