Intro pt1 (Meg- finished) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is macroscopic nudibranch?

A

example of group of marine mollusks renowned for their unusual shapes + bright coloration

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2
Q

Name some adaptation of macroscopic nudibranches and how can these be explained?

A

Many contain toxins for defence against predators

Colouration may also be an adaptation to deter potential predators

Scientific explanation = THEORY OF EVOLUTION BY NATURAL SELECTION

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3
Q

What is the key feature of HIV looked at by evolutionary biologists?

A

= rapid evolution that can be random variation but also natural selection taking place to help evade immune systems

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4
Q

What are the 2 forms of HIV in humans and where did they come from?

A

HIV-1 arose from SIV that infected chimpanzees

HIV-2 arose from SIV that infected sooty mangabev (monkey)

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5
Q

What is this graph showing?

A

Finland- 1978-1993:
- Increase in the use of penicillin-like antibiotic (blue line)
- Matched by dramatic increase in % of antibiotic-resistant isolates of bacteria

Similar patterns have been seen with HIV resistance to AZT = nowadays multiple drugs involved in order to prevent resistance

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6
Q

How does malaria effect the human genome?
+ 2 examples

A

Protective polymorphisms to protect against malaria:

  • Sickle-cell trait = having this phenotype (only one copy of sickle cell trait) can protect against malaria
  • Blood group variant Dantu provides 74% protection against all forms of severe malaria in homozygous individuals
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7
Q

How does Dantu effect the ability of merzoite malaria to invade red blood cells?

A
  • Strong link between RBC tension and merozoite invasion- tension threshold identified where invasion rarely occurs- Dantu RBCs have higher average tension than non-Dantus RBCs = greater proportion resist invasion
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8
Q

What is evolution concerned with?

A

explaining + understanding the diversity of living things
- History behind diversity? + causes?

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9
Q

What is used to study evolution?

A
  • DNA sequences
  • Proteins
  • Biochemical pathways
  • Embryological development
  • Anatomical features
  • Behaviours
  • Life histories
  • Interactions
  • Fossils
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10
Q

Name + define the 2 ways of explaining why something happens?

A

Proximate causes = concerned with physiology of an animal causing an event / behaviour

Ultimate causes = evolutionary cause of an event or behaviour

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11
Q

What are the proximate and ultimate causes of the Marsh vs Grasshopper Warbler sonograms?

A

Marsh have more complex songs compared with the Grasshopper

Proximate = brain structure of Marsh produces more complex songs

Ultimate = natural selection- females prefer more complex songs = more reproductive success of males with more complex songs

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12
Q

Is evolution a fact or a theory?

A

Considered to be both- Stephen Jay Gould

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13
Q

Why is evolution considered a fact?

A

overwhelmingly validated by evidence- based on repeated experimental observations- no debate evolution is a fact

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14
Q

Define: theory

A

a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses

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15
Q

How are theories formed?

A

from hypotheses repeatedly tested to disprove of falsify them

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16
Q

What is the theory of evolution?

A

Network of theories that created biology

17
Q

In Darwins original formulation, what 5 theories were proposed as part of his theory of evolution?

A
  1. Populations changing over generations
  2. Gradual Change
  3. Speciation
  4. Natural selection
  5. Common descent
18
Q

Define: hypothesis

A

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon made as a starting point for further investigation

19
Q

Define: law

A

A statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some phenomenon of nature- proof what and how something happens but not why

20
Q

Name the stages of evolution discovery

A
  1. Farmers tale
  2. Greek Philosophers
  3. Aristotle
  4. Al-Jahiz
  5. Linnaeus
  6. Lamarck
  7. Alfred Wallace
  8. Darwin
  9. Gregor Mendel
  10. Modern synthesis
21
Q

Outline the farmers tale

A

Neolithic revolution - involved the domestication of crops + animals

22
Q

Outline the greek philsophers contribution to evolution

A

Anaximander = nature ruled by laws (like human societies) and anything that disturbs the balance of nature does not last long

  • Empedocles rudimentary (= underdeveloped / limited to basic principles) theory of evolution:
    1. Life 1st emerged as a bunch of disassociated body parts (crawling arms, walking legs etc)
    2. As time went on these parts came together and attached = creatures with random configurations
    3. Some creatures had 10 arms, 30 eyes + butts for heads etc- but those more suited for survival had more sensible combinations like 2 arms, 2 legs etc and outcompeted others
  • Xenophanes- examined fossils and suggested that water must have covered all of earth’s surface = correct
23
Q

Ouline Aristotle’s contribution to evolution

A

= Grandfather of taxonomy- began hypothesis testing as believed logical principles cannot be accepted unless tested:
1st to use comparative anatomy approach + aware of certain correlations in anatomy- morphology
He classified all living organisms hierarchically and based on observation = Great chain of being (1st gradation in nature) - fits with the belief that earth was only about 6000 years old:
- Plants at the bottom and humans at the top- representing a progression from the most imperfect to the most perfect
- Each species is formed individually with its own purpose and place in nature- no species evolves into a new species
= This view was firmly established for the next 2000 years- God creating an infinite and continuous series of life forms that remain unchanged and were created in their present life form

24
Q

Outline Al-Jahiz contribution to evolution

A

“Book of living being”
- Took divine creation of species for granted but understood interconnectedness of organisms (food chains) as well as survival of fittest

25
Q

Ouline Linnaeus’ contribution to evolution

A

= Father of taxonomy
believed he was revealing the unchanging order of life created by God- Binomial nomenclature (species + genus):
= system of scientifically naming organisms which made a major contribution and gave rise to later evolutionary theories
Named + classified many species but this doesn’t have anything to do with evolution BUT important because he broke convention of Aristotle that life is a continuous chain of being, instead believed in discrete separate species

26
Q

Describe Lamarcks theory

A

Proposed theory of species change based on 2 ideas:
1. Increased complexity + gradual changes along same phyletic line
2. Slow process driven by environment

He believed that microscopic organisms appear spontaneously from inanimate materials, then evolve gradually + progressively into more complex forms- striving for perfection with ultimate goal = humans

27
Q

Where was Lamarcks theory wrong?

A

Also believed that evolution was mostly due to inheritance of acquired characteristics (where his theory was wrong) as creatures adapted to their environments

28
Q

Compare Darwin’s and Lamarcks hypotheses

A

Lamarck’s hypothesis:
- Life has originated many times- red dots
- Each lineage that descends from one of the origins (red dots) becomes more complex
- Organisms range from recently originated, simple forms to older more complicated

Darwin’s hypothesis- represented by phylogenetic tree:
- Single ancestor (red dot)- different lineages arise by speciating (splitting) from existing lineages
- Some may undergo less modification from ancestor than others
- Darwin suggested species become more different from each other in various features- not necessarily more complex

29
Q

What is the main contrast between Lamarck and Darwin?

A

Lamarck- traits change within lifetime of individuals based in their needs- these acquired chnages are passed onto next gen e.g. giraffes develop longer necks to reach higher leaves

Darwin- Variation among individuals at start of gen- individuals with certain favourable traits have a greater chance of survival
Variation is inherited, so survivors pass on their traits to the next gen