Midterm Review

Question 1

What are the steps to the scientific method?

Answer 1

1. Observation
2. Question & explore
3. Hypothesis formulation
4. Testing the hypothesis
5. Interpreting the results
6. Making conclusions

Question 2

Null hypothesis vs Alternative hypothesis

Answer 2

A null hypothesis means there is no correlation between the variables whereas an alternative hypothesis states there is a correlation between them

Question 3

Define science

Answer 3

Science is a set of methods designed to describe and interpret observed or inferred phenomena, past or present, and aimed at building a testable body of knowledge open to rejection or confirmation

Question 4

Scientific Law vs Scientific Theory

Answer 4

Scientific law is a description of an observed phenomenon

A theory is a set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena

Question 5

Pseudoscience

Answer 5

a body of knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice that is claimed to be scientific or made to appear scientific, but does not adhere to the scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, or otherwise lacks scientific status

Question 6

How can you spot bad science?

Answer 6

Obnoxious headlines
Conflicts of interest
Correlation & causation
Unsupported conclusions
Non-peer reviewed materials
Sample sizes/ unrepresented control group
Selective reporting
Unreplicable results

Question 7

Inductive vs Deductive reasoning

Answer 7

The main difference between inductive and deductive reasoning is that while inductive reasoning begins with an observation, supports it with patterns, and then arrives at a hypothesis or theory, deductive reasoning begins with a theory, supports it with observation, and eventually arrives at a confirmation.

Question 8

How has biodiversity changed over time?

Answer 8

Marine life to plants to reptiles to mammals

Question 9

What are major drivers of diversification and biodiversity loss?

Answer 9

Mass extinction and resource loss are major drivers of diversification and biodiversity loss

Question 10

What are common characteristics of life?

Answer 10

PICERAS
Program (DNA/RNA), Improvisation (response to environment), Compartmentalization, Energy, Regeneration, Adaptability, Seclusion (homeostasis)

Question 11

What are the causes of mass extinctions on Earth?

Answer 11

Climate change, volcanic eruptions, meteorite impact, changing atmospheric gasses

Question 12

Phylogeny

Answer 12

evolutionary history (development and diversification) of a species

Question 13

Taxonomy

Answer 13

ordering species into groups and naming the groups

Question 14

Binomial nomenclature

Answer 14

a naming system which is comprised of Genus species e.g. Homo sapiens

Question 15

Order of taxonomic gruops

Answer 15

Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species

Question 16

Biological species concept

Answer 16

organism that can reproduce with each other but not with others are a species IN OTHER WORDS: a concept in biology used to define a species based on the ability of individuals to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Question 17

Phylogenetic species concept

Answer 17

organisms with one diagnostic character (morphological, biochemical, molecular) and fixed in reproductively cohesive units IN OTHER WORDS: a biological concept used to define a species based on evolutionary relationships and common ancestry

Question 18

Morphological species concept

Answer 18

organism that are morphologically similar (physical characteristics) are a species

Question 19

Biological species concept problem

Answer 19

The Biological Species Concept may not be applicable to all organisms, especially those that reproduce asexually or have limited opportunities for direct observation of mating behavior.

Question 20

Morphological species concept problem

Answer 20

One limitation of the Morphological Species Concept is that it may not capture underlying genetic differences. Organisms with similar morphology may be genetically distinct, and conversely, organisms with different morphologies may share genetic similarities.

Question 21

Genomics

Answer 21

the study of the complete set of DNA in a person or other organism (structure, function, mapping, editing of genomes)

Question 22

Patterns of evolution

Answer 22

Speciation, Extinction, Gradualism, Punctuated Equilibrium, Divergent evolution, Convergent evolution, Coevolution

Question 23

Speciation

Answer 23

forming of a new species by evolution from a pre-existing species

Question 24

Extinction

Answer 24

elimination of a species

Question 25

Gradualism

Answer 25

slow, constant changes over a long period of time

Question 26

Punctuated equilibrium

Answer 26

bursts of change followed by periods of stabilityD

Question 27

Divergent evolution

Answer 27

a number of different species arise from one common ancestor

Question 28

Convergent evolution

Answer 28

unrelated species evolve similar characteristics because they live in similar environments

Question 29

Coevolution

Answer 29

occurs when two populations of organism form a specialized relationship and thus change in response to each other

Question 30

Mechanisms of microevolution

Answer 30

Mutations, Natural selection, Genetic drift, Gene flow, Non-random mating

Question 31

Mutations

Answer 31

any changes in DNA

Question 32

Natural Selection

Answer 32

organism more fit for their environments will survive and reproduce more offspring

Question 33

Genetic drift

Answer 33

random change in frequency of alleles in a population over time

Question 34

Gene flow

Answer 34

movement of genes into/out of a population

Question 35

Non-random mating

Answer 35

Sexual selection - a concept in evolutionary biology that refers to the process by which certain traits and behaviors evolve in a population due to their impact on an individual’s ability to attract mates and reproduce. This type of selection operates specifically on traits related to mating success rather than on traits that enhance an organism’s overall survival.)

Question 36

3 domains

Answer 36

Eukarya, Archaea, Bacteria

Question 37

Eukarya

Answer 37

May be single celled or multicellular, cell with membrane-bound nucleus & organelles

Question 38

Archaea

Answer 38

Single celled, prokaryotic (lacking nucleus), no peptidoglycan in cell wall

Question 39

Bacteria

Answer 39

Single celled, prokaryotic (lacking nucleus), peptidoglycan in cell wall

Question 40

Kingdoms

Answer 40

Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia

Question 41

What common traits do humans share with other primates, and what characteristics help us track the evolution of anatomically modern humans in the fossil record?

Answer 41

larger brain, bipedality, extensive tool use