Name: ______Period: ______

Unit 9: Evolution

Activity 6: Microevolution Study Guide

Definitions

  1. Evolution:
  2. Fact:
  1. Theory:
  1. Adaptation:
  1. Fitness:
  1. Descent with Modification:

Speciation

1. What is the definition of speciation?

2. What is the result of speciation?

3. What are 5 things that cause speciation to occur?

For numbers 4-10, read the following scenarios and determine which of the five causes you listed in number 3 is responsible for the speciation event.

4. Two species mate. Their offspring that is formed is a fully functioning organism except for one thing…it is sterile (it can not reproduce).

5. A frog and a zebra fall in love. Unfortunately they are unable to reproduce because structurally their reproductive organs do not work together.

6. A river forms that cuts through the middle of the habitat of a population of mice. Now, the mice on the east side of the river and unable to mate with the mice on the west side of the river.

7. A male bird attempts to attract a female bird by performing a mating dance. The female pays no attention to him though because she was looking for a proper mating call, not a dance.

8. A certain species has 32 chromosomes and another species has 102 chromosomes.

9. Tigers are located in Asia while Lions are located in Africa.

10. One species is nocturnal, while the other species is diurnal.

Patterns of Evolution

1. What is the definition of gradualism?

2. What is the definition of punctuated equilibrium?

3. What is the definition of coevolution?

4. What is the definition of convergent evolution?

5. What is the definition of divergent evolution?

Look at the following images and determine which pattern of evolution it is describing.

6.

7.

For the following descriptions, determine if it is describing convergent, divergent, coevolution or punctuated equilibrium. Put a check mark in the box that has the correct term that matches the description.

Description / Convergent evolution / Divergent Evolution / Coevolution / Punctuated Equilibrium
8 / In the ocean surrounding Antarctica, there are fish that survive the cold water by using a molecule made of glycoproteins that circulates the blood and keeps it from freezing. Certain kinds of worms that live in the Arctic ocean also make antifreeze proteins that help them live in icy water.
9 / Ants are the correct size and weight needed to open the flowers for the peony plant. The peony plant provides food for the ant and the ant fertilizes the peony’s flowers.
10 / Horse evolution shows long stable periods of little evolution interruption by brief periods of rapid change.
11 / A kit fox lives in the desert and has large ears with greater surface area that keep the fox from getting overheated. The red fox lives in the forest and has a red coat that keeps it camouflaged.
12 / Hummingbirds have a beak just the right length to reach the nectar in a cardinal flower and as they feed their foreheads bump into the pollen structure. Cardinal flowers are red which hummingbirds can see but bees can’t. Cardinal flower’s pollen structure is just the right length for the hummingbird to pick up pollen as it feeds.
13 / The Gallotiatlantica and Gallotigalloti lizards evolved through natural selection from a common ancestor into a wide variety of different looking lizards.
Description / Convergent evolution / Divergent Evolution / Coevolution / Punctuated Equilibrium
14 / Whales, sharks, and penguins all have streamlined bodies and fins/flippers for moving in water even though they belong to different classes of animals (mammals, fish and birds).
15 / The Galapagos tortoises share a common ancestor, but have necks of different lengths to best reach the food they need in their habitat.
16 / This kind of evolution is proven by DNA analysis and results in organisms with different ancestors becoming more alike as they adapt to similar environments.
17 / Adaptive radiation is also known as ______.
18 / Abrupt appearance of new species in the fossil record.
19 / The Galapagos finches evolved through natural selection from a common ancestor into a wide variety of different looking species.
20 / Ostriches (birds) and giraffes (mammals) are both native to the savannahs of Africa. They share the same characteristic of a very long neck.
21 / The beaver in North America and the capybara in South America share a common ancestor, but have evolved over time to look different.
22 / Ostriches are native to the savannahs of Africa, while penguins live in the polar regions. Although ostriches and penguins are closely-related, they look very different.

Mechanisms of Evolution

1. How does a mutation allow for evolution to occur?

2. How does immigration allow for evolution to occur?

3. How does emigration allow for evolution to occur?

4. How does genetic drift allow for evolution to occur?

5. How does natural selection allow for evolution to occur?

For 6-11, label each scenario or graph as “disruptive, stabilizing or directional” selection.

6. A certain population of beetles has organisms that are somewhere on a spectrum from black to brown to tan. The beetles are located in a desert where the sand is beige/tan. Because of this, the tan beetles are able to blend into their surroundings the easiest and avoid predators. Overtime, the gene frequency shifts toward tan beetles.

7. In humans early mortality rate is more common in babies that are born with an extreme birth weight, either very small or very large. Because of this, average birth weights have become more common.

8. In a population of rabbits, the coat color ranges from Himalayan (gray and white) to white to gray. The Himalayan and gray rabbits are more easily able to blend in to the rocky environment then the white rabbits. Therefore, white rabbits become less common.

9.10.11.