MYP Biology Spring Semester Final Review
Remember:The discussions we have in class, what I write or draw on the board, and the supplemental information provided by your classmates may not
appear on this guide. All of that information is relevant to the concepts we're covering so make sure to include them in your studies.
Evolution
● Be able to identify and explain the differences between gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.
Gradualism: slow evolution
Punctuated: faster evolution
Punctuated equilibrium is faster than gradualism because of neighbouring species.
Example of gradualism: took very long to develop human skulls
○ Be able to assess and explain types of evolution: divergent evolution, convergent evolution, and parallel
evolution.
○ Divergent evolution: when a parent species changes two different species over time (how we
evolve from monkeys)
○ Convergent evolution: when two very different species intersect and create a new species (bats
have echolocation but beluga whales do too, meaning that although both are completely
different species they still share the same ability)
Parallel evolution: two different distinct separate species that share the same development or
genes because of environmental factors
○ (A cactus here and a cactus in Australia, although in different places still develop in the same
way)
● Know the difference between evolution and speciation.
Speciation - the formation of a new species due to evolutionary factors that prevent previous interbreeding
Evolution - changes in a species over time.
The difference between evolution and speciation is that evolution shows the process of a species changing
over time but speciation shows the development of a new species by evolutionary factors in order to prevent
previous interbreeding.
○ Be able to use the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium to evaluate whether a population has speciated.
■ No gene mutations may occur & therefore allele changes do not occur.
■ No migration of individuals either into or out of the population.
■ Random mating must occur, meaning individuals mate by chance.
■ No genetic drift, a chance change in allele frequency, may occur.
■ No natural selection, a change in allele frequency due to environment, may occur.
● I will give you a scenario where you will have to “check off” and decide/explain if a population has become
a new species or not.
○ Be able to identify and justify allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation.
allopatric speciation - speciation caused by a barrier that separated a population.
sympatric speciation - speciation occurring within a population.
1
, MYP Biology Spring Semester Final Review
Remember:The discussions we have in class, what I write or draw on the board, and the supplemental information provided by your classmates may not
appear on this guide. All of that information is relevant to the concepts we're covering so make sure to include them in your studies.
■ Know how genetic drift may occur. During an allopatric speciation, causing a change in allele
frequency caused by chance.
● Be able to explain how natural selection is involved in evolution.
Natural selection is involved in evolution because they change their appearance to protect themselves and
match the environment they’re in. (the process by which organisms better suited to their environment, survive
and reproduce.)
○ Know the different types of adaptation: structural,
physiological, and behavioral.
○ Structural - physical features
○ Physiological - expresses unique body chemistry
or metabolism
○ Behavioral - How an organism acts;inherited &
learned
○ Be able to assess and explain the different types of natural
selection:
■ Sexual Selection - the use of
pheromones to attract a species
■ Stabilizing Selection - Lowers extreme
phenotypic expressions & increases
median phenotype.
■ Directional Selection - The population
expresses both extreme phenotypes,
decreasing the medial phenotype.
■ Disruptive Selection - The population expresses one extreme phenotype,
decreasing the medial & other extreme phenotypes.
● Be able to explain how organisms can have lineages according to common ancestry.
Organisms can have lineages because of a group of organisms that derive from
an ancestral species.
○ Be able to use different forms of evidence to support common ancestry.
2
Remember:The discussions we have in class, what I write or draw on the board, and the supplemental information provided by your classmates may not
appear on this guide. All of that information is relevant to the concepts we're covering so make sure to include them in your studies.
Evolution
● Be able to identify and explain the differences between gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.
Gradualism: slow evolution
Punctuated: faster evolution
Punctuated equilibrium is faster than gradualism because of neighbouring species.
Example of gradualism: took very long to develop human skulls
○ Be able to assess and explain types of evolution: divergent evolution, convergent evolution, and parallel
evolution.
○ Divergent evolution: when a parent species changes two different species over time (how we
evolve from monkeys)
○ Convergent evolution: when two very different species intersect and create a new species (bats
have echolocation but beluga whales do too, meaning that although both are completely
different species they still share the same ability)
Parallel evolution: two different distinct separate species that share the same development or
genes because of environmental factors
○ (A cactus here and a cactus in Australia, although in different places still develop in the same
way)
● Know the difference between evolution and speciation.
Speciation - the formation of a new species due to evolutionary factors that prevent previous interbreeding
Evolution - changes in a species over time.
The difference between evolution and speciation is that evolution shows the process of a species changing
over time but speciation shows the development of a new species by evolutionary factors in order to prevent
previous interbreeding.
○ Be able to use the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium to evaluate whether a population has speciated.
■ No gene mutations may occur & therefore allele changes do not occur.
■ No migration of individuals either into or out of the population.
■ Random mating must occur, meaning individuals mate by chance.
■ No genetic drift, a chance change in allele frequency, may occur.
■ No natural selection, a change in allele frequency due to environment, may occur.
● I will give you a scenario where you will have to “check off” and decide/explain if a population has become
a new species or not.
○ Be able to identify and justify allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation.
allopatric speciation - speciation caused by a barrier that separated a population.
sympatric speciation - speciation occurring within a population.
1
, MYP Biology Spring Semester Final Review
Remember:The discussions we have in class, what I write or draw on the board, and the supplemental information provided by your classmates may not
appear on this guide. All of that information is relevant to the concepts we're covering so make sure to include them in your studies.
■ Know how genetic drift may occur. During an allopatric speciation, causing a change in allele
frequency caused by chance.
● Be able to explain how natural selection is involved in evolution.
Natural selection is involved in evolution because they change their appearance to protect themselves and
match the environment they’re in. (the process by which organisms better suited to their environment, survive
and reproduce.)
○ Know the different types of adaptation: structural,
physiological, and behavioral.
○ Structural - physical features
○ Physiological - expresses unique body chemistry
or metabolism
○ Behavioral - How an organism acts;inherited &
learned
○ Be able to assess and explain the different types of natural
selection:
■ Sexual Selection - the use of
pheromones to attract a species
■ Stabilizing Selection - Lowers extreme
phenotypic expressions & increases
median phenotype.
■ Directional Selection - The population
expresses both extreme phenotypes,
decreasing the medial phenotype.
■ Disruptive Selection - The population expresses one extreme phenotype,
decreasing the medial & other extreme phenotypes.
● Be able to explain how organisms can have lineages according to common ancestry.
Organisms can have lineages because of a group of organisms that derive from
an ancestral species.
○ Be able to use different forms of evidence to support common ancestry.
2
