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Agents of Evolutionary Change
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Agents of Evolutionary Change

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Questions and Answers

What does natural selection directly act upon?

  • Ecosystem balance
  • Population size
  • Genetic traits
  • Observable characteristics (correct)

    • Which scenario best explains the process of natural selection?

  • Giraffes grow longer necks due to stretching in their lifetime.
  • Long-necked giraffes survive better and reproduce more, gradually spreading the trait. (correct)
  • Short-necked giraffes are genetically modified in a lab to have longer necks.
  • Giraffes learn to use tools to reach higher leaves, reducing the need for long necks.

    • What happens to unfavourable genetic traits in a population over time according to natural selection?

  • They become more common.
  • They become less common. (correct)
  • They remain constant.
  • They alternate in frequency.

    • Which of the following describes an example of a favourable trait within the giraffe population?

    <p>Long necks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Lamarck's theory, how would giraffes have developed long necks?

    <p>By individually stretching their necks over their lifetimes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is gene flow?

    <p>Any movement of genes from one population to another</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does gene flow have within a single population?

    <p>Introduces or reintroduces genes, increasing genetic variation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does gene flow affect speciation across populations?

    <p>Increases genetic similarities, reducing speciation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How would the rate of gene flow typically compare in sedentary organisms versus more mobile organisms?

    <p>Lower in sedentary organisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is non-random mating?

    <p>Mating influenced by human interference</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does non-random mating work against natural selection?

    <p>It influences mate choice instead of environmental factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to a gene once it has been selected for by the environment?

    <p>It will increase in frequency over generations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is natural selection described as in the provided content?

    <p>The mechanism by which evolution may take place in a population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Darwin theorize about the finches in the Galapagos Archipelago?

    <p>They all shared a common ancestor.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor selected for the different beak types in Darwin's finches?

    <p>Food source</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which example best illustrates an ecological niche based on the provided content?

    <p>An anatomical niche where species have different beak shapes for specific food sources.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do mutations play in the process observed in Darwin's finches?

    <p>Mutations led to genetic variation in beak shapes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does population size play in genetic drift?

    <p>Small populations are more prone to genetic drift</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can overshadow natural selection in small populations?

    <p>Genetic drift</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a cause of mutations?

    <p>Natural selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the marble analogy, what does the jar represent?

    <p>The gene pool of the population</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do favorable mutations affect an organism's likelihood of survival in a population?

    <p>They increase the organism's fitness and are passed on to future generations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ultimate outcome of genetic drift in a small population given enough time?

    <p>Fixation of one genetic outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Most mutations that occur in an organism are:

    <p>Minor and do not impact the organism's fitness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During the marble analogy experiment, what does the replacement of each marble represent?

    <p>Reproduction of organisms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happened to the light-colored peppered moths during the Industrial Revolution?

    <p>They died off from predation due to loss of camouflage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does genetic drift have less impact on larger populations?

    <p>There is a normalizing effect in larger populations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following was NOT a consequence of the Industrial Revolution on the peppered moths?

    <p>Light-colored moths increased in population</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scenario described best illustrates genetic drift?

    <p>A small population where one genetic trait becomes fixed over time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do mutations play in evolutionary change?

    <p>Act as the primary source of new traits for natural selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the less common genetic outcomes in a population undergoing genetic drift?

    <p>They are lost over time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to an unfavorable mutation in a population?

    <p>It is reduced in frequency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes changes in the genetic material of an organism?

    <p>Mutation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Agents of Evolutionary Change

    • Five agents of evolutionary change: mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, non-random mating, and natural selection

    Mutation

    • Changes to the nucleotide sequence in the genetic material of an organism
    • Caused by: errors in DNA replication, exposure to UV or radiation, mutagens, and viruses
    • Creates variation in gene pools
    • Most mutations are minor and do not impact an organism's fitness
    • Mutations are the main provider of new traits for natural selection

    Example: The Peppered Moth

    • Evolution of the peppered moth due to pollution during the Industrial Revolution
    • Light-colored moths died off, dark-colored moths flourished due to camouflage

    Natural Selection

    • Process by which environmentally favorable genetic traits become more common
    • Acts on observable characteristics of an organism
    • Favourable traits increase in frequency, unfavourable traits decrease

    Example: The Giraffe

    • Long-necked giraffes survived and reproduced due to favorable genetic traits
    • Short-necked giraffes died off, leading to the emergence of long-necked giraffes

    Evolution

    • Natural selection leads to adaptations and specialization of organisms
    • Can result in the emergence of new species over time

    Example: The Finches

    • Finches on the Galapagos Islands adapted to different food sources
    • Different beak shapes emerged due to genetic variations and natural selection

    Genetic Drift

    • Random variations in which organisms reproduce, leading to changes in the genetic makeup of a population
    • Depends on small population size
    • Can overshadow natural selection in small populations

    Analogy of Genetic Drift

    • Randomly selecting marbles from a jar represents genetic drift
    • Changes in the population's genetic makeup occur due to chance

    Gene Flow

    • Movement of genes from one population to another
    • Increases genetic variation in a population
    • Reduces the occurrence of speciation

    Effects of Gene Flow on Evolution

    • Introduces or reintroduces genes to a population
    • Makes distant populations genetically similar

    Non-Random Mating

    • Mating that does not occur due to chance, but due to human interference
    • Occurs when the possibility of mating is not the same for all possible pairs of individuals
    • Works against natural selection

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    Description

    Explore the five agents of evolutionary change, including mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, non-random mating, and natural selection in this presentation of notes.

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