Topic 5 Evolution Study Guide Questions
Topic 5.1 – Evidence for Evolution
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Define Evolution
Outline the evidence for evolution using the fossil record
Explain how selective breeding can be a good example of evolution by selection, even though it is
not natural selection
Define Homologous structures and give an example.
Define Adaptive radiation.
Explain how populations of a species can diverge into separate species.
Define Gradual divergence.
Describe the development of melanistic insects in industrialized areas
Describe the forms and functions of pentadactyl limbs of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.
10. A study was undertaken of the evolution of two species of wasps, one the parasite of the other.
The parasite queen, Vespula squamosa, kills the host queen, Vespula maculifrons, and takes
over her role in the colony. Data was compiled for 13 colonies of V. squamosa and 37 colonies
of V. maculifrons to analyse the genetic structure of the two species.
Each point on the graphs represents the genetic distance and geographic distance between a pair
of colonies. The genetic distance indicates the number of differences in specific DNA markers
between a pair of colonies. The results are shown below.
(a) (i)
Determine the greatest genetic
distance between any pair of colonies of
V. squamosa.
(ii) Identify the greatest geographic distance
between any pair of colonies of
V. maculifrons.
(b) Describe the relationship between the
geographic distance and genetic distance in
the two species.
(c) Compare the two species in terms of
genetic distance between the pairs of
colonies.
(d) Data collected on eight specific alleles
in the two species indicated that each
species was in Hardy–Weinberg
equilibrium. Evaluate all the data regarding
possible evolutionary changes within the
two species.
Topic 5.2 – Natural Selection
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Define variation and explain why variation is critical to natural selection?
State three causes of variation and explain how they cause variation.
Define Adaptation.
Do populations tend to produce more or less offspring than the environment can support? Why or
why not?
15. Outline the process of natural selection.
16. Explain how natural selection leads to evolution.
17. Explain two examples of evolution in response to environmental change; one must be antibiotic
resistance in bacteria.
18. There is evidence that body size of animals tends to increase over time. In this study, fossils and
living species from the genus Poseidonamicus, deep-sea ostracods, were used to test this
hypothesis. The numbers on the dotted line represent the number of different Poseidonamicus
species found either as fossils or living. For each time period, the average valve length of all
species studied is plotted. Valve length is an indication of total body size. The continuous line is
the estimated temperature of their deep-sea habitat.
(a)
Calculate the percentage increase in valve length between the species studied from 40
million years ago and the species from the present day.
(b)
time.
Suggest two reasons for the increase in the number of species of Poseidonamicus over
(c)
Evaluate the hypothesis that changes in size of Poseidonamicus are caused by changes
in sea temperature.
Topic 5.3 – Classification of Biodiversity
19. Outline binomial system of nomenclature.
20. List seven levels in the hierarchy of taxa using an example from two different kingdoms for each
level
21. State the 3 domains.
22. How does classification help in species identification?
23. What might cause a species of groups of species to be reclassified?
24. Distinguish (use a table to give the differences) between three or more different items between the
following phyla of plants, using simple external recognition features: bryophyta, filicinophyta,
coniferophyta and angiospermophyta.
25. Distinguish (use a table to give the differences) between three or more different items between the
following phyla of animals, using simple external recognition features: porifera, cnidaria,
platyhelminthes, annelida, mollusca and arthropoda.
26. Classify one plant and one animal species from domain to species level.
27. Apply and design a key for a group of up to eight ‘organisms’.
Topic 5.4 – Cladistics
28. Define Clade.
29. What types of evidence are used to determine if species are part of a clade?
30. Explain how the evidence from the previous questions is used to determine evolutionary relationships.
31. Distinguish between analogous and homologous traits.
32. Describe how cladograms are constructed and what they show.
33. How has cladistics influenced the prior classifications of groups based solely on body structures?
34. Construct a cladogram of humans and at least 5 primates.
35. The tree diagram (cladogram) below shows how closely related a group of species of spiders are
on the Hawaiian island group. Two of the species have not been given a scientific
location:
name. Three pairs of the spiders spin very similar webs. These are shown
- Mainland - USA
on the diagram. The island on which the spider
T. laboriosa
lives is also indicated.
(a)
(b)
(c)
State which species is most distantly
related to T. perkinsi on the basis of the
tree diagram.
Explain the evidence in the diagram for
(i) convergent evolution
(ii) adaptive radiation
Deduce whether spiders that spin similar webs or
spiders that live on the same island are more
closely related.
T. hawaiensis
- Hawai’i
“emerald
ovoid”
- O’ahu
T. limu
- O’ahu
“eurylike”
- O’ahu
T. acuta
- Maui
T. fliciphilia
- Maui
T. stelarobusta
- Maui
T. eurychasma
- Maui
T. perkinsi
- Hawai’i