Evolution Study Guide Honors
Name
Period
Date
1. What is population genetics?
2. A biologist analyzes the DNA sequences in three different primates. The biologist finds that primates A
and B have nearly identical DNA sequences. The DNA sequences in primate C are significantly
different from those of primate A. From this information, what could a biologist infer?
3. List three things that cause genetic variation in species. (Think back to meiosis and two parts that
increase genetic variation during this.)
4. How are humans related to primates?
5. Describe the following types of predation selection.
a. Mimicry-
b. Camouflage-
6. What is the largest and most influential force driving evolution?
7. Describe the process of speciation.
8. Where did Darwin observe the many varieties of finches that helped support his theory of Natural
Selection?
9. How did Darwin discover where the finches came and evolved from?
10. What phrase did Darwin use instead of evolution? Descent with _______________
11. Sexual selection is important to choosing a mate, such as male peacocks with beautiful feathers use them
to attract females. How does this relate to natural selection? (Explain in your own words. It’s not in the
notes).
12. Compare and contrast vestigial, homologous, and analogous structures. Give examples of each.
13. How can biological molecules (like amino acid sequences, RNA, and DNA) show common ancestry
between different organisms?
14. List the evidence for evolution?
Cytochrome c is a protein that is involved in cellular respiration in all eukaryotic organisms. Human
cytochrome c contains 104 amino acids. The following table compares human cytochrome c with
cytochrome c from a number of other organisms
Organism
Pigs
Duck
Snake
Tuna
Moth
Number of cytochrome c amino acids that differ from human cytochrome c amino acids
13
17
20
31
36
15. List the organisms above from most closely related to humans to least closely related.
16. Define and list examples of the following:
a. coevolution – Ex. Predator vs. Prey
If the prey adapts to blend in the environment better, then the predators need to evolve better
senses to find the prey.
b. convergent evolution
c. divergent evolution
17. What is the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium used to do?
18. List/Describe the major part of Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection?
1)
2)
3)
4)
19. What type of population is most susceptible to loss of genetic variability as a result of genetic drift?
Large, medium, or small?
20. Compare and contrast the following types of natural selection, include a drawing of what the graphs of
each type:
a. directional selection
b. stabilizing selection
c. disruptive selection
21. What is the difference between reproductive isolation and geographic isolation? How do these relate to
allopatric and sympatric speciation? Be able to relate all four together, and provide examples.
22. What is gene flow?
23. Define the following words. Be sure to include how they relate to each other: evolution, natural
selection, genetic variation, and adaptation.