BIO 148 EXAM 2 REVIEW QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Evolution
causes changes in individuals (No, evolution changes the genetic makeup of
populations) - Correct Answers --Individuals don't evolve/ change
-Some have more surviving offspring so, the POPULATION changes in favor of the
traits of the surviving offspring
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Adaptations
occur in response to a need of an organism (No, mutations that create new alleles are
random) - Correct Answers --Evolution is not goal- directed
-Mutations are random and don't occur to solve problems
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Evolution
always results in more complex organisms (No, traits are often lost over time (ex: tails,
legs, teeth)) - Correct Answers --Organisms become more complex as evolution
progresses
-Complex traits are lost if they aren't adaptive
Predict the effect of the absence of antibiotics on the genetic variation of a bacterial
population - Correct Answers --The genetic variation of a bacterial population is the
same because the bacteria that developed mutations to be antibiotic resistant will not
have a higher fitness in this population
-Since the fitness is of the bacteria species is even, all of the different traits in the
population will keep getting passed down, resulting in not very much change of the
bacterial population
Predict the effect of a change in food source from small, soft seed to hard fruits on the
genetic variation of a finch population in the Galapagos - Correct Answers --The genetic
variation of a finch population increased among the different Galapagos islands
-Since the finches are geographically isolated from each other on the different islands
and the different islands all had different types of seeds, the finches on each island
adapted to their environment, evolving different beak shapes based on food source of
island located
Describe how changes in gene switches events can be important for evolutionary
change - Correct Answers --A mutation in a gene switch can affect fitness by changing
expression patterns and protein shapes
AND ANSWERS
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Evolution
causes changes in individuals (No, evolution changes the genetic makeup of
populations) - Correct Answers --Individuals don't evolve/ change
-Some have more surviving offspring so, the POPULATION changes in favor of the
traits of the surviving offspring
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Adaptations
occur in response to a need of an organism (No, mutations that create new alleles are
random) - Correct Answers --Evolution is not goal- directed
-Mutations are random and don't occur to solve problems
Explain the faulty logic behind common misconceptions about evolution: Evolution
always results in more complex organisms (No, traits are often lost over time (ex: tails,
legs, teeth)) - Correct Answers --Organisms become more complex as evolution
progresses
-Complex traits are lost if they aren't adaptive
Predict the effect of the absence of antibiotics on the genetic variation of a bacterial
population - Correct Answers --The genetic variation of a bacterial population is the
same because the bacteria that developed mutations to be antibiotic resistant will not
have a higher fitness in this population
-Since the fitness is of the bacteria species is even, all of the different traits in the
population will keep getting passed down, resulting in not very much change of the
bacterial population
Predict the effect of a change in food source from small, soft seed to hard fruits on the
genetic variation of a finch population in the Galapagos - Correct Answers --The genetic
variation of a finch population increased among the different Galapagos islands
-Since the finches are geographically isolated from each other on the different islands
and the different islands all had different types of seeds, the finches on each island
adapted to their environment, evolving different beak shapes based on food source of
island located
Describe how changes in gene switches events can be important for evolutionary
change - Correct Answers --A mutation in a gene switch can affect fitness by changing
expression patterns and protein shapes
