Biology Pre-AP, G/T 2015
Evolution and the History of Life
Chapters 10-12
A. Section 10-1 Early ideas about evolution
1. At this point in our study of biology, you probably recognize that there are many more living
organisms than you thought and that they vary tremendously in their characteristics. Evolution is a
process that helps to explain this diversity. Define evolution.
2. Define species.
3. Briefly explain the major contributions made by the following scientists
a. Carolus Linnaeus
b. Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon
c. Erasmus Darwin
e. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
f. Georges Cuvier
4. Create a data table to compare and contrast catastrophism, gradualism, and uniformitarianism.
Include the key points of each term and the main researcher behind the idea.
5. Of the above mentioned ideas, which one had the greatest effect on Charles Darwin and why?
B. Section 10-2 Darwin’s Observations
6. In Darwin’s travels, what did he note about the tortoise and finch populations on the various
islands?
7. How does the word “adaptation” apply to these observations?
8. What hypotheses emerged as Darwin found fossils that resembled living organisms?
C. Section 10-3 Theory of Natural Selection
9. What role did artificial selection play in Darwin’s research?
10. Define heritability. What connection does this term have to Darwin?
11. Define natural selection.
12. Recall the video, read your text and explain Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection
and his “tree of life” idea. Be sure to include the four main components.
13. Peter and Rosemary Grant spent many summers gathering data on medium ground finches,
hoping to gather support for Darwin’s work. What did their research show with regard to
changing environments?
14. Observe Figure 3.3. Answer the question at the bottom of the paragraph about adaptive
compromise.
Activity #1: NATURAL SELECTION ACTIVITY
D. Section 10-4 Evidence of Evolution
15. Discuss how each of the follow are evidences of evolution.
a. Fossils
b. Geographic distribution of species (biogeography)
c. Similarities in early development
d. Homologous structures vs. analogous structures.
e. Vestigial structures
16. What are Hox genes? What is their role as evidence of commonality among organisms?
E. Section 10-5 Evolutionary Biology Today
17. How does his theory explain the diversity of life on earth today?
Note: In the theory of evolution, the term adaptation refers to random genetic changes in the
DNA code of an organism, which increases an organism's ability to survive. (We often use the
term adaptation incorrectly. For example - "Johnny adapted to the cold climate when he moved
to Alaska." But since this did not result in a genetic change in Johnny's DNA, it is not
genetically transferred to offspring, and therefore does not affect the survival of the species.)
The variation in any given species is the result of random changes in DNA (mutations). No
organism can change its own DNA on demand to fit a new environmental change.
18. Much more is known today about genetics than was understood during the lifetime of
Darwin. How has current knowledge of DNA changed the way evolution is studied?
19. Briefly describe how each of the following lend support to evolution.
a. DNA sequence analysis
b. Pseudogenes
c. Protein comparisons
d. Homeobox genes
20. Study page 308 and summarize the various evidences that support whale evolution.
Activity #2: MOLECULAR CONNECTION
F. Section 11-1 Genetic Variation within Populations
21. Individuals do not evolve, populations evolve. What does this mean? Include gene pool and
allele frequency in your answer.
22. Define evolution in genetic terms.
23. What are the sources of genetic variation observed in populations?
24. Natural selection on single gene traits leads to evolution by altering allele frequencies.
Explain how this applies to the frog example on page 317 in your text.
G. Section 11-2 Natural Selection in Populations
25. Sketch a graph to show what is meant by a normal distribution curve. What would be the
characteristics of a population showing this type of curve?
26. How does the term microevolution apply to the way natural selection changes the distribution
of a trait?
27. Why is natural selection on polygenic traits different from natural selection on single gene
traits?
28. Define each of the following and cite an example of each:
a. directional selection
b. stabilizing selection
c. disruptive selection
H. Section 11-3 Other Mechanisms of Evolution
29. Define gene flow and cite an example. Be sure to explain how this affects the neighboring
populations.
30. How is genetic drift different from gene flow?
31. What is the difference between the bottleneck effect and the founder effect?
32. What is the role of sexual selection in the evolution of populations? Cite several examples of
how this can be advantageous? Disadvantageous?
I. Section 11-4 Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
33. What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?
34. What are the 5 conditions required to maintain genetic equilibrium?
35. Read the pages 330-331. Summarize. This is important.
Activity #3: HARDY-WEINBERG LAB
J. Section 11-5 Speciation through Isolation
36. Define speciation.
37. What factors lead to speciation? Use the following to guide you in your explanation:
a. Reproductive isolation (define and give an example)
b. Mechanisms for reproductive isolation: Define each: behavioral isolation, geographic
isolation, temporal isolation
K. Section 11-6 Patterns in Evolution
38. What is meant by evolution through natural selection is not random.
39. What is the difference between convergent evolution and divergent evolution? Give examples of
each.
40. How is coevolution beneficial? Describe the relationship between the ant and acacia plant on p.337
41. Explain the phrase “evolutionary arms race”.
42. What is a mass extinction? How many have occurred?
43. Speciation occurs in patterns. Study figure 6.6 and differentiate between evolutionary
gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.
44. What is adaptive radiation? How is the adaptive radiation of mammals supported by punctuated
equilibrium?
TEST
Activity #4 - GEOLOGIC TIMELINE (Follow instructions AND answer questions)
L. Section 12.1 The Fossil Record
1. Describe how most fossils form.
2. Considering that millions of species have lived on Earth, why are there relatively few fossils?
3. Describe the process of relative dating and radioactive dating.
4. What is a half life?
5. How old is the Earth? How was this determined?
M. Section 12-2 The Geologic Time Scale
6. What is an index fossil? What are some characteristics of the best index fossils?
7. What are the three basic units of time in the geologic time scale?
N. Section 12-3 Origin of Life
8. Describe the early Earth during the Hadean Eon and after.
9. Describe what Miller and Urey’s experiment simulated
10. What is a ribozyme?
11. How did this diversity of life arise over time? Include the following in your discussion:
a. proteinoid microspheres
b. RNA and DNA formation and protein synthesis
O. Section 12-4 Early Single Celled Organisms
12. When was the origin of the prokaryotic cell?
13. What is the significance of cyanobacteria?
14. Describe the endosymbiont theory.
15. What evidence supports the theory of endosymbiosis?
16. How did sexual reproduction lead to increased genetic diversity?
17. What are advantages and disadvantages to sexual reproduction?
P. Section 12-5 Radiation of Multicellular Life
18. When was the Cambrian Explosion and why was it significant?
19. Describe life in the Cenozoic Era
20. After viewing the video on tuberculosis in Russia (from class, or see link on website), explain
what is happening. What is the cause of this problem? Why is it important for the medical
personnel to understand evolution? Despite the evidence that life is changing over time, for
some, evolution is a still a controversial topic. Why?