Evolution Test 2 Study Guide

Explain the difference between a gene and an allele.

A gene is like a recipe for a specific protein. An allele is an alternative version of the same gene.

Which of the following examples does not match the given type of Natural Selection? A. Directional; Pocket Mice B. Stabilizing; Sickle Cell Anemia C. Disruptive; Mocker Swallowtail D. None are correct E. All are correct

E. All are correct

T/F: An organism's fitness depends on their environment.

False. An organism's fitness depends on its ability to survive and reproduce.

T/F Polymorphic species look the same but are different.

False. Cryptic species look the same but are different. Polymorphism occurs when several different physical forms or types of individuals exist among the members of a species.

T/F: Disruptive selection is harmful to the species and always favors one trait.

False. Disruptive selection does not always favor a single version of a trait.

T/F Populations are selected and Individuals evolve.

False. Individuals are selected and populations evolve. (individuals do not change; the smallest unit that may evolve is a population).

T/F Natural selection favors post zygotic barriers.

False. Natural selection favors prezygotic barriers (because no energy is wasted mating; wasted reproductive output).

T/F The limitations of the morphological species concept are that there are possibly "trivial" differences between 2 species, which leads to too many species.

False. These are limitations of the Phylogenetic Species Concept. (The limitations of the morphological species concept= appearances can be misleading and subjective criteria to diagnose species.)

Explain Lenski's 3 steps of evolving new function in the bacterium E. coli.

Lenski's three steps of evolving new function in the bacterium E. coli are potentiation (major genomic rearrangement), actualization, and refinement (small mutations improving efficiency).

Who is Mitochondrial Eve, and what is significant about her? Was she a real person? Explain.

Mitochondrial Eve is the maternal ancestor of all living humans whose mitochondrial DNA is the parent of all living humans. She was a real person that lived about 200,000 years ago.

Explain why natural selection favors prezygotic barriers over post zygotic barriers.

Natural selection favors prezygotic barriers over postzygotic barriers because no energy is wasted mating (wasted reproductive output).

What is one example of a species concept and what are its uses and limitations?

One example of a species concept is the Biological Species Concept. It is based on reproductive isolation, which is the sole criteria used to determine if a species is a species. Essentially, if they can reproduce together successfully they are a species. However, the BSC is not useful for fossil species, bacteria, or species that can easily form hybrids.

What is the "species problem" and why is it relevant?

The "species problem" refers to the question "what is a species?" It asks whether a species is a category or a unit of evolution. (It basically asks what categories a species as a species.) In the end, a species is a working hypothesis and is specific and testable. Basic parameters for a species: •Distinct (identifiable) population(s) •Evolutionarily cohesive & independent •Exists (reality) in nature •(useful: species are like individuals: origin, ending, may Δ)

Explain what is the Biological Species concept and its limitations.

The BSC is based on reproductive isolation and is the sole criteria used to determine if a species is a species. Limitations of the BSC are that they are not useful for fossil species, bacteria, or species that can easily form hybrids.

Explain how the Sonoran Pocket Mice are a good example of Natural Selection.

The Sonoran Pocket Mice are a good example of natural selection because each of the two populations are under directional selection for different coat colors, expressed through the Mc1r gene, based on its environment. This adaptation contributes to its overall fitness and ability to survive and reproduce.

Explain how natural selection and artificial selection differ.

The selecting force in artificial selection is humans, whereas in natural selection the selecting force is the environment. The timescale in artificial selection is also generally much faster than that of natural selection, as selection is more intense.

T/ F A change in allele frequencies is known as microevolution.

True.

T/F Differential survival and reproduction according to natural selection is not random.

True.

T/F Reinforcement only occurs when species live in the same geographic location.

True.

What is the definition of a gene pool? a. All alleles that exists in a population b. relative amount of each allele c. A few alleles that exists in a population d. Alternative versions of the same gene e. allele that is specific for a protein

a. All alleles that exists in a population

Which of these is the most common model of speciation? a. Allopatric b. Peripatric c. Parapatric d. Sympatric e. None of the above

a. Allopatric

Pocket mice with different coat colors living in 2 distinct habitats in the Sonoran Desert are an example of which type of natural selection? a. Directional b. Stabilizing c. Disrupting d. Correlating e. None of the above

a. Directional

Which of the following is NOT a possible result when isolated populations come into contact? a. Dispersal b. Stability c. Reinforcement d. Fusion e. New Species

a. Dispersal

Happyface spiders are examples of what kind of species? a. polymorphic b. cryptic c. paramorphic d. phenetic e. cannot be determined

a. polymorphic

Which of the following is the only evolutionary process that consistently produces adaptation? a. Genetic drift b. Natural selection c. Gene flow d. Mutations

b. Natural selection

What model of speciation is a new species formed in isolated peripheral populations and the main diverging force is genetic drift? a. Allopatric b. Peripatric c. Parapatric d. host shift e. Sympatric

b. Peripatric

How do organisms that only reproduce via asexual reproduction produce genetic variation? a. disruption b. mutation c. refinement d. reservation e. conservation

b. mutation

Polyploidy is the most common in ________? a. mammals b. plants c. protists d. amphibians e. fish

b. plants

What is greater than mutations in producing variation in diploids? a. transformation b. sexual recombination c. natural selection d. punctuated equilibrium e. conjugation

b. sexual recombination

Which type of natural selection favors the intermediate? a. directional b. stabilizing c. disruptive d. diversifying e. two of the above

b. stabilizing

Which of the following is NOT an example of a pre-zygotic barrier? a. 2 insects cannot breed due to incompatible sex organs b. Amino acid sequences vary in sea urchins, causing matings to fail c. 2 birds mate, but their offspring are infertile d. 2 beaver species are geographically isolated, preventing mating e. 2 trees release pollen at different times of the year

c. 2 birds mate, but their offspring are infertile

Hawaiian Honeycreepers represent an important example of: a. Colorization b. Sexually monomorphism c. Adaptive Radiation d. Infertilization e. "ring species"

c. Adaptive Radiation

Which one does not belong for Pre-zygotic barrier? a. Habitat b. Gametic barrier c. Hybrid sterility d. Mechanical e. Temporal

c. Hybrid sterility

Which of the following vitamins is thought to have affected the skin color of humans? a. Vitamin C b. Vitamin A c. Vitamin D d. Vitamin K e. All of the above

c. Vitamin D

What type of constraint would nipples on men be? a. environmental b. genetic c. developmental d. A & C e. B & C

c. developmental

Natural selection acts on populations through a specific trait. Which statement must be true about that trait? a. the trait is the same for all organisms b. the trait is resistant to mutations c. the trait is passed on genetically to the next generation d. most forms of the trait have the same impact on survival e. none of the above

c. the trait is passed on genetically to the next generation (?)

Which concept is incorrectly matched with its definition? a. Biological Species Concept- based on reproductive isolation b. Morphological species concept- species identified by distinct physical features c. Phylogenetic species concept- individuals forming a monophyletic group d. All of these are correct e. All of these are incorrect

d. All of these are correct

Which of the following is not an example of allopatric speciation? a. Darwin's Finches b. Grand Canyon squirrel c. Pacific and Caribbean snapping shrimp d. Drosophila e. none of the above

d. Drosophila

Which one of these is NOT a Hardy-Weinberg assumption? a. No mutation b. No gene flow c. No natural selection d. No random mating e. All of these are correct assumptions

d. No random mating

E Coli evolve rapidly via natural selection. Specifically, which of the 3 steps of natural selection accounts for small mutations improving efficiency, ultimately allowing E. Coli to eat citrate? a. Potentiation b. Acclimation c. Actualization d. Refinement e. Rearrangement

d. Refinement

Which of the following is not one of Darwin's Postulates? a. Genetics basis for heritable traits b. Traits vary in individuals c. Certain Individuals produce more fit offspring than the next d. Survival and reproduction based on traits is random

d. Survival and reproduction based on traits is random (is NOT random)

The skipper butterflies--which have similar appearances, but are not the same species--are an example of? a. endemic species b. allopatric species c. polymorphic species d. cryptic species e. ring species

d. cryptic species

Variation can occur by all of the following except____. a. isolation b. genetic drift c. natural selection d. gene flow e. mutation

d. gene flow

Which of these is not a factor influencing speciation rates? a. type of pollination b. high existing species diversity c. sexual selection d. inbreeding e. dietary shifts

d. inbreeding

Which of the following is NOT one of the 4 biological processes that lead to microevolution? a. Natural Selection b. Genetic Drift c. Mutation d. Gene flow e. Allopatric speciation

e. Allopatric speciation

What characterizes a subspecies? a. Somewhat distinctive in behavior or appearance b. Subdivision of range c. No subdivision of range d. All the above e. Both a and b

e. Both a and b