BIOLOGY 1114 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Genetic Drift, Zygosity, Speciation

An adaptation or adaptive trait is a trait/characteristic that has evolved in a population of organisms which provides a functional advantage. Adaptations increase the biological fitness of a population. Fitness is defined as the ability to survive and pass genes on to subsequent generations. For the purposes of this assignment, you are to choose an adaptive trait common to more than one species. For example, birds and bats both have wings. Write a 2-3 page (500 – 750 words, 12 point font) paper including the following elements. Be sure to compose your work with your own words. Do not copy and paste from any source. Describe what makes this trait an adaptation. Briefly describe how the trait evolved; e.g., mutation, genetic drift, migration and/or natural selection. Be sure to support your answer with evidence. What is the difference between homologous and analogous traits? How does your trait of choice fit either of these descriptions? What is convergent and divergent evolution? Describe whether the trait is a result of convergent or divergent evolution. Use in-text citation and provide source references for at least 3 sources. The textbook can be one source. When citing articles or other types of documents, follow standard guidelines as introduced on "Citing references in scientific research papers".

Evolution and Speciation

Define evolution. Why is it inaccurate for creationists to tout evolution as “just a theory”? (Think about what theory actually means in scientific terms vs. the use of the word “theory” in casual conversations).

Explain what the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium shows and describe the conditions necessary for the equilibrium to be maintained.

Explain what factors cause populations to diverge from the Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium and how each factor causes the change.

Describe how species evolve via natural selection. (Be sure to discuss the key aspects of natural selection: variation, heredity differential survival and reproductive success in your answer).

What does speciation mean and how can it occur?

What does adaptation mean? Why is natural selection the only agent of evolutionary change that leads to adaptation? (Think about how natural selection works).

Is natural selection all powerful? Can it create any variation that you or I could think of? Why or why not?

Differentiate between natural and sexual selection.

What is reproductive isolation?

Describe prezygotic and postzygotic mechanisms of reproductive isolation and explain how they can contribute to speciation.

Distinguish between allopatric and sympatric speciation and explain how each leads to new species.

What is adaptive radiation?

Be able to read and interpret phylogenetic trees: be able to determine which species are most closely related to each other, what nodes represent, where common ancestors would be located, etc.

What are paraphyletic, polyphyletic and monophyletic groups within a phylogeny?

Which of the following provides evidence for evolution?

Which one of the following statements is true?

Which one of the following can create new alleles?

Which of the following is true concerning evolution?

All living things need carbon. How does carbon enter the living portion of an ecosystem?

The burning of fossil fuels:

__________ conducts water and dissolved minerals from the __________ to the ___________.

What is a disadvantage of growing traditional crops such as corn, soy or sugar cane for making biofuel?

______ is the source of the oxygen gas released by a photosystem.

Through what structure(s) do plants obtain most of their water?