8.1 Introduction to Evolution [Mastery Check]

Instructions

This is part 2 (of 2) for the Intro to Evolution assignment. Make sure you already completed Part 1 (practice) before starting this one!

This is the "Mastery Check" part of this assignment. Your answers to these questions will be graded for accuracy, and will not give you the option to check your answers before submitting like the practice assignment did. Make sure you are happy with all of your answers before you submit!

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What did Charles Darwin notice about the finch populations in the Galapagos islands?

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Darwin was influenced by many different people, some scientists and some not. Below are some examples of things that Darwin may have considered or ways that he may have applied the ideas of these other people to the work he was doing.

Match each person to the reasoning or conclusion that best matches with their work.

These aren't descriptions of their work, but are ways someone might try to apply their ideas in a biology context.

Draggable item		Corresponding Item
Charles Lyell		animals have to compete for resources with other animals around them
Thomas Malthus		animals have been around for a very, very long time
James Hutton		if we see animals participating in some sort of process or behavior today, animals in the past probably also participated in those sorts of processes
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck		organisms can have traits that are "better" or "worse" for their survival, and they can pass those on to their offspring

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A caterpillar species lives on the ground in a forest. Most of the caterpillars are green, including Sam (one particular caterpillar). Sam is living his life happily on the forest floor, until the climate of the area shifts slightly, causing low grasses in the forest to no longer survive. The only effect this has on these caterpillars is that the ground is no longer green - instead, it is now brown.

What will most likely happen to Sam?

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[MARK ALL THAT APPLY!]

Charles Darwin's theory of evolution requires....

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[MARK ALL THAT APPLY!]

In order for a trait to be considered an "adaptation", it must...

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After many generations, an insect species in the United States evolved, becoming resistant to a particular pesticide that was being widely used.

This most likely occurred because....

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[MARK ALL THAT APPLY!]

Which of the following scenario(s) describes intrasexual selection occurring?

Male Southern elephant seals are significantly larger than females of the same species, sometimes up to 5 times as large! Just before the reproductive season, males will arrive at the beaches and establish their territories, often fighting one another to establish dominance. Eventually, females then arrive on the beaches. Males will then continue to fight one another as needed, to defend, control, and expand their "harems" (groups of females in an area that mate with the male in that area). 

In seahorses, females are often brightly colored, while males are quite dull in comparison. Seahorse mating is one example in nature where the male parent is the one in control of nurturing and "housing" the developing offspring (in a pouch with placenta-like structures!) This is somewhat less common in nature, and as a result of this "sex role reversal", the males of the species are pickier, and will choose females to mate with who display traits they prefer (like bright body colorations). 

In Trinidad in the Caribbean, many guppy fish live in streams. While they are related to one another, you can often see distinct physical differences between species depending on which particular stream they inhabit. In some of these streams, crayfish (predators of guppies) are common, while other streams lack crayfish entirely. As a result, guppy species in streams with crayfish often have a dull greenish-brown coloration, while guppies that live in streams without crayfish have a variety of colorations, including bright reds and oranges. 

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In evolutionary theory, individuals with a higher "fitness" are those that...

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We know that when an animal (ex. deer) reproduces sexually, their offspring will have genetic variations, meaning they may have some genotypic and phenotypic differences as compared to their parents, siblings, or other members of the same species.

What is most TRUE about these variations?

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Which of the following statements best describes the process of natural selection in a population?

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A new bacteria begins to infect wheat plants across the United States. This bacteria, when it infects a plant, significantly slows the growth of the plant, and makes it very difficult for the plant to reproduce. To protect the wheat plants, scientists decide to insert a gene into the genome of the wheat plants. This gene is borrowed from another plant species; it codes for the production of a protein that is toxic to these particular bacteria, but is harmless to plants and animals.

What will most likely happen within the bacteria's population over time?

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Which of the following scenarios would NOT be able to result in allopatric speciation?

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Which of the following statements best expresses the concept of punctuated equilibrium?

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The differences in cricket calls among sympatric species of crickets are examples of...

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A population of giraffes lives in an area where the only food grows on high tree branches. Over many generations, these giraffes develop long necks to reach the branches. This is an example of:

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A population of snails lives near a large factory. Close to the factory, the ground and air are several degrees warmer due to hot air exhausted from the building. Because of this, snails that live near the building breed in early May while those farther away from the building do not breed until June. Which statement below is most accurate?

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Which of the following is most likely to be responsible for causing the great number of species we see on earth in the past and today?

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[MARK ALL THAT APPLY!]

Which statements below are TRUE?

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[MARK ALL THAT APPLY!]

Which of the following scenarios represents coevolution occurring?

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Your answer must be 1-2 full sentences in order to receive full credit.

Why are there so many different definitions for what a "species" is? Why haven't biologists decided on a single, correct definition?

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