1
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
Chapters 19-23
Concepts 19.1 - 19.3
Concepts 20.1 - 20.5
Concepts 21.1- 22.4
Concepts 22.1- 22.4
Concepts 23.1 – 23.4
1. Descent with Modification
2. Phylogeny
3. Evolution of Populations
4. Origin of the Species
5. Broad Patterns of Evolution
Key Terms
1. Evolution
2. Adaptive radiation
3. Divergent evolution
4. Convergent evolution
5. Fossil
6. Gene pool
7. Hardy-Weinberg Law
8. Natural selection
9. Embrylogy
10. Vestigial structure
11. Biogeography
12. Homologous structures
13. Analogous structures
14. Genetic variability
15. Mutation
16. Directional selection
17. Stabilizing selection
18. Disruptive selection
19. Speciation
20. Allopatric speciation
21. Sympatric speciation
22. Genetic drift
Recommended Work for Chapters 19-23
1. Concept Checks
2. Testing Your Understanding at the end of chapters
1
2
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
General review

Define the following:
o Evolution
o Microevolution
o Macroevolution
o Natural selection
Evidence for evolution
Evidence for evolution is provided by the following five scientific disciplines.
Describe and give examples for each of the disciplines.
1. Direct Observation (give 2 examples)
2. The Fossil Record (Paleontology)
3. Biogeography
2
3
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
4. Embryology
5. Comparative anatomy, include homologous structures and analogous
structure.
6. Molecular biology
Natural Selection
Define the following
o Natural selection
o Adaptations
o Fitness
3
4
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
Darwin presented his theory for natural selection using the following arguments.
Explain each one.
1. Populations posses an enormous reproductive potential.
2. Population sizes remain stable.
3. Resources are limited.
4. Individuals complete for survival.
5. There is variation among individuals in a population.
6. Much variation is heritable.
7. Only the fit individuals survive.
4
5
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
8. Evolution occurs as advantageous traits accumulate.
Natural selection may act upon a population in a variety of ways. Describe and explain
each one, include a graph that represents the type of selection.
1. Stabilizing selection
2. Directional selection
3. Disruptive selection
4. Sexual selection (no gragh)
5
6
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
5. Artificial selection (no graph, give an example)
Sources of Variation
In order for natural selection to operate, there must be variation among
individuals in a population. Indeed, considerable variation exists in nearly all
populations. The variation arises from or is maintained by the following mechanisms.
Describe and explain each of the following.
1. Mutations (Formation of New Alleles)
2. Altering Gene number or Position
6
7
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
3. Sexual reproduction
a. Include the following
i. Genetic recombination
ii. Crossing over
iii. Independent assortment of homologues
iv. Random joining of gametes
4. Balancing Selection- Heterozygote Advantage
Why Natural Selection Cannot Fashion Perfect Organisms
Though natural selection leads to adaptation, nature abounds with examples of organisms
that are less than ideally suited for their lifestyles. Describe the four reason this is the
case.
1. Selection can act only on existing variations.
2. Evolution is limited by historical constraints.
7
8
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
3. Adaptations are often compromises.
4. Chance, natural selection, and the environment.
Causes of Changes in Allele Frequencies
Natural selection was the mechanism that Darwin proposed for evolution. With the
understanding of genetics, it became evident that factors other than natural selection can
change allele frequencies and thus promote evolution. These factors, together with
natural selection, are given below. Describe each one and explain how it causes changes
in allele frequencies. (These are the five conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium)
1. Natural selection
2. Mutations
3. Gene Flow
4. Genetic drift, include the founder effect and bottleneck
8
9
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
5. Nonrandoming mating
Genetic Equilibrium
When the allele frequencies in a population remain constant from generation to
generation, the population is said to be in genetic equilibrium, or Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium. At genetic equilibrium, there is no evolution. In order for equilibrium to
occur, the factors that normally change gene frequencies do not occur.
List the five conditions required for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Speciation
A species is usually defined as a group of individuals capable of interbreeding.
Speciation, the formation of new species, occurs by the following processes. Describe
and explain each process and draw a diagram to illustrate it.
1. Allopatric speciation
2. Sympatric speciation
9
10
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
3. Adaptive radiation
Maintaining Reproductive Isolation
If species are not physically separated by a geographic barrier, various mechanisms
commonly exist to maintain reproductive isolation and prevent gene flow. These
mechanisms may appear randomly (genetic drift) or may be the result of natural
selection.
There are two categories of isolating mechanisms. The first category, prezygotic
isolating mechanisms, consists of mechanisms that prevent fertilization. Describe each
of the following and give an example.
1. Habitat isolation
2. Temporal isolation
3. Behavioral isolation
4. Mechanical isolation
5. Gametic isolation
10
11
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
The second category, postzygotic isolating mechanisms, consists of mechanisms that
prevent the formation of fertile progeny. Describe each of the following and give an
example.
1. Hybrid inviability (reduced hybrid viability)
2. Hybrid sterility
3. Hybrid breakdown
Pattern of Evolution
The evolution of species is often categorized into the following four patterns. Describe
each of the following and draw a graph to illustrate each one.
1. Divergent evolution
2. Convergent evolution
11
12
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
3. Parallel evolution
4. Coevolution
Macroevolution
Define macroevolution:
The two distinct macroevolution theories listed below reflect different interpretations of
fossil evidence and explanations for the development of evolutionary history. Summarize
the two theories and draw a diagram to illustrate each one.
1. Gradualism
2. Punctuated equilibrium
12
13
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
The History of Life on Earth (chapters 23, 24.1)
Conditions on the early Earth made the origin of life possible.
The current hypothesis about how life arose consists of four main stages. Describe them.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Earth was formed about ________billion years ago, and life on Earth emerged about
______ billion years ago. For the first three-quarters of Earth’s history, all of its living
organisms were microscopic and primarily unicellular.
Hypothetical early conditions of Earth have been simulated in laboratories, and organic
molecules have been produced.
The Origin of Life
The steps hypothesized to have led to the first primitive cell and the subsequent steps that
led to more complex living cells are outlined below. Describe each of the following:
1. The earth and its atmosphere formed
a. What was Earth’s early atmosphere like? List the possible contents.
13
14
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
2. The primordial seas formed
a. How and when did the primordial seas formed?
3. Complex molecules were synthesized
a. Describe the early formation of molecules.
b. What role did A.I. Oparin and J.B.S. Haldane have in forming
hypothesis’ pertaining to the origins of the first molecules?
c. Describe Stanley Miller’s experiment, and what is the significance of
his experiments?
4. Polymers and self-replicating molecules were synthesized.
a. Explain this concept of the forming of polymers and how these
polymers could self-replicate.
14
15
AP Biology Unit 6—Evolutionary Biology
5. Primitive heterotrophic prokaryotes formed.
a. Define heterotrophs.
b. Explain why the first cells were thought to be primitive heterotrophic
prokaryotes.
6. Primitive autotrophic prokaryotes were formed
a. Define autotrophy.
b. Explain the evidence to support this idea.
7. Eukaryotes formed (endosymbiotic theory)
a. Explain the endosymbiotic theory and cite the evidence for it
15
16
AP Biology Evolution Unit 6-- Grid-In Questions
1. The radioisotope potassium-40 can be used to date past events older than 60,000
years. Potassium-40 has a half-life of 1.3 billion years, decaying into Argon-40. If
the igneous rock layer that scientists wish to date shows a ratio of Potassium-40 to
Argon-40 at one-fourth the current ratio, what is the age of the rock layer? Express
your answer in billions of years.
Answer:__________
2. In a population of king snakes the banded pattern (B) is dominant to no banding
(b). If 12% of the population shows no banding, what percentage of the population,
to the nearest tenth, is heterozygous for banding?
Answer:__________
3. In a population of turtles, the allele that causes a yellow shell (Y) is dominant to
the allele that results in a red shell (y). If the dominant allele is present in the
population at the 0.72 level and the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,
what percent of the population would be expected to have a red shell? Express your
answer to the nearest tenth of a percent.
Answer:__________
16
17
AP Biology Evolution Unit 6 Essay Question #1
Explain how evolution occurs; make sure you discuss Darwin’s theory of natural
selection.
17
18
AP Biology Evolution Unit Essay Question #2
Describe the process of speciation. Include a discussion of mechanisms that
maintain reproductive isolation, include geographic barriers, adaptive radiation,
polyploidy, and sexual selection.
18
19
AP Biology Evolution Unit Essay Question #3
A number of experimental investigations have provided evidence that the conditions
early in the Earth’s history provided an environment capable of generating complex
organic molecules and simple cell-like structures.
(a) Describe one scientific model for the origin of organic molecules on Earth.
(b) Explain how RNA has the essential features of the earliest genetic material.
(c) Predict the effect that introduction of free oxygen in the atmosphere had on the
prokaryotic species of the time.
19