BIOB51 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS
General lineage species concept - Answer- Species are metapopulation's that exchange
alleles frequently enough to comprise the same gene pool
Metapopulation - Answer- Group of spatially separated populations of the same species
that interact at some level
Allopatry - Answer- populations are in separate, non-overlapping geographic areas
Sympatry - Answer- When populations are in the same geographic area
Copulatory behavioural isolation - Answer- Mating between species results in damage
to female reproductive tract
Gametic incompatibility - Answer- Sperm or pollen from one species fails to penetrate
and fertilize the egg of another species
Bateson-Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibility - Answer- Genetic incompatibility in hybrid
offspring arising from epistatic interactions at 2+ loci
Reinforcement - Answer- Natural selection favours prezygotic isolation mechanisms that
prevent the formation of hybrids with reduced fitness
Microevolution - Answer- Evolution occurring within populations
- Adaptive and neutral changes in allele frequencies
Macroevolution - Answer- evolution above the species level
- origination, diversification, and extinction of species over time
Dispersal - Answer- Movement of populations frmo one region to another with limited or
no return exchange
Vicariance - Answer- Formation of geographic barriers to dispersal that divide a once-
continuous population
Anagenesis - Answer- Wholesale transformation of a lineage from one form to another
- An alternative to splitting lineage or speciation
, Punctuated equilibria - Answer- Periods of stasis punctuated by brief periods of rapid
change
- Often associated with speciation events
Gradualism - Answer- Slow, gradual morphological changes over time
- Can include speciation events; traditional view
Background extinction - Answer- the normal rate of extinction for taxa or biota
- Rather predictable and steady rate
Mass extinction - Answer- A statistically significant increase above background rates
Coevolution - Answer- Reciprocal evolutionary change between interacting species,
driven by natural selection
Hotspot - Answer- Selection is strong on both species
Mullerian mimicry - Answer- Several harmful or distasteful species resemble each other
in appearance; this facilitates the learned avoidance of predators
Batesian mimicry - Answer- Harmless species resemble harmful or distasteful species;
harmless species derive protection from predators
Introgression - Answer- Movement of genetic materials across species boundaries
Diversifying coevolution - Answer- An increase in genetic diversity caused by the
heterogeneity of coevolutionary processes across the range of ecological partners
Natural Variant Approach - Answer- Inspired by artificial selection
- Mutations occur naturally
- More amenable to studies of ecology and evolution
- Caveat: Can be difficult to uncover specific genes
Gene control region - Answer- Upstream section of DNA that includes the promoter
region and other regulatory sequences which influences the transcription of DNA
Repressor - Answer- A protein that binds to a sequence of DNA or RNA and inhibits the
expression of 1+ genes
Transcription factor - Answer- A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and acts
like a light switch by turning all the sequences on or off simultaneously
Complex adaptation - Answer- - Suite of coexpressed traits
- Experiene selection for a common function
- Multiple components must be expressed together for the trait to function
WITH CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS
General lineage species concept - Answer- Species are metapopulation's that exchange
alleles frequently enough to comprise the same gene pool
Metapopulation - Answer- Group of spatially separated populations of the same species
that interact at some level
Allopatry - Answer- populations are in separate, non-overlapping geographic areas
Sympatry - Answer- When populations are in the same geographic area
Copulatory behavioural isolation - Answer- Mating between species results in damage
to female reproductive tract
Gametic incompatibility - Answer- Sperm or pollen from one species fails to penetrate
and fertilize the egg of another species
Bateson-Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibility - Answer- Genetic incompatibility in hybrid
offspring arising from epistatic interactions at 2+ loci
Reinforcement - Answer- Natural selection favours prezygotic isolation mechanisms that
prevent the formation of hybrids with reduced fitness
Microevolution - Answer- Evolution occurring within populations
- Adaptive and neutral changes in allele frequencies
Macroevolution - Answer- evolution above the species level
- origination, diversification, and extinction of species over time
Dispersal - Answer- Movement of populations frmo one region to another with limited or
no return exchange
Vicariance - Answer- Formation of geographic barriers to dispersal that divide a once-
continuous population
Anagenesis - Answer- Wholesale transformation of a lineage from one form to another
- An alternative to splitting lineage or speciation
, Punctuated equilibria - Answer- Periods of stasis punctuated by brief periods of rapid
change
- Often associated with speciation events
Gradualism - Answer- Slow, gradual morphological changes over time
- Can include speciation events; traditional view
Background extinction - Answer- the normal rate of extinction for taxa or biota
- Rather predictable and steady rate
Mass extinction - Answer- A statistically significant increase above background rates
Coevolution - Answer- Reciprocal evolutionary change between interacting species,
driven by natural selection
Hotspot - Answer- Selection is strong on both species
Mullerian mimicry - Answer- Several harmful or distasteful species resemble each other
in appearance; this facilitates the learned avoidance of predators
Batesian mimicry - Answer- Harmless species resemble harmful or distasteful species;
harmless species derive protection from predators
Introgression - Answer- Movement of genetic materials across species boundaries
Diversifying coevolution - Answer- An increase in genetic diversity caused by the
heterogeneity of coevolutionary processes across the range of ecological partners
Natural Variant Approach - Answer- Inspired by artificial selection
- Mutations occur naturally
- More amenable to studies of ecology and evolution
- Caveat: Can be difficult to uncover specific genes
Gene control region - Answer- Upstream section of DNA that includes the promoter
region and other regulatory sequences which influences the transcription of DNA
Repressor - Answer- A protein that binds to a sequence of DNA or RNA and inhibits the
expression of 1+ genes
Transcription factor - Answer- A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and acts
like a light switch by turning all the sequences on or off simultaneously
Complex adaptation - Answer- - Suite of coexpressed traits
- Experiene selection for a common function
- Multiple components must be expressed together for the trait to function
