Principles of Biology Study Questions



Principles of Biology Study Questions Fall, 2006

EVOLUTION I – DARWIN’S THEORY DEMYSTIFIED

(you will not be responsible for questions on material that is not covered in class;)

the specific questions to be eliminated will be indicated by your instructor at the end of the relevant class period)

Define evolution; define natural selection

State, IN THE CORRECT SEQUENCE, the Observations and Inferences used by Mayer in his summary of Darwin’s theory.

1. Discuss each of the following definitions of evolution:

a. the adaptation of animals to their surroundings

b. the gradual change of a population over time

c. the ability of organisms to adapt and change to their ever changing environment

d. the change of a species over time

e. change over time

2. Discuss each of the following definitions of natural selection:

a. the process by which weaker organisms die off and those with stronger traits

pass on their genes

b. the process of handing down mutations that make the species more fit for their

environment

c. survival of the fittest

c. differential reproductive success of different phenotypes resulting from the

interaction of organisms with their environment

List the major contributors and their contributions to man’s understanding of origin of the variety of living systems in our biosphere; and, in a short sentence, describe the important feature(s) of the concept. Then briefly state the role of the concept in evolutionary thought.

Briefly describe the role of field work in South America, field work in the Galapagos Islands, the long time for evolution to occur and Alfred Wallace in Darwin’s thinking as he developed, documented and eventually presented his theory.

3. State the 2 major features of Darwin’s theory.

4. How does “Humans descended from monkeys” relate to Darwin’s theory?

Describe the role of populations, variation, contingency and chance in the process of evolution by natural selection.

List six major types of evidence that evolution has occurred and give an illustration of each type of evidence.

Which five of the six major types of evidence for evolution also are evidence that evolution occurs by natural selection?

List four examples of natural selection

5. Describe each of the following and their impact on the theory of evolution by natural selection.

industrial melanism Stickleback studies cichlid studies

antibiotic resistance pathogens “Beak of the Finch” guppy size studies

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