AP Biology, Honors, Evolution Unit Essay Assignment
Chapter 22: Descent with modification: A Darwinian view of life
Answer any 2 of the following questions:
1) The Origin of Species developed two major points; elaborate on these two points.
2) Cite one example of how natural selection provides evidence for evolution and explain
it.
3) Explain how the evidence of evolution pervades every research field of biology.
Chapter 23: The evolution of populations
Answer any 3 of the following questions:
1) Describe the modern synthesis of the theory of evolution.
2) Define microevolution and explain the two main causes of microevolution
3) Explain how genetic variation occurs within a population; explain how genetic
variation occurs between populations
4) Explain the three ways natural selection can affect the frequency of a heritable trait in
a population
5) Why doesn’t natural selection result in “perfect” organisms?
Chapter 24: The origin of species
Answer any 2 of the following questions:
1) Define the biological species concept. Differentiate between pre-zygotic and postzygotic barriers that isolate the gene pool of species.
2) Compare and contrast the two modes of speciation: allopatric speciation and
sympatric speciation
3) Use the complex human eye as an example to support the statement that evolutionary
novelties are modified versions of older structures.