Key Ideas

Question 1

What are the four whys?

Answer 1

Proximate
Phylogenic
Ontogenetic
Functional

Question 2

What is proximate?

Answer 2

What? Mechanisms, hormones, nerve systems and triggers

Question 3

What is phylogenic?

Answer 3

When? Evolutionary history

Question 4

What is ontogenetic?

Answer 4

How? Nature Vs nurture development

Question 5

What is functional?

Answer 5

Why? Ultimate reasons, evolutionary fitness

Question 6

What is homology?

Answer 6

Similarity due to being related, the have a common ancestor.

Question 7

What is analogy?

Answer 7

Similarities in function, they do not have a common ancestor.

Question 8

What is genotype?

Answer 8

Making proteins

Question 9

What is phenotype?

Answer 9

Physical appearance and behaviour

Question 10

What is adaptation?

Answer 10

A trait that gives higher fitness to an individual than a trait existing alternatively in population.

Question 11

What is natural selection

Answer 11

Individuals differ in their traits and differences correlate within differences in population.

Question 12

How might new species evolve?

Answer 12

Individuals have different traits within a population. A specific trait could link to higher fitness in individuals. Some traits will spread within a population by naturally occurring selection.

Question 13

3 sets of primate characteristics are:

Answer 13

1) adaption for life on trees
2) reproductive specialism
3) complex visual

Question 14

What is Wayne Edwards theory on Natural selection in groups?

Answer 14

Animal dispersion is linked to social behaviour, animals modify behaviour for good of the group.

• population density
• competition for resources
• altruism

Question 15

What is George Williams theory for natural selection for individuals?

Answer 15

Adaption and natural selection, if a selfish individual takes more than his share of resources they will outcompete the group and produce more selfish offspring and the group will become selfish.

Question 16

What is Lamarkism?

Answer 16

Acquired characteristics that are passed on to off Spring

Question 17

What are the 3 sources of variation in animals?

Answer 17

Recombination

The central dogma/coding of genetics

Variation not subject to evolution (increase in height due to better diet)

Question 18

Describe fitness in relation to inheritance

Answer 18

Survival of the fittest

Choices of selection

Consistency of survival and reproduction

Fitness variants preserved through time (morphology/shape and behaviour)

Question 19

Describe adaption in relation to inheritance

Answer 19

Process where organisations improve fitness

Refutes to trait that improves fitness

Natural selection

Question 20

State 4 types of evidence for evolution:

Answer 20

Fossils

Comparison of organisms

Geographical distribution of life

Modern observed values

Question 21

How do species differ?

Answer 21

Series of traits - individuals of the same species produce offspring who must be able to produce fertile offspring

Question 22

What is Imprinting?

Answer 22

Special kind of learning

Irreversible

Characterised by sensitive period

Imprinting is innate but object of imprinting is not

Question 23

Why do animals cooperate?

Answer 23

Relatedness may be key to cooperation, the more related they are to the animals and the closer they are the more likely an animal is to cooperate

Question 24

What is polyandry and what are the benefits?

Answer 24

2 males share a female, if brothers they can benefit and they will produce more of the same genetics.

Question 25

What is kin selection?

Answer 25

Relatedness is the probability that individuals share a range of genes that are identical by decent. Benefits genes that are identical by decent over those that are now

Question 26

What is the prisoners dilemma?

Answer 26

Cooperation between non related animals, it has a better pay of to deflect and be selfish. Competition can be favoured if the dilemma occurred more that once and they will replay one another's Alturism (tit for tat)

Question 27

What are the four evolutionary of ethics?

Answer 27

Nice Retaliatory Forgiveness Non envious

Question 28

What is the red queen theory?

Answer 28

Recombination increases the speed in which species can evolve Sexual recombination may provide a defence against rapidly evolving pathogens

Question 29

What is the evolution of anisogamy?

Answer 29

Males - microgamates, can produce more but just deliver DNA and so many have high fitness Females - macrogamates, large and lots of energy so high fitness

Question 30

Why are females still choosy when they don't get direct benefits from mate?

Answer 30

Good genetics, might show good at foraging food or be strong

Question 31

What is the handycap principle?

Answer 31

Only the males of good enough condition with good genes can afford the cost of the desired trait so is an honest representation of best male

Question 32

What is Fisher's runaway? | Sexual selection mechanism

Answer 32

Variations on females preferences to males traits, sons of females inherit traits and daughters inherit preference. Wh long tail on birds

Question 33

What is the good genes theory?

Answer 33

Females choose mates due to having good genes even though they don't seem to gain anything from it. Eg: Colourant in fish show they're good at foregoing food

Question 34

What is sensory exploitation?

Answer 34

Pre-existing female choice Males exploit female preferences Eg sword in fish

Question 35

What is introspection

Answer 35

Consciousness What mental processes occurs while doing a task

Question 36

How do females benefit from polygyny? (Many female mates)

Answer 36

Female defence - males live with females and defend them from other males Resource defence - males defend territory Scramble competition - males mate with as many females as possible and don't worry about being territorial Lek polygyny - males display, females gather round and choose males, females very picky

Question 37

What are the difference between the 'hotspot' and 'hotshot' hypothesis?

Answer 37

Hotspot - appealing geographical location to females, so males gather there Hotshot - particular male females prefer so other males gather around him Female preference hypotheses - females are attracted to larger leks more choice so better mate

Question 38

What is the terminology? - gamy - gyny - andry - mono - poly

Answer 38

- gamy = #of partners - gyny = females - andry = males - mono = one - poly = many

Question 39

Why have monogamy?

Answer 39

- mate guarding: prevents sperm competition - female enforced monogamy: females prevent males.Female birds show aggression to other birds - male assistance: some males carry eggs so their reproductive rate is lower in seahorse, some animals require high levels of parental care