Lesson 1: Introduction to Evolutionary Biology

Question 1

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):
How many species of finches were found in Galapagos Island?

Answer 1

13

Question 1

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):
What small island did the scientists study?

Answer 1

Daphne Major, Galapagos Island

Question 2

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):
What finch have a needle-like beak for picking off insects?

Answer 2

Warbler finch

Question 3

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What finch has a bust beak and eat beetle and termite larvae?

Answer 3

Woodpecker finch

Question 4

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What finch has a longer and sharp-pointed beak
and feed on cactus flowers?

Answer 4

Cactus finch

Question 5

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What did they find out about the finches based on the DNA evidence?

Answer 5

All of the finches in the island are more related to each other than the mainland.
- Only one species went to the Galapagos and diversified there.
- Species come from one common ancestor

Question 6

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What happened in the extreme drought in 1978?

Answer 6

• Medium-ground finches compete for scarce food resources
• Birds with the smallest beaks are vulnerable and over a year they die.
• The larger the beak the higher the chance of surviving the drought.
• Their offspring have larger beaks than the last generation.

Question 7

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What happened in the El Nino in 1983?

Answer 7

• the strong El Nino brought 10 times more rain than normal
• Larger seeds became scarce.
• Birds with larger beaks have difficulty finding food.
• Birds with small beaks survived more and their offspring inherited small beaks.

Question 8

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

How do finches with different beaks become different species?

Answer 8

• Different species, different mating songs.
  –>The same species only responds to songs from the same species
  -Males mate with females with similar sizes and beaks.

Question 9

The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch (Video):

What are the keys to the evolution of the Galapagos finches?

Answer 9

Geography and ecology

Question 10

• causes AIDS
• determined in 1989
• Retrovirus with two single-strand RNA genomes

Answer 10

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Question 11

Two distinct HIVs that infect humans. Which caused the pandemic?

Answer 11

• HIV-1 and HIV-2
• HIV-1

Question 12

Both HIVs are __, a group of retroviruses that infect diverse mammals.

Answer 12

lentiviruses

Question 13

HIV: In monkeys and other primates, the viruses are called __, or __.

Answer 13

• simian immunodeficiency viruses
• SIVs

Question 14

HIV-2 recently evolved from an SIV carried by __

Answer 14

sooty mangabey (Cercopithecus atys)

Question 15

HIV-1 evolved from SIVcpz, the virus that infects __

Answer 15

wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Question 16

Causes of Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance: Natural (Biological) Causes

Answer 16

• genetic mutation
• gene transfer

Question 17

flow of genetic mutation

Answer 17

non-resistant bacteria exist
–> bacteria multiply by the billions (a few of these bacteria will mutate)
–> some mutations make the bacterium drug resistant (they survive in the presence of drugs)
–> drug resistant bacteria multiply and thrive.

Question 18

flow of gene transfer

Answer 18

resistant and non-resistant bacteria exist
–> bacterium multiply by the billions (drug-resistant bacteria may transfer a copy of its genes to other bacteria)
–> non-resistant bacteria receives new DNA
–>drug resistant bacteria multiply and thrive.

Question 19

Evolutionary biology is concerned with explaining and understanding the diversity of living things and their characteristics. What questions does it answer?

Answer 19

• What has been the history that produced this diversity?
• What have been the causes of this history?

Question 20

Extends and amplifies the explanation of biological phenomena

Answer 20

Evolutionary biology

Question 21

Evolutionary biology complement __ (immediate, mechanical causes) of biological phenomena with the __ of those phenomena (their historical causes, especially the action of natural selection).

Answer 21

• proximate causes
• ultimate causes

Question 22

Quote of Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975)

Answer 22

“Nothing in Biology Makes Sense except in the light of Evolution”

Question 23

evolution is the increase in fitness over time due to __, or __

Answer 23

• natural selection
• adaptation

Question 24

evolution is the accumulation of __, which alter fitness over time

Answer 24

mutations

Question 25

evolution is the change in __ (or the heritable expression of those alleles) in a __ across generations

Answer 25

- allele frequencies - population

Question 26

evolution is the progression into more __ forms of life

Answer 26

complex

Question 27

evolution is the change in __ of genetically different individuals at each generation

Answer 27

proportions

Question 28

evolution is leading to an average change in characteristics of populations over time → change in allele frequencies (__) or the heritable change in the expression of those alleles (__)

Answer 28

- genetic composition - epigenetic inheritance

Question 29

evolution is the acts by removing individuals from the population, or by allowing some to __

Answer 29

leave more offspring

Question 30

Although, even if allele frequencies in a population remain the same across generations, a population is evolving if it goes out of __ → __ should follow HW expectations, given the allele frequencies.

Answer 30

- Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium - genotype frequencies

Question 31

5 major mechanisms of evolution

Answer 31

1. genetic drift 2. mutation 3. Heritable Epigenetic Modification 4. Migration 5. Natural Selection

Question 32

totally random changes in allele frequency from generation to generation

Answer 32

genetic drift

Question 33

changes in the genetic code, such as errors in DNA replication, gene deletions or duplications, etc.

Answer 33

mutations

Question 34

heritable changes that are not due to changes in the DNA sequence itself, but the expression of the DNA, such as changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications, etc. >> changes “epi-alleles” not the genetic code (actual alleles)

Answer 34

Epigenetic Inheritance

Question 35

alleles moving from one population to another

Answer 35

gene flow

Question 36

when some alleles favored over others due to an increase in fitness (not random); acts on genetic variation in the population

Answer 36

natural selection

Question 37

Sources of Genetic Variation

Answer 37

- Mutation generates genetic variation - Epigenetic Inheritance changes expression of genes - Genetic Drift reduces genetic variation

Question 38

__ acts on genetic or epigenetic variation in a population. Without genetic or epigenetic variation, this* cannot occur

Answer 38

Natural selection

Question 39

Some aspects of biology where evolutionary concepts permeate

Answer 39

Biotechnology Agriculture Medicine Conservation

Question 40

Many of our food is a product of intense __or __.

Answer 40

- artificial selection - human-induced evolution

Question 41

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for terminal buds

Answer 41

Cabbage

Question 42

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for lateral buds

Answer 42

Brussels sprouts

Question 43

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for stem

Answer 43

Kohlrabi

Question 44

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for leaves

Answer 44

Kale

Question 45

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for stems and flowers

Answer 45

Broccoli

Question 46

Modified genetics of wild cabbage: Selection for flower clusters

Answer 46

Cauliflower