Biology Midterm

T/F A population is all of the different species that live together in the same geographic area.

FALSE

As long as an individual outlives others in its group, it will pass on its genes to the next generation.

False

Evolution through natural selection occurs in ________ not individuals.

populations

what is speciation

the formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

"Survival of the fittest" refers to

those who have the most offspring being the most fit

T/F Lyell's work was significant to Darwin because it suggested the Earth was much older than previously thought, and this old age would have allowed enough time for species to evolve through natural selection.

TRUE

T/F Thomas R. Malthus' idea that every species produces much more offspring than ever survive led Darwin to the conclusion that only those individuals that are reproductively the fittest would survive.

TRUE

Fitness is:

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular habitat.

what is founder affect

When a few individuals abandon the main population and create another population with a different (and limited) gene pool

what does it mean for a microorganism to have an animal host?

animal carries it and can carry to human.

How did LAMARCK perceive evolution

he inheritance of acquired characteristics (see the figure below). He contended that various parts of the body appeared because they were necessary or else disappeared because of disuse whenever variations in the environment caused a change in habit.

Types of reproductive isolation

ecological, temporal, behavioral, echanical, gametic, hybrid (invariability and infertility)

what is microevolution?

emergence of adaptations in a particular population of individuals (like those nasty MRSA bugs that become resistant to antibiotics

Charles Darwin came up with the idea of evolution.

false

Independent variable

(x) a variable that does not depend on another (if x then y)

dependent variable

(y) A variable that depends on another. (If x, then y.)

How old is the Earth?

4.6 billion years old

what is selective pressure

A selective pressure is any reason for organisms with certain phenotypes to have either a survival benefit or disadvantage. In the example above, strong sunlight is a selective pressure that favors darker-skinned people; lighter skin would be a disadvantage in these regions.

what is bottleneck affect

Another way in which genetic drift may happen is if there's a natural disaster, like a drought, or a flood that may kill off a large (and random) proportion of the population. Those who survive will pass on their genes to the next generation. The population will then resemble those members who survived. In the case of the manatees, these peaceful creatures were once hunted to the brink of extinction, drastically lowering their numbers.

What are the steps of the scientific method?

Ask a question, research what is already known, create a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, analyze results, hypothesis is proven/disproved, share findings.

What idea(s) from Lyell's work contributed to Darwin's thinking about natural selection?

Lyell's works allowed Darwin to consider the possibility that the Earth was much older than previously thought, and that this could provide enough time for these changes to occur.

What idea(s) from Malthus' work contributed to Darwin's thinking about natural selection?

Malthus pointed out that every species produces much more offspring than ever survive. Darwin realized that if Malthus was right, then only the fittest would survive.

natural selection

Organisms which have a favorable adaptation of some sort will be more likely to survive and have offspring.

The 3 reasons why all individuals in a population cannot reproduce is:

There is not enough food/water available for all individuals, so some will starve before they can reproduce. Some individuals will be predated (killed) before they can reproduce. Some individuals will be unable to find a suitable mate.

Variation plays into the survival of some individuals and not others in the following way:

Variations in looks and behavior will allow some individuals to survive and/or reproduce better than others in a particular environment.

MRSA is caused by

a drug-resistant form of Staphylococcus aureus.

Over-prescription of antibiotics and their improper use is a cause of

a rise in drug-resistant bacterial populations

ß-lactam antibiotics act by interfering with

bacteria cell wall synthesis

Antibiotics should only be prescribed for

bacterial infections

what is evolution

caused by migration, or genetic defect.

what disease can hpv virus cause?

cervical cancer

what is alleles

different versions of genes (brown eyes vs. blue)

Adaptation is the evolution of a trait that

increases the likelihood of survival and reproduction of an organism in a particular environment.

what is a pandemic

infectious disease spreads WORLDWIDE.

what is an epidemic

infectious disease spreads nationwide

Natural selection:

is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals that vary for a particular trait. leads to genetic change in a population over time (meaning, it leads to changes in the allele frequency in a population).

what is variation

mutation of DNA.

what is macroevolution

new species

We take the most fit bacterium from one environment, one in which it is exposed to the antibiotic amoxicillin. We then transfer that bacterium to a new environment in which it is exposed to a different antibiotic, bacitracin. Will this bacterium retain its high degree of fitness in the new environment?

not necessarily; fitness depends on the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce, and it may not do as well in this new environment

can a hypothesis be disproven?

yes