Unit 5- Evolution and Biodiversity

Question 1

the diversification of several new species from a recent ancestral source, each adapted to utilize or occupy a vacant adaptive zone.

Answer 1

Adaptive radiation

Question 2

the human intervention in animal or plant reproduction to ensure that certain desirable traits are represented in successive generations.

Answer 2

artificial selection

Question 3

the variation in phenotypic traits, such as body weight or height, in which a series of types are distributed on a continuum rather than grouped into discrete categories.

Answer 3

continuous variation

Question 4

the variation in phenotypic traits in which types are grouped into discrete categories with few or no intermediate phenotypes.

Answer 4

discontinuous variation

Question 5

the change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

Answer 5

Evolution

Question 6

a remnant, or representation, of an organism that existed in a past geological age, or of the activity of such an organism, occurring in the form of mineralized bones, shells, etc., as casts, impressions, and moulds.

Answer 6

fossil

Question 7

the change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

Answer 7

divergent evolution

Question 8

characteristics that are capable of being passed from one generation to the next through the genes.

Answer 8

heritable characteristics

Question 9

structures derived from a common ancestor or same evolutionary or developmental origin but not necessarily in function: the wing of a bird and the foreleg of a horse are homologous.

Answer 9

Homologous structures

Question 10

an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation (as of skin, feathers, or hair) of an organism, resulting from the presence of melanin.

Answer 10

Melanism

Question 11

a limb with five digits, such as a human hand or foot, which is found in many amphibia, reptiles, birds, and animals, which can allow us to deduce that all species in these categories derived from one common ancestor.

Answer 11

Pentadactyl limb

Question 12

a group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time (e.g. deer population).

Answer 12

Population

Question 13

the intentional breeding of organisms with desirable traits in an attempt to produce offspring with similar desirable characteristics or with improved traits.

Answer 13

Selective breeding

Question 14

an individual belonging to a group of organisms (or the entire group itself) having common characteristics and been capable of mating with one another to produce fertile offspring.

Answer 14

Species

Question 15

a feature of an organism that favours its survival to reproductive age. Adaptations can be behavioural, physiological, or structural.

Answer 15

Adaptations

Question 16

a chemical produced by microbes to kill off competing microbes.

Answer 16

Antibiotic

Question 17

reduction division involving the production of gametes.

Answer 17

Meiosis

Question 18

a change in DNA.

Answer 18

Mutation

Question 19

survival to reproductive age of the varieties that are best adapted to existing environmental conditions.

Answer 19

natural selection

Question 20

an environmental variable that acts to remove poorly adapted individuals.

Answer 20

Selection pressure

Question 21

reproduction involving the union of gametes.

Answer 21

Sexual reproduction

Question 22

the range of phenotypes within a population.

Answer 22

variation

Question 23

one of the prokaryotic domains of life. They tend to live in extreme environments, they have RNA polymerases and ribosomes that are closer to eukaryotes.

Answer 23

Archaeans

Question 24

one of the prokaryotic domains of life, more diverse than archaeans.

Answer 24

Bacteria

Question 25

agreed upon system for naming organisms consisting of genus and species.

Answer 25

Binomial nomenclature

Question 26

a subdivision of a phylum, composed of one or more orders of organism.

Answer 26

Class

Question 27

one of the three major categories of life: archaea, bacteria, and eukarya.

Answer 27

Domains

Question 28

one of the three domains of life, cells are compartmentalized.

Answer 28

Eukaryotes

Question 29

a subdivision of an order: composed of one or more genera.

Answer 29

family

Question 30

a subdivision of a family: composed of one or more species.

Answer 30

Genus

Question 31

a subdivision of a class, composed of one or more families of organism.

Answer 31

order

Question 32

a subdivision of a kingdom, composed of one or more classes of organism.

Answer 32

phylum

Question 33

a group of species which shares and evolutionary relationship.

Answer 33

Taxon

Question 34

the science of classification.

Answer 34

Taxonomy

Question 35

non-living biological entities that have infectious properties - non-living pathogens.

Answer 35

Viruses

Question 36

trait structures which are similar because of convergent evolution.

Answer 36

Analogous

Question 37

a group comprised of an ancestral species plus all of the species that have evolved from the organism.

Answer 37

Clade

Question 38

constructing a phylogenetic tree based on primitive and shared derived characteristics.

Answer 38

Cladistics

Question 39

where species from different lineages show similar characteristics because they are subject to similar selection pressures.

Answer 39

Convergent evolution

Question 40

a pattern of evolution where an ancestral species evolves into a number of distinct species due to exposure of different populations to different selection pressures.

Answer 40

Divergent evolution

Question 41

a family of angiosperms.

Answer 41

Figwort

Question 42

Traits that are shared by species with a common ancestor. These traits are similar in structure, but may have very different functions and appearances.

Answer 42

Homologous trait

Question 43

using the number of differences in DNA or amino acid sequences to deduce how long ago species split.

Answer 43

Molecular clock