Geology 001B West Valley College

Historical Geology R. Lopez

Study Questions: Darwin and Natural Selection (Chapter 7 p. 181-205)
  1. Define Evolution and how it relates to Adaptations.

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  2. Know what adaptations are and be able to give some examples.

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  3. Darwin invented evolution. True or False?

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  4. What was Charles Darwin�s contribution to the Theory of Evolution?

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  5. Name the three components of the Theory of Natural Selection.

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  6. Recall "advantage traits are selected by nature".

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  7. Write out the formula for Natural Selection and define each of the variables.

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  8. Nature is defined as what?

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  9. What was J.B. Lamarch (1809) hypothesis of inheritance of acquired characteristics (the long necks in giraffes).

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  10. Read Box 7-1, page 196. What two factors in species traits contribute to mass Extinctions? In the modern era, the largest number of Extinctions are related to what human cause??

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  11. What was Darwin�s limitation in really pushing through his hypothesis of natural selection?

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  12. What are chromosomes, DNA, and genes?

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  13. What contribution to Darwin�s Theory of Natural Selection did Gregor Mendel (1860�s) make? What are alleles and what is particular inheritance?

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  14. Is it correct to say "survival of the fittest"?

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  15. Besides variations in traits (genetic make-up) of the offspring, what other source of variation can result in a change in the characteristics of the organism?

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  16. What are mutations? Use and example of a mutation that may alter an organism for beneficial, neutral, or harmful traits.

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  17. What is Allopatric Speciation? (Think about the Galapagos � see page 187.)

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  18. Define and graph both Phyletic Gradualism and Punctuated Equilibrium. What are some of the arguments for both of these modes of Evolutionary Rates?

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  19. Give some examples of evolutionary trends. Is this a positive criterion for Phyleticc Gradualism?

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  20. Origination and Radiation of New Species may take three independent paths. What are these?

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  21. Give examples of all three Radiation of New Species using organisms discussed in lecture or in your text.

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  22. What occurs during the extinction of species?

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  23. In terms of extinction rates, do mammal species or marine species have a longer average time span of existence for that particular species?

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  24. What are mass Extinctions.

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  25. Which was a more devastating mass extinction, the terminal Cretaceous-Tertiary or terminal Permian-Triassic?