Transcript Evolution Test Study Guide Answers

Evolution Test
Study Guide Answers
• Adaptation
– Process leading to the increase in frequency of a particular
structure, process, or behavior that makes the organism
better able to survive and reproduce
• Natural selection
– Changes in inherited traits of a population over time
– Changes help to increase the species’ fitness in its
environment
• Coevolution
– Two species that live in close proximity changing in
response to changes in the other
• Divergent evolution
– A number of species split off from a common ancestor
• Convergent evolution
– Evolution in different groups of organisms living in similar
environments that produces species that are similar in
appearance and behavior
• Gene flow
– Movement of genes in and out of a population (migration)
• Gradualism
– Gradual changes of a species in a particular way over long
periods of time
• Homologous structures
– Structures that have different mature forms but develop
from the same embryonic tissues
• Analogous structure
– Structures similar in appearance and function but with
different evolutionary origins
• Embryology
– Study of the anatomy of embryos and their development
• Phylogenetic tree
– Diagram used to show the evolutionary relationships
between organisms and classify them into major taxa
• Where did Darwin draw his ideas of natural
selection?
– Galapagos Islands
• According to Darwin, evolution occurs
because of what?
– Because of natural selection
• What causes variations in genotypes?
– Mutations
• Natural selection could not occur without
genetic _variation_ in species.
• Who proposed the idea of inheritance of
acquired characteristics?
– Lamark
• What do scientists study when looking at
biochemical similarities among organisms?
– DNA sequences
• What would affect the evolution of a species
over time?
– Resources in the environment and the offspring
produced
• What would happen to the populations of the
same species living in different areas?
– They would evolve differently over time because
of their different environments
• Give an example of divergent and convergent
evolution.
– Divergent: beaks of finches on Galapagos Islands
– Convergent: insect, bird, and bat wings
• What type of population is most susceptible
to loss of genetic variability as a result of
genetic drift?
– Small populations
• Describe and give an example of geographic
isolation.
– When organisms are physically separated and
form different species over time because of that
separation
– Butterfly species on the east coast and those on
the west coast of the US
• List all the conditions of the Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium.
– Large population with no genetic drift
– No migration
– Random mating
– No mutations
– No natural selection
• Explain reproductive isolation.
– Organisms are able to mate but don’t because
they live in different areas of the same habitat or
in the same habitat but can’t breed because of
polyploidy
• Describe how speciation could occur as a
result of geographic isolation.
– One species gets separated into two groups by a
barrier. The two groups look different from each
other due to different environments.
• What are the pieces of evidence for evolution?
– Anatomy, embryology, biochemistry, paleontology
• What is a vestigial structure and give an example.
– Structure that had an important function in an
ancestor species but no longer serves a function
– Appendix in humans
• How do fossils demonstrate evidence of
evolution?
– Shows ancient species that are similar to modern
species
• What is a transitional fossil?
– A fossil of an intermediate stage in the evolution of
species
• What do similarities in proteins of different
species indicate?
– They share a common ancestor