1. What is the difference between the different patternsof selection: directional, stabilizing, anddiversifying?
2. How do bacteria acquire genetic variation and how doesthat differ from the mechanism by which humans acquirevariation?
3. What were the key observations made by Darwin todevelop the basic tenants of the theory of evolution? Has thistheory been tested?
4. What are the most common misconceptions about evolutionand why are they not valid arguments against evolution?
5. The key component of the theory of evolution is naturalselection. Define this process. Why is it commonly known asâsurvival of the fittestâ? What are examples of factors (selectivepressures) that drive evolution of populations?
6. What is the indirect evidence of evolution? What arehomologous and analogous structures? What is convergent evolution?How does similarity of proteins between different species supportthe idea of evolution?
7. Be able to explain why the following statement is true:Natural Selection works on individuals while evolution works onpopulations over generations. Or to put it another way: Individualsdo not evolve, populations do.
8. How can evolution explain the formation of complexstructures such as the eye or the flagella motor?
9. What causes variation in a species? To put this anotherway: all humans have the same genes, yet we do not look alike. Whatis the reason fro the phenotypic differences between individuals ofthe same species? What is genetic recombination?
10. What are the dangers of small populations of a speciesfrom a genetic and evolutionary standpoint? What is the bottleneckeffect?
11. How does speciation occur? What is the importance ofgeographic isolation? How is this illustrated in theGalapagos?
12. What is Darwinian Medicine and how does it help usbetter understand medical conditions?
1. What is the difference between the different patternsof selection: directional, stabilizing, anddiversifying?
2. How do bacteria acquire genetic variation and how doesthat differ from the mechanism by which humans acquirevariation?
3. What were the key observations made by Darwin todevelop the basic tenants of the theory of evolution? Has thistheory been tested?
4. What are the most common misconceptions about evolutionand why are they not valid arguments against evolution?
5. The key component of the theory of evolution is naturalselection. Define this process. Why is it commonly known asâsurvival of the fittestâ? What are examples of factors (selectivepressures) that drive evolution of populations?
6. What is the indirect evidence of evolution? What arehomologous and analogous structures? What is convergent evolution?How does similarity of proteins between different species supportthe idea of evolution?
7. Be able to explain why the following statement is true:Natural Selection works on individuals while evolution works onpopulations over generations. Or to put it another way: Individualsdo not evolve, populations do.
8. How can evolution explain the formation of complexstructures such as the eye or the flagella motor?
9. What causes variation in a species? To put this anotherway: all humans have the same genes, yet we do not look alike. Whatis the reason fro the phenotypic differences between individuals ofthe same species? What is genetic recombination?
10. What are the dangers of small populations of a speciesfrom a genetic and evolutionary standpoint? What is the bottleneckeffect?
11. How does speciation occur? What is the importance ofgeographic isolation? How is this illustrated in theGalapagos?
12. What is Darwinian Medicine and how does it help usbetter understand medical conditions?
