Lecture 1

Question 1

What fundamental observations does evolution explain?

Answer 1

1. Biological diversity
2. Biological change
3. Adaptation

Question 2

What does fundamental observation 1 state?

Answer 2

All biological diversity can be grouped into a hierarchical system of classification in which there is no true, unique organism (i.e. every species has a relative and cannot arise from nothing)

Question 3

How has diversity changed through time?

Answer 3

There has been an increase in diversity over time

Question 4

What does fundamental observation 2 state?

Answer 4

Biological change takes place in both species form and diversity over time

Question 5

What does fundamental observation 3 state?

Answer 5

All organisms exhibit adaptations that enhance survival and reproduction

Question 6

What are the key elements of evolutionary explanations?

Answer 6

1. Change over time
2. Descent with modifications
3. Evolution by natural selection

Question 7

What is evolutionary biology important?

Answer 7

1. Evolution provides a scientific explanation for the origin and diversification of life
2. Evolution can be applied to solve problems
3. Evolution has no moral implications

Question 8

How to read a phylogenetic tree:

Answer 8

Question 9

Where did our species originate from?

Answer 9

Africa (spread out and hybridized with lineages in other areas)

Question 10

How did the human population change during the global expansion?

Answer 10

During the global expansion, natural selection allowed for the human population to change over time

Question 11

What is the definition of an adaptation?

Answer 11

The biological mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment; “good-fit” (i.e. crypsis)