Pearson Chapter 11 Review

Front

What is the significance of generation time in observing evolution in populations?

Back

Shorter generation times allow for quicker observation of evolutionary changes, as seen in organisms like mosquitoes compared to those with longer generation times, such as squirrels.

Front

What evidence supports the idea that humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestor?

Back

DNA evidence, fossil evidence, homology, and vestigial structures all indicate that humans and chimpanzees evolved from a shared ancestor.

Front

How does natural selection affect populations when a pesticide is no longer effective?

Back

Natural selection favors individuals with resistance to the pesticide, leading to an increase in the frequency of resistant traits in the population.

Front

What role do similar genes play in the development of organisms with different appearances?

Back

Similar genes can control the developmental pathways of different organisms, leading to convergent evolution despite differences in appearance.

Front

What is the primary mechanism of evolution?

Back

Natural selection is the main mechanism that drives evolution by favoring individuals with advantageous traits.

Front

Define natural selection.

Back

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Front

What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?

Back

Homologous structures are similar due to shared ancestry, while analogous structures are similar due to convergent evolution, not common ancestry.

Front

What are vestigial structures?

Back

Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or structures that had a function in an early ancestor but are no longer functional in the current organism.

Front

How does genetic variation contribute to evolution?

Back

Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon, allowing populations to adapt to changing environments.

Front

What is the role of mutation in evolution?

Back

Mutations introduce new genetic variations into a population, which can lead to new traits that may be subject to natural selection.