Lesson 8

Question 1

How does altruistic behavior effect genetic fitness.

Answer 1

Altruistic behavior decreases the evolutionary fitness of the individual performing the behavior but increases the evolutionary fitness of individuals benefiting from the behavior.

Question 2

What are 4 advantages of organisms living in groups

Answer 2

1) Reduction in predator pressure
2) Improved foraging efficiency
3) Improved defence of limited resources
4) Improved care of offspring

Question 3

Give an example of altruistic behavior

Answer 3

Alarm calls.

Question 4

What does the red queen hypothesis say about the evolution of sex?

Answer 4

Though are less organisms per successive generation, variation is alleles occurs more quickly, allowing the species as a whole to be less susceptible to environmental changes.

Question 5

How is parental care genetically advantageous

Answer 5

Children contain half of their parents genotype. Thus protecting offspring (assuming multiple offspring), means that more of the gentoype survives overall.

Question 6

What is paternal discrepancy?

Answer 6

Males, unlike females, can never be 100% sure if they are the true parent.

Question 7

What is the difference between micro and macroevolution?

Answer 7

Microevolution happens on a small scale (within a single population), while macroevolution happens on a scale that transcends the boundaries of a single species.

Question 8

What is Phyletic evolution (Anagenesis)?

Answer 8

Gradual divergence from a lineage through successive population chages untl a new species is formed.

Question 9

What is Punctuate equilibrium (cladogeneis)?

Answer 9

Long periods of more or less unchanging species persistence, suddenly interrupted by speciation, producing a new species.

Question 10

How did limblessness evolve in snakes?

Answer 10

Limblessness evolved in snakes due to selection favoring a few Hox-gene mutations with major effects on limb development.