Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Bio 1114 > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

(101 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

____________ is the only known explanation for adaptation.

A

Natural Selection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Why can drift not be an adaptation?

A

Drift is random

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are three examples of adaptations?

A

Feeding Specializations, Crypsis, and Mate Attraction or competition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is crypsis?

A

Camoflauge/ adaptations to blend in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the two qualifications for a trait to be an adaptation?

A
  1. It must improve the fitness so that the organism with the trait has higher fitness than those without
  2. There must be a correlation between the presence of the feature and the hypothesized selection pressure (greater selection = greater presence of feature)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What results from differences in fitness?

A

Differential reproductive success and survival

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How does adaptation occur: gradually or rapidly?

A

Adaptation occurs through gradual, directional selection over several generations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is are analogous structures?

A

Structures that are functionally similar, but structurally and historically different (Independent evolutionary origins, such as the vertabrate eye and octupus eye)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are analogous structures a product of ?

A

Convergent Evolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

Organisms that are not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are homologous structures?

A

Structurally similar structures, but can be functionally different

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are homologous structures a product of?

A

Divergent Evolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is Divergent Evolution?

A

The accumulation of differences between groups which can lead to the formation of new species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

_________ is evidence for natural selection.

A

Poor Design (panda’s thumb is not a “perfect” thumb, it is a makeshift adaptation for stripping bamboo)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are Vestigial Structures?

A

Structures with little or no current function, retained due to common ancestry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a pre-adaptation?

A

An existing structure modified to serve a new function

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Bird feathers were originally intended for thermoregulation, but they now also facilitate the evolution of flight. What is this an example of?

A

Exaptation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is an exaptation?

A

An adaptation that has arisen via preadaptation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the genetic constraint on adaptation?

A

Heterozygotes have the advantage of the highest fitness, but they cant “breed true”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the morphological constraint on adaptation?

A

Certain morphologies may be impossible due to some uknown developmental constraint

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is allometry?

A

Something is allometric if it scales with size. When the Irish Elk got bigger, its antlers got significantly bigger, decreasing the geometric similarity. It became extinct because any more increase in size would cause such a large increase in antler size that the elk could not support its antlers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the trade-off constraint on adaptation?

A

When adaptation for one function may compromise another function (the cheetahe h adapted longer legs for greater speed, but that came with higher chance of breaking a limb)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Why is large population size important for Hardy-Weinberg theorem?

A

In genetic drift, the passing on of A and a alleles may not be equal in a small population. In a large population, it will be close to 1:1

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the result of genetic drift over time?

A

The population will eventually drift to homozygosity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What can be used as a standard measure of genetic variation per locus in a population?
Heterozygosity (gene diversity)
26
What is the equation for heterozygosity?
H = 1- (p^2 + q^2) | H is the chance of drawing two different alleles
27
What is the equation for homozygosity?
f = (p^2 + q^2) or f = 1- H
28
Drift tends to ________ heterozygosity.
reduce
29
Mutation tends to _________ heterozygosity
Increase
30
What is the establishment of a new population by a smaller group of a larger population that onl carry a small fraction of the total genetic variation of the parental population?
Founder Effect
31
If the founder event occurs but genetic variation of the new population is the same, then there is no ____ ____ via founder effect
Genetic Drift
32
Genes in low frequency in the original population become _________ in the founder population.
Common
33
True of False: Founder evens are likely to produce homozygosity
False, they are not likely to produce homozygosity
34
What is a population bottleneck?
Environmental or other catastrophe decreases the size of the population. The population rebounds, but the genetic diversity is very low
35
________ ________ is a type of bottleneck.
Founder Effect
36
What does a present low level of genetic diversity indicate?
A past bottleneck
37
True or False: Founder Effect results in genetic drift because a non-representative sample of the population produces more gametes
True
38
_________ populations may be more vulnerable to random events such as genetic drift because it is easier to draw a non-representative sample from them.
Small
39
Given enough time, drift will end in fixation for ________ alleles.
Neutral
40
What are neutral alleles?
Those with no selective advandage/disadvantage
41
Small populations are more sensitive to _____ _____, but the _______ _______ ______ through genetic drift is independent of population size.
random events, rate of evolution
42
The rate of neutral evolution depends entirely on ______ _______.
mutation rate
43
If drift occurs, will the population become homozygous?
No, mutation balances drift to produce equilibrial heterzygosity
44
When the population is small and mutations are infrequent, is drift more or less powerful?
More powerful
45
Why do females determine the reproductive output of a population?
Any individual female typically has a higher mating success than any individual male
46
What is a gonochoric population?
Separation of sexes in different individuals (opposite of hermaphrodite).
47
What are the two advantages for asexual reproduction?
1. Most members of the population can reproduce | 2. The reproductive output is higher since more individuals can reproduce
48
What evidence is there that sex is good from an evolutionary standpoint?
1. It is seen in most eukaryotes (ubiquity) | 2. Longevity of sexual lineages compared to asexual lineages
49
Why is sex advantageous?
Because recombination is advantageous and results in more variability
50
What is Muller's Rachet?
The process by which deleterious mutations accumulate in an asexual population over time. Used to explain the evolution of sex.
51
What are the two consequences of Muller's Ratchet?
1. The proportion of the population made up of low-fitness genotypes increases 2. The size of the population decreases
52
How does migration violate Hardy-Weinberg?
1. By introducing/removing alleles | 2. Maintains genetic diversity in the face of natural selection or genetic drift
53
What is microevolutionary change?
change in gene frequencies across generations
54
What are the four mechanisms for microevolutionary change and which ones are random?
1. Mutation (random) 2. Genetic drift (random) 3. migration/ gene flow (random) 4. Natural Selection
55
What is the biological species concept?
Species are groups of that can interbreed and reproduce
56
What three observations led to the Biological Species Concept?
1. Variation within populations 2. Geographic variations between populations 3. Sibling (cryptic) species that are reproductively different but look alike
57
What is a cryptic species?
Morpholigically identical but cannot interbreed, so they are different species
58
What are four limits to the biological species concept?
1. Organisms that do not reproduce sexually 2. Hybrid zones (populations were geographically isolated, became distinct, then came back together and mated and reproduced) 3. Extinct species cannot be studied 4. Geographically separated species cannot be studied to see if they can reproduce
59
What is the morphological species concept?
Species are defined by physical features (morphology)
60
What is the phylogenetic species concept?
an irreducible group whose members are descended from a common ancestor and who all possess a combination of certain defining traits
61
What is a synapomorphy?
Shared, derived (homologous) features
62
What is a monophyly?
A group of species characterized by synapomorphy
63
What is a clade?
A monophyletic group made up of all the descendants of a common ancestor
64
What is paraphyletic?
An ancestral group but not all descendants are included
65
What are three commonalities between all species concepts?
1. Species are populations linked by history 2. Species are characterized by shared, derived characters 3. Genetic and morphological continuity is maintained by interbreeding
66
What is speciation?
The mechanisms by which populations attain reproductive isolation
67
What do isolating mechanisms do?
Prevent gene flow between populations or members of the same population
68
What are two prezygotic barriers that are isolating mechanisms?
1. prevention of mating between populations | 2. positive assortative mating (non-random mating based on phenotype or genotype)
69
How is a lack of contact or time an isolating mechanism, and what is this isolation mechanism called?
- Incipient (cryptic) species may be in the same place but mate at different times of the year or day - An organism may be isolated by its habitat so it spends its whole life in the same place so it doesn't come into contact with the incipient species - Temporal Isolation
70
Why is lack of interest an isolating mechanism?
The male may not engage the female, or the female does not respond to the male
71
What is ethological isolation?
Behavioral isolation. For example, male lacewings have a mating call to attract females. The females show preference for certain mating calls.
72
What are two post-mating, prezygotic isolation mechanism?
1. Mating occurs, but zygotes are not formed. May be due to the lock and key hypothesis, where the parts don't fit so no sperm is transferred. 2. Gamete isolation occurs in which the eggs may not recognize the sperm due to incompatible receptors. Common in plants.
73
What is a postzygotic isolating mechanism?
Fertilization takes place but does not result in a successful offspring
74
__________ are the outcome of reproductive isolation.
Species
75
What are three things that can happen in hybrid species?
1. Embryo dies shortly after morality 2. Hybrid offspring develop then die 2. Hybrids are viable but are not fertile
76
What causes aneuploid gametes?
Chromosomes have different genes or morphologies so they don't separate properly
77
What is allopatric speciation?
A population is subdivided, and during the separation mutations arise in each population so that they are different from the original population. These differences are able to maintain distinctiveness even after the physical barrier is removed
78
_______ is the most important mod of speciation in animals.
Allopatric
79
What is the difference between dispersal and vicariance, and what type of speciation are these?
Dispersal is the movement of a species into a new area. Vicariance is the separation of a species by a geographical barrier. These are allopatric speciation.
80
What is Allopatry?
Speciation in adjacent areas across which gene flow is restricted
81
What is parapatric speciation?
physical distance prevents gene flow
82
what is sympatric speciation?
Speciation without physical or spatial barriers. Different groups of the population specialize on a particular resource (niche) and speciate.
83
__________ are features which enhance relative fitness and lead to greater reproductive success
Adaptations
84
What is sexual selection?
Selection arising from differences in mating success
85
What are two basic kinds of reproductive modes?
1. Spawning | 2. Copulation
86
What are advantages and disadvantages to copulation?
Advantage: the ability to choose ones mate Disadvantage: Requires time and energy searching for mates
87
What three things does spawning require?
1. Coordination of timing of spawning 2. Concentration and density of gametes appropriate to environment 3. Gamete recognition mechanisms
88
What is polyandry?
Multiple smaller males compete for access to largest and oldest female
89
What is polygyny?
The oldest and largest individual is male and he fertilizes a group of females
90
________ selection is between members of one sex to gain access or opportunity to mate
Intrasexual
91
What is preference by one sex for certain phenotypes in mates?
Intersexual Selecion
92
How does Sexual Selection violate Hardy-Weinberg?
No random mating
93
________ mating is when there is an equal chance of mating between every male/female pair.
Random
94
What is positive assortative mating?
Preference for similar phenotypes
95
What is negative assortative mating?
Preference for different phenotypes
96
What are the six components of reproductive fitness?
1. Viability- probability the individual will survive 2. Mating success- number and quality of mates 3. Fecundity- number of gametes per individual 4. Segregation advantage- alleles have a greater chance of showing up in the gametes 5. Gamete viability- longevity/quality of the egg or sperm 6. Fertilization Success- fertilization will take place
97
Why do females typically pick their mates?
- produce the "expensive" gametes - May have post-mating responsibilities - Focus on getting the best mate so her investment in eggs has the greatest genetic dividend
98
What do females look for in males?
- Signs of health and capability in feeding - Features that emphasize the distinction between males and females - Novelties that suggest they are from another population
99
What does Zahavi's handicap hypothesis say?
Males that have a handicap, such as a peacock's large, heavy feathers, prove to have superior genes since they are surviving with their handicap. This is why females mate with them. Survival despite the handicap demonstrates fitness.
100
Why do the offspring of choosy females have higher average fitness?
If male quality correlates with male fitness, choosy females have an increased frequency of mating with higher fitness males.
101
What is runaway sexual selection?
When female choosiness for a certain male appearance does not necessarily mean the males have greater fitness

Bio 1114 (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions