Macroevolution (E&E1)

Question 1

Define ecology

Answer 1

The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Question 2

Define evolution

Answer 2

The origin and diversification of life

Question 3

Ecological drivers impose _______ on the _________ of organisms

Answer 3

Ecological drivers impose SELECTION on the PHENOTYPES of organisms

Question 4

What three things do evolutionary drivers impact?

Answer 4

1) species traits
2) interactions
3) ecosystem functioning

Question 5

Is life on Earth by chance or ____________?

Answer 5

Deterministic (meaning Earth is organised by a set of rules and principles)

Question 6

Name the six requirements of life on Earth

Answer 6

1) Driving force - carbon dioxide for synthesising new organics
2) Energy - supply of free energy (ATP) to drive reactions
3) Metabolism - catalysts to speed up reactions
4) Integrity - cell membranes to maintain differences to environment
5) Excretion - waste removal
6) Heredity - RNA or DNA to specify the detailed form and function

Question 7

The most likely origin of life is what?

Answer 7

Alkaline hydrothermal vents

Question 8

Name four major Earth episodes that prokaryotes were responsible for

Answer 8

1) The Great Oxidation (2.7 BYA)
2) Change in ocean chemistry - suffocating hydrogen sulphide for 2000 million years
3) Oxidation of atmospheric methane resulting in global freeze (first snowball earth)
4) Rise of Eukaryotes

Question 9

Fateful encounter hypothesis

Look into difference between this and the serial endosymbiosis theory

Answer 9

Proposes that the mitochondrial endosymbiosis occurred very early, between two true prokaryotes, and the subsequent development of the other uniquely eukaryotic traits (such as large size, complex internal membranes, nucleus, active cytoskeleton, etc) arose as a consequence of or were enabled by, that initial merger.

Question 10

How many times has oxygenic photosynthesis appeared to have evolved?

Answer 10

Once, 1.2-1.8 BYA

Question 11

Diversification of the major mammal groups correspond with ______ _______

Answer 11

Plate tectonics

Question 12

Define genetic recombination

Answer 12

Genetic sequences are shuffled and give rise to new sequences

Question 13

Define gene flow

Answer 13

New allelic variants come from other populations

Question 14

Define mutation

Answer 14

New allelic variants appear in the population (errors in replication, chromosomal inversions)

Question 15

What do you need to prove that selection is operating?

Answer 15

Demonstration that the character was inherited and that these offspring have a higher fitness than average

Question 16

Evolution is typically characterised by long periods of _____ _____ separated by shorter periods of ______ ______

Answer 16

Long periods of relative stasis and separated by shorter periods of rapid adaptation