Key Principles and Processes of Evolution

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Questions and Answers

Which concept describes the competition among members of a species for limited resources?

Struggle for existence (correct)

Descent with modification

Natural selection

Genetic drift

What is the term for the mechanism by which advantageous traits become more common?

Genetic drift

Natural selection (correct)

Selective breeding

Descent with modification

Which of the following best defines 'fitness' in an evolutionary context?

The ability to adapt to new conditions

Success at surviving and reproducing in an environment (correct)

The genetic diversity of a population

The size of a population

What does a cladogram primarily show about organisms?

Their relationships based on shared characteristics (non-genetics) (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'LUCA' refer to?

The last universal common ancestor of all life (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which scientist is best known for the concept of punctuated equilibrium?

Stephen Jay Gould (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the process where unrelated organisms develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures?

Convergent evolution (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for when a parasite lives on or inside another organism, causing harm?

Parasitism (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the concept of temporal isolation?

Species being reproductively isolated due to differences in mating times (C) Signup and view all the answers

The concept that a population grows faster than the food supply was postulated by which scientist, influencing Darwin’s theory of evolution?

Thomas Malthus (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the evolutionary process that results in the diversification of a species into numerous forms to fit different niches?

Adaptive radiation (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that physical changes acquired by an organism during its lifetime can be passed down to its offspring?

Lamarckism (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the process where populations are physically separated by geographic barriers, causing interrupted gene flow, called?

Geographic isolation (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is radioactive dating used to determine?

The age of rocks and minerals (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a homologous structure?

The forelimbs of a human, a bat, and a whale (A) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Principles of Evolution

Descent with Modification: A process where traits are passed through generations, leading to variations.
Fitness: Success in surviving and reproducing in an environment. Natural selection either eliminates or favors variations based on this.
Struggle for Existence: Competition for limited resources within a population.

Processes of Evolution

Natural Selection: A mechanism where advantageous traits become more common in a population.
Genetic Drift: Random changes in allele frequencies, primarily in small populations.
Selective Breeding: Human-induced selection in agriculture and domestication.
LUCA: Last Universal Common Ancestor

Cladograms and Phylogenetic Trees

Cladograms: Show relationships between organisms based on shared characteristics (non-genetic).
Phylogenetic Trees: Illustrate evolutionary history based on genetic data (DNA).
Reading Cladograms/Phylogenetic Trees: To interpret, locate the start point, follow the main line through time, and analyze branching points to determine the development of characteristics.

Scientific Contributions

Darwin: Proposed that species change over time, new species originate from existing ones, and all species share a common ancestor.
Lamarck: Hypothesized that physical changes acquired during an organism's lifetime can be inherited.
Malthus: Noted that population growth outpaces resource availability.
Wallace: Contributed to the understanding of natural selection.
Wegener: Proposed continental drift.
Dobzhansky: Emphasized the relationship between genetics and evolution.
Margulis: Developed the endosymbiotic theory (explaining the origin of organelles).
Gould: Proposed punctuated equilibrium (a model of evolutionary change).

Theory of Natural Selection

Competition: Rivalry for resources, mates, and territory.
Predation: One organism hunting another.
Climate Change: Impacts populations.
Parasitism: One organism living off another in a harmful manner.
Pollution: Affects organisms' health and survival.
Selective Pressure: Favored traits in a given environment get passed down more.
Geographic Isolation: Physical barriers separate populations.
Temporal Isolation: Reproductively isolated due to differing mating times.
Behavioral Isolation: Different behaviors impede reproduction.
Gradualism: Slow, continuous evolution.
Punctuated Equilibrium: Periods of rapid evolutionary change punctuated by periods of stability.
Convergent Evolution: Unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.
Divergent Evolution: Related species diverge due to different environmental pressures.
Coevolution: Two species evolve in response to each other.
Adaptive Radiation: A single species diversifies into many new ones.
Mass Extinction: Significant loss of species.
Evolutionary Arms Race: Continuous adaptation and counter-adaptation between competing species.
Fossil Records: Evidence of past life forms.
Radioactive Dating: Used to determine the age of fossils.
Comparative Embryology: Studies similarities in embryonic development to see evolutionary patterns.
Homologous Structures: Similar structures with shared ancestry.
Analogous Structures: Similar functions but different ancestry.
Out of Africa Hypothesis: Model of human origins and migration.
Agricultural Revolution: Farming techniques led to population growth.

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Description

This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of evolution, including descent with modification and natural selection. Additionally, it covers the mechanisms that drive evolutionary changes, such as genetic drift and selective breeding. Test your knowledge on cladograms and phylogenetic trees used to represent evolutionary relationships.