Lesson 7: Macroevolution and Human Evolution

Question 1

what is macroevolution

Answer 1

large scale evolutionary changes
- life existed on earth for 3.5 billion years. at around 1.5 billion years ago was when eukaryotic cells evolved

Question 2

whats abiogenesis

Answer 2

the formation of life from non-living matter
- the question of abiogenesis is a matter of active research today

Question 3

what interrupted the slow gradual increases in biodiversity?

Answer 3

mass extinctions
- only a few of these extinction events have been cataclysmic (relating to a violent natural event)

Question 4

what is phylogeny

Answer 4

the evolutionary relationship between different groups of species of organisms

Question 5

what do cladograms do

Answer 5

it shows the phylogeny of groups of organisms

Question 6

gradualism?

Answer 6

• all large evolutionary changes in species are the result of many small changes in species over time that accumulate
• appears very similar to ancestor

Question 7

punctuated equilibrium?

Answer 7

• overall, evolution is slow but is occasionally punctuated by periods of rapid change; rapid spurts of change are followed by long periods of little or no change
• new species evolve rapidly, often in small isolated populations

Question 8

human evolution: what are humans grouped as and what is this group’s description?

Answer 8

humans are primates, which is a small group of mammals
- large brains relative to body size
- forward-directed eyes
- flexible hands and feet
- arms that can fully rotate
- many have opposite thumbs
- most have tails

Question 9

what makes humans different

Answer 9

• large brain relative to body size
• hands capable of fine manipulation and coordination
• bipedal

Question 10

how do fossils tell you if a species walked upright?

Answer 10

hip bones, feet, leg bones show if a species walked upright

Question 11

how do fossils show changes in brain size

Answer 11

skull shows changes in brain size
- corroborating evidence includes stone tools, hearths for cooking fires

Question 12

migration routes

Answer 12

• all early homonids evolved and lived in africa
• H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis, and H. sapiens all migrated at different times in history

Question 13

DNA remnants

Answer 13

DNA sequencing of Neanderthal bones have found there are small sequences of Neanderthal DNA found in some populations of modern humans

Question 14

homo erectus

Answer 14

upright man

Question 15

homo neanderthalensis

Answer 15

neanderthals

Question 16

homo sapiens

Answer 16

humans