Bio 175 FALL 2004 EVOLUTION FINAL EXAMINATION Monday December 6, 2004

Transcription

1 1 Bio 175 FALL 2004 EVOLUTION FINAL EXAMINATION Monday December 6, 2004 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 1. Write your NAME ON EVERY PAGE and ANSWER ONLY IN THE SPACE PROVIDED. 2. Please read the question carefully before answering. 3. Be CONCISE but COMPLETE in your answers. Part I. Multiple choice. Circle the one BEST answer for each question (2 points each, 30 points total) 1. Progenesis refers to a form of a. peramorphosis resulting from a slower rate of development b. paedomorphosis resulting from a slower rate of development c. peramorphosis resulting from an early cessation of growth d. paedomorphosis resulting from an early cessation of growth 2. The first eukaryotes appear in the fossil record about a. 4.5 billion years ago b. 3.8 billion years ago c. 1.8 billion years ago d. 540 million years ago 3. A paraphyletic group of taxa is defined as having a. a common ancestral species and includes all descendants of that ancestor b. a common ancestral species but omits some descendants of that ancestor c. more than one ancestral species d. no common ancestral species 4. Elevated rates of amino acid replacement substitutions at antigenic sites in the hemagglutinin gene of the influenza A virus is a good example of a. negative selection b. positive selection c. overdominant selection d. purifying selection

2 2 5. Evidence supporting the chemical theory for the origin of life includes a. the laboratory experiments of Henry Miller at the University of Chicago in 1953 b. the synthesis of various biological polymers on the surfaces of clays c. the discovery of organic compounds in meteorites d. in vitro selection experiments on populations of RNA molecules in the laboratory e. all of the above 6. In protandrous species, individuals a. are simultaneously male and female throughout their entire lives b. begin life as males and at a later age switch to become females c. begin life as females and at a later age switch to become males d. begin life as simultaneous hermaphrodites and at a later age switch to become males 7. Unlike mitochondria, chloroplasts have been found to be a. monophyletic b. polyphyletic c. paraphyletic d. periphyletic 8. The biological species concept can be used to identify a. asexual species b. cryptic species c. fossil species d. species capable of freely hybridizing e. all of the above 9. Ring species are believed to be formed by the process of a. allopatric speciation b. parapatric speciation c. peripatric speciation d. sympatric speciation e. polyploid speciation 10. The formation of the supercontinent Pangaea may have contributed to which mass extinction event? a. the end-ordovician b. the late-devonian c. the end-permian d. the end-triassic e. the Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT)

3 3 11. Eusociality has evolved in a. ants b. paper wasps c. snapping shrimp d. naked mole-rats e. all of the above. 12. In the marine environment, species that survive mass extinctions tend to have a. tropical distributions b. large body sizes c. extensive geographic ranges d. highly specialized lifestyles e. all of the above 13. In the hominid fossil record, Homo habilis is believed to have evolved from a. Homo ergaster b. Homo erectus c. Australopithecus robustus d. Australopithecus afarensis e. Australopithecus africanus 14. Following secondary contact, the evolution of additional prezygotic isolating mechanisms to complete the speciation process is called a. hybrid release b. hybrid assimilation c. recapitulation d. reinforcement 15. Intersexual selection can result in the evolution of a. alternative male reproductive strategies. b. a larger adult body size of the male relative to the female. c. sperm competition among males. d. elaborate courtship displays by males..

4 4 Part II. Distinctions. Briefly show that you understand the difference(s) between the two terms in each question. (5 points each; 25 points total). 1. The evolutionary theory of aging vs. the rate-of-living theory of aging 2. The African replacement model vs. the hybridization/assimilation model of human evolution 3. The coincidental evolution hypothesis vs. the trade-off hypothesis for the evolution of virulence 4. The sensory bias hypothesis vs. the good genes hypothesis

5 5 5. Punctuated equilibrium vs. phyletic gradualism Part III. Short Answers. Please answer only in the space provided. (One or two sentences will suffice for full points!) (25 points total) 1. (a) What is kin selection? (3 points) (b) What is Hamilton s inequality? (3 points) (c) State two assumptions of Lack s hypothesis that are likely incorrect (2 points) 3.(a) What is a homeotic gene? (3 points)

6 6 (b) What evidence suggests that homeotic genes played a role in the Cambrian explosion? (3 points) 4. (a) What is a ribozyme? (3 points) (b) What two findings suggest that prokaryotes evolved between 3.5 and 4.0 billion years ago? (2 points) 5. (a) What is homoplasy? (3 points) (b) Name three forms of homoplasy and provide an example of each (3 points)

7 7 Part IV. Long Essay. Please answer one of the following two questions (20 points) 1. The use of phylogenetic trees is becoming widespread in many areas of evolutionary biology. In fact, in many specific areas of study (such as applying the comparative method ) one cannot begin to properly address questions without first knowing the phylogeny of the group! This question has two parts. First, briefly describe the two main approaches used to reconstruct phylogenetic trees and identify the pros and cons associated with each method. Second, discuss two examples from class (either lecture or textbook) in which phylogenetic trees have been used to examine specific evolutionary questions that extend beyond inferring taxonomic relationships.

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9 9 2. You have been asked to testify in Sacramento as an expert witness for the defense in a legal case brought by a California group that wants creation science taught alongside evolution in the state s high schools. Due to time constraints, you have been asked to prepare two arguments that you feel make the strongest possible case supporting the biological fact of evolution. Clearly discuss the two best arguments that you would make in court drawing heavily from topics or examples discussed in lecture or the textbook. [Note: you are not being asked to refute the creationist s arguments (this is being done by other scientists) but to present material supporting evolution.]

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