Lecture 24: Applied Evolution

Question 1

What does strong selective pressure in the form of chemicals for treating pests and pathogens result in?

Answer 1

Organisms that have resistant genotypes begin to arise to mutation and gene flow

Question 2

How has herbicides affected the weedy plant population?

Answer 2

Weedy plants have evolved resistances to herbicides

Question 3

Where does resistance come from?

Answer 3

1) Pre-existing genetic variation in the population
2) Gene flow
3) New mutations

Question 4

How does outcrossing weeds differ from selfing weeds in resistance variation?

Answer 4

Outcrossing have more pre-existing resistance variation than selfing weeds

Question 5

What is an example of outcrossing weeds having more pre-existing than selfing weeds?

Answer 5

Waterhemp

Question 6

How can herbicide resistance be stopped?

Answer 6

1) Multi-herbicide treatment
2) Rotation of different kinds of herbicides

Question 7

What have insecticides created for mosquitoes?

Answer 7

A strong selective pressure on mosquitoes that has led to a rapid evolution of resistance

Question 8

What is the goal for an evolution-proof solution for mosquitoes?

Answer 8

Minimize selection for mosquito resistance while reducing malaria transmission

Question 9

What is a potential solution for evolution proof solution for malaria?

Answer 9

Less aggressive drug treatment of malaria, which resulted in:
1) Less evolution of resistance
2) Reduced transmission of disease
3) Similar health outcomes of aggressive drugs

Question 10

Are single mutations more or less likely to gain resistances to multiple drugs with different mechanisms of action?

Answer 10

Single mutations are less likely to gain resistances to multiple drugs with different mechanisms of action

Question 11

Does the amount of virus making multiple mutations more likely or less likely

Answer 11

Amount of virus in your blood making multiple mutations are less likely because they come from the same source, hence genotypical material

Question 12

What does cancer mutation to different genes lead to?

Answer 12

Leads to drug-resistant tumours

Question 13

What are the genetic issues in Conversation Biology

Answer 13

1) Loss of genetic diversity
2) Loss of heterozygosity
3) Inbreeding of depression
4) Fixation of deleterious alleles (alleles that decrease an organism’s fitness)
5) Inability of populations to adapt

Question 14

What is the probability of evolutionary rescue from adaption depend on?

Answer 14

Depends on:
1) Population size
2) Beneficial mutation rate
3) How much fitness was reduced