Exam 3 Study Guide 2008

Chapter 13

· Define what biological evolution is (and isn't!);

· Recognize how evolutionary thought evolved from Aristotle to Darwin;

· Explain the theory of evolution by natural selection, including variation,differential reproduction and heredity;

· Explain Lamarck’s idea of evolution by inheritance of acquired characteristics;

· Explain how observations from fossils, comparative morphology/embryology, and comparative biochemistry are used as evidence that supports evolution;

· Distinguish between homologous and analogous structures;

· Explain how analogous structures arise through convergent evolution;

Chapter 14

· Define gene pool and define evolution in terms of what happens to alleles;

· Say what the sources of genetic variability are;

· List the conditions for Hardy-Weinburg (H-W) equilibrium;

· Say what the purpose of calculating H-W equilibrium is;

· Be able to calculate allele frequencies (find q if given p, find % heterozygotes, etc);

· Be able to define and provide examples of directional selection, stabilizing selection, and disruptive selection;

· Define genetic drift and say how it is affected by population size;

· Distinguish the founder effect from a bottleneck, and relate bottlenecks to endangered species;

· Be able to define species in terms of population interbreeding;

· Outline the biological species concept as stated by Ernst Mayr;

· Explain under what circumstances species will, and will not, arise;

· Distinguish the various types of reproductive isolating mechanisms that can lead to speciation;

· Be able to briefly define the major categories of prezygotic and postzygotic isolating mechanisms

· Define extinction, and say what factors may cause it;

Chapter 15

· Describe experimental evidence provided by Stanley Miller (and others) that the formation of biological molecules from simple precursor molecules might have occurred on early Earth;

· Describe how life might have spontaneously arisen on Earth approximately 3.8 billion years ago (RNA world);

· Describe how the endosymbiosis theory may help to explain the origin of eukaryotic cells;

· Describe the basis on which the geologic time scale was created;

· Recognize the major elements of the invasion of land by plants and animals;

· Explain effects that asteroid impacts, drifting and colliding plates, and other environmental insults have had on the direction of evolution on planet earth;

· Recognize the family tree of humans, and say how humans are thought to have evolved;

Chapter 16

· List the domains and kingdoms of life, and give a brief description of the characteristics of organisms in that group, and recognize representatives of each group;

· List the main taxonomic categories from most to least inclusive and understand their relationship to one another;

· Say how scientific names are formed and written;

· Distinguish Archea from Bacteria;

· Discuss the ecological and medical impacts of bacteria;

· Say why Protists are united within a single kingdom;

· Distinguish the algae from the protozoa, and give an example of each;

· Describe some ways Protists impact humans;

· List the major shared characters of the Kingdom Fungi;

· Describe some ways Fungi impact humans;

· Say what the major roles of Fungi in the ecosystem (include symbionts- lichens and mycorrhizae);

· List the major shared characters of the Kingdom Animalia;

· List the four features chordates have in common;

· Distinguish invertebrates from vertebrates, and very briefly describe the most prominent invertebrate groups;

· Name the vertebrate phyla, and tell their major characters and from what group they evolved;

· Say what a plant is, and what characteristics all plants share;

· Recognize the distinguishing characteristics of the major plant groups;

Chapter 17

· Compare and contrast the monocots and dicots;

· Explain the function of the following vascular plant parts: roots, stems, leaves, cuticle, stomata, vascular system; phloem, xylem; meristems (apical and lateral);

· Give the principle functions of the shoot and root;

· Distinguish between tap and fibrous root systems;

· Explain how the structure of roots, stems and leaves contributes to their functions;

· Distinguish between primary and secondary growth (which produces wood?);

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