BIOL 222 Evolution Name: Key

Quiz 1 (25 points)

Some general comments: All questions unless otherwise noted are worth 2 points each. Some are simply memorization and some are interpretation to test your understanding of concepts. To do well in this course, you need to come to class (& pay attention & TAKE NOTES) AND read the textbook. Do NOT assume that glancing at the lecture slides the night before a quiz/exam is going to be enough. If you miss class, GET SOMEONE’S NOTES. It is your responsibility to find out what was said during class. It has been my experience as a teacher for many years that students learn the best when they write things down in their own words. Try it.

1. Biological evolution is defined as

a. Change in the properties of an organism over the course of development

b. Directed change toward some fixed goal

c. The belief that each organism has an immutable essence

d. Change in the properties of groups of organisms over the course of generations

e. A completely random biological process

Directly out of the notes.

2. Doctors who have a clear understanding of evolution will likely be better able to

a. Write appropriate prescriptions

b. Order appropriate diagnostic tests

c. Interpret the results of diagnostic tests in light of their specific patients

d. Appear empathetic to their patients

e. All of the above

This is related to the fact that doctors who understand evolution, know the reality that people differ in terms of their underlying genetics (=variation). Therefore, instead of interpreting the results of diagnostic tests based on “normal” ranges, they can instead base their conclusions on deviation from a baseline of their specific patient. This was something that was discussed in class. However, since students who missed the first day of class had the most difficulty with this question, I decided to make it worth 1 point instead of 2.

3. From an evolutionary perspective, the high rates of Type 2 Diabetes among certain populations of Native Americans and natives of the Hawaiian and Samoan islands can be partially explained by

a. the ‘thrifty genes’ hypothesis, which suggests that these populations are maladapted to the modern abundance of food.

b. these peoples’ inactivity and overindulgence in fatty foods.

c. their lack of access to appropriate medical care

d. environmental contamination

e. none of the above

(a) is the only explanation that comes from an evolutionary perspective. When you ask the question “how is the modern environment different from the historical environment and what could that mean in terms of explaining documented variation?”, you are asking an evolutionary question. All the other choices merely talk about differences in the modern environment and/or modern behavior. Plus, whenever you see a derivative of the term ‘adaptation’, generally speaking, you are asking an evolutionary question. This was also mentioned in class.

4. In agriculture, the need for farmers to put more and different types of chemicals on their crops to rid them of pests is analogous to doctors needing to prescribe more and different types of antibiotics to fight bacteria. Which of the following statements best explains this phenomenon.

a. New insects keep arriving from other parts of the world.

b. After exposure to a particular chemical, individual insects have the ability to make themselves immune to it.

c. The chemicals cause a mutation in the genome of the insects that makes them immune to the chemicals

d. Some individual insects in the crop fields survive an application of chemical due to some attribute they possess, which they then pass on to their offspring.

e. Every species of insect must be treated with a different chemical.

Just like the evolution of antibiotic resistance, pesticide resistance begins stems from the variation that exists in organisms. Some individuals have a natural immunity to the chemical, which they will then pass on to their offspring. Therefore, the next generation will be made up of only the offspring of those insects that survived the application of the chemical. If the same chemical is used, then they will be naturally immune to it. In the absence of underlying variation, resistance would not involve. This is an illustration of the principle of natural selection. *Remember, traits aren’t caused/created by selection pressure. They must already exist in the population.

5. What year was Darwin’s book “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” published?

a. 1895

b. 1859

c. 1935

d. 1854

e. none of the above

Directly out of the notes – I mentioned in lecture that this is the ONLY date I will expect you to know.

6-8. Matching. Select the term that best matches the historical concept.

a. Uniformitarianism

b. Catastrophism

c. Natural Theology

d. Gradualism

e. Lamarckism

6. __A__Adherents believe that geological processes have operated, unchanged, since the origin of the Earth.

7. _B__Adherents believe that the observed changes in the Earth’s crust as well as episodes of past extinction were caused by episodic global events.

8. __E__Adherents believe that each generation passes on the beneficial traits it has acquired during its lifetime to the next generation.

These are right out of the lecture.

Observe the following graphs.

Label which is consistent with Lamarck’s view of Evolution and which is consistent with Darwin’s.

9. ____Darwin_____________

10. ______Lamarck_____________

11. What inference did Darwin make that directly refers to the following observations.

a. All species have great potential fertility

b. Populations remain stable

c. Environmental resources are limited

__There is a struggle for existence________

Again, this is right from the lecture slides

12. The vertebrate eye and the octopus eye are spectacular examples of

a. Divergent Evolution

b. Intelligent Design

c. Convergent Evolution

d. Evolutionary dead-ends

This was discussed in class (lecture 3) – the eyes evolved independently in the mammals and in cephalopods (octopus). You can tell based on the key differences in the structure and development of each that they came from different origins. But mostly, I talked about this during lecture.

13. Which of the following is not one of Darwin’s theories?

a. Evolution (change over time)

b. Common descent

c. Change via saltations

d. Population change

e. Natural selection

You should have gotten this through process of elimination – these were given in class. Change via saltations is actually the opposite of Gradualism (which is the one not listed in the choices).

Bonus: (up to 2 points) Who is this guy and why wouldn’t you want to be him??

Alfred Wallace. He independently came up with the idea of Natural Selection AFTER Darwin did, but BEFORE Darwin published his findings. After receiving his manuscript, Darwin rushed to publish his, but the two men did actually publish together and acknowledged their mutual thoughs processes. Sadly, Wallace is not remembered because he was the SECOND to come up with the theory.

*Note: bonus points are entirely up to my discretion – there is no arguing/point mongering allowed, else I will stop including them. I tend to be very picky.