Exam 1

Question 1

process that occurs when genetic variation is lost due to random variation in mating, mortality, fecundity, and inheritance.

Answer 1

Genetic drift

Question 2

reduction of genetic diversity in a population due to a large reduction in population size (e.g., from loss of food, disaster).

Answer 2

Bottleneck effect

Question 3

When a small number of individuals leave a large population to colonize a new area and bring with them only a small amount of genetic variation.

Answer 3

Founder effect

Question 4

the movement of alleles from one population to another, occurs whenever individuals leave one population, join another, and breed

Answer 4

Gene flow

Question 5

when individuals with intermediate phenotypes have higher survival and reproductive success than those with extreme phenotypes.

Answer 5

Stabilizing selection

Question 6

when individuals with either extreme phenotype experience higher fitness than individuals with an intermediate phenotype.

Answer 6

Disruptive selection

Question 7

when individuals with extreme phenotypes experience higher fitness than the average population phenotype.

Answer 7

Directional selection

Question 8

occurs when the fitness of a phenotype depends on its frequency relative to other phenotypes in a given population.

Answer 8

Frequency dependent selection

Question 9

evolution of populations; affected by random processes and selection.

Answer 9

Microevolution

Question 10

Selection in which humans decide which individuals will breed; breeding is done with a preconceived goal for the traits in the population (e.g., dogs, wild mustard).

Answer 10

Artificial selection

Question 11

phenomenon in which industrial activities cause habitats to become darker due to pollution; individuals possessing darker phenotypes
are favored by selection.

Answer 11

Industrial melanism

Question 12

The ability of an organism to express different phenotypes depending on the biotic or abiotic environment. Involves regulatory genes that switch on structural genes given the appropriate stimulus

Answer 12

Phenotype plasticity

Question 13

describes the pattern of phenotypic expression of a single genotype across a range of environmental conditions

Answer 13

Reaction norm

Question 14

occurs when individuals within a population differ in their ability to attract mates. It favors individuals with heritable traits that enhance their ability to obtain mates.

Answer 14

Sexual selection

Question 15

the sex which invests the most in producing offspring becomes a limiting resource over which the other sex will compete

Answer 15

Batemans principle

Question 16

Females may choose mates on the basis of physical characteristics that are indicators of male genetic quality.

Answer 16

Female choice

Question 17

Males physically competing for access to females, large size, weapons such as claws, antlers, etc. are advantageous in competition

Answer 17

Male-male competition

Question 18

refers to any trait that differs between males and females of the same species.

Answer 18

Sexual dimorphism

Question 19

evolution at higher levels of organization including genera, families, orders, and phyla.

Answer 19

Macroevolution

Question 20

Evolution of new species

Answer 20

Speciation

Question 21

hypothesized patterns of relatedness among different groups such as populations, species, or genera; depict which groups evolved from other groups.

Answer 21

Phylogenetic tree

Question 22

the evolution of new species through the process of geographic isolation.

Answer 22

Allopatric speciation

Question 23

a series of neighboring populations, each of which interbreeds with nearby populations with at least two populations which are unable to interbreed.

Answer 23

Ring species

Question 24

the evolution of new species without geographic isolation.

Answer 24

Sympatric speciation

Question 25

species that contains three or more sets of chromosomes; can also give rise to sympatric speciation.

Answer 25

Polyploid

Question 26

study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.

Answer 26

Phenology

Question 27

Seeks to understand how adaptations, or characteristics of an individual’s morphology, physiology, and behavior enable it to survive in an environment.

Answer 27

Individual approach

Question 28

Examines variation in the number, density, and composition of individuals over time and space.

Answer 28

Population approach

Question 29

Understands the diversity and interactions of organisms living together in the same place.

Answer 29

Community approach

Question 30

Describes the storage and transfer of energy and matter.

Answer 30

Ecosystem approach

Question 31

Examines movements of energy and chemicals over the Earth’s surface.

Answer 31

Biosphere approach

Question 32

the most fundamental unit of ecology

Answer 32

Individual

Question 33

individuals that are capable of interbreeding in nature.

Answer 33

Biological species concept

Question 34

individuals of the same species living and interacting in a particular area.

Answer 34

Population

Question 35

the extent of land or water within which a population lives.

Answer 35

Geographic range

Question 36

makeup of a population in terms of age, gender, or genetics.

Answer 36

Demographics

Question 37

Populations of species living together in a particular area and interacting.

Answer 37

Community

Question 38

Characteristics of different individuals in a group vary

Answer 38

Variation

Question 39

Some individuals have characteristics that help them survive and reproduce more successfully than other individuals without those characteristics

Answer 39

Fitness

Question 40

The individuals with the favorable traits have many offspring that inherit those traits – the traits are then common to the group ()

Answer 40

heritability

Question 41

phenotypic traits with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of

Answer 41

Adaptations

Question 42

the total amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis

Answer 42

Gross primary productivity

Question 43

The amount of carbon fixed after accounting for losses due to respiration is the

Answer 43

net primary productivity (NPP)

Question 44

is an innate mechanism that controls the physiology or behavior of an organism which changes on a daily, seasonal, yearly, or other regular cycle.

Answer 44

Biological clock

Question 45

recur at periods less the one day (e.g., feeding forays). Note these occur at predictable intervals; not random.

Answer 45

Ultradian rhythms

Question 46

the process of lowering the temperature of a liquid or a gas below its freezing point without it becoming a solid.

Answer 46

Supercooling

Question 47

genetically differentiated strain of a population, each restricted to specific habitats (Turesson 1922). These have a genetic basis, not phenotypic plasticity.

Answer 47

Ecotype

Question 48

an ecogeographical rule broadly stating that animals adapted to cold climates have thicker limbs and bodily appendages than animals adapted to warm climates. More specifically, it states that the body surface-area-to-volume ratio for homeothermic animals varies with the average temperature of the habitat to which they are adapted

Answer 48

Allen’s rule

Question 49

physiological term for animals that exhibit characteristics of both poikilothermy and homeothermy. Temporary reduction in set body temperature

Answer 49

Heterothermy

Question 50

temporary condition resulting in reduction in respiration and loss in power and locomotion)

Answer 50

Torpor

Question 51

state of reduced metabolic activity adopted by many organisms under conditions of environmental stress. Hibernation is a common form

Answer 51

Dormancy

Question 52

temporary increase in body temperature by some physiological process.

Answer 52

Facultative endothermy

Question 53

The rate at which light is attenuated is the

Answer 53

Extinction coefficient

Question 54

refers to any process through which atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted into a solid compound.

Answer 54

Carbon fixation

Question 55

The amount of carbon converted by photosynthesis per unit area and time is a measure of

Answer 55

Primary productivity

Question 56

recur at periods of approximately 24 hours (e.g., activity patterns, nocturnal vs. diurnal, sleep)

Answer 56

Circadian rhythm

Question 57

recur at periods of approximately one year (e.g., seasonal patterns, migration, reproduction)

Answer 57

Circannual rhythms

Question 58

(also called epicycles) are cycles of repeated activity occurring at time intervals less than 24 hours

Answer 58

Ultradian rhythm

Question 59

time between an innate biological activity in successive periods. For flying squirrel activity the time is 24h and 21 minutes.

Answer 59

Free running cycle

Question 60

synchronization or alignment of the internal biological clock rhythm, including its phase and period, to external time cues, such as the natural dark-light cycle.

Answer 60

Entrainment

Question 61

Many biological processes are tied to the lunar cycle

Answer 61

Circalunidian

Question 62

the duration of light or dark that inhibits or promotes a photoperiodic response. Critical daylength varies among organisms but typically is within 10-14 hours.

Answer 62

Critical daylength

Question 63

are those whose seasonal activity or behavior is stimulated by day length shorter than the critical daylength.

Answer 63

Short day organism

Question 64

are those whose seasonal activity or behavior is stimulated by day length longer than the critical daylength.

Answer 64

Long day organisms

Question 65

those whose seasonal activity or behavior is not stimulated by changes in day length. These plants respond to other cues (e.g., temperature, rainfall)

Answer 65

Day neutral organisms

Question 66

large naturally occurring communities of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g. rain forest, grassland or tundra.

Answer 66

Biomes

Question 67

process of solar radiation (light) striking Earth, being converted to infrared radiation (heat), and being absorbed and re-emitted by atmospheric gases.

Answer 67

Greenhouse effect

Question 68

causes winds moving north or south latitudinally to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and deflect to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This force causes the “trade winds” moving from higher latitudes towards ITCZ to come from northeast direction north of equator (northeast trade winds) and from southeast direction south of equator (southeast trades).

Answer 68

The Coriolis force

Question 69

the cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it rises higher in the atmosphere and expands.

Answer 69

Adiabatic cooling

Question 70

the heating effect of increased pressure on air as it sinks toward the surface of Earth and decreases in volume.

Answer 70

Adiabatic heating

Question 71

when water vapor is converted back to liquid, water releases energy in the form of heat and warms air.

Answer 71

Latent heat release

Question 72

the area of greatest insolation where the two Hadley cells converge and cause large amounts of precipitation.

Answer 72

Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) or solar equator