Evolution

• Who developed the Theory of evolution by means of natural selection?

  Charles Darwin
• Why is the Theory of evolution by means of natural selection important in modern biology?

  It helps us understand the relationships between different species of organisms.
• What is natural selection?

  • Variation among individuals of a species
  • Some individuals are better able to survive and reproduce
  • Environmental factors influence which individuals pass on their alleles
• What does the theory of evolution explain about new species?

  It explains how new species evolve.
• How do different species adapt according to the theory of evolution?

  It explains how different species adapt to changes in their environment.
• How can the change in tuskless elephants from 1% in 1930 to 15% in 2010 be explained using the theory of evolution?

  Tuskless elephants are less likely to be hunted and more likely to reproduce.
• What factors contributed to the increase in frequency of tuskless elephants?

  • Elephants with tusks are easy prey for poachers
  • Tuskless elephants have a higher survival rate
  • Tuskless elephants pass on their alleles more frequently
• What percentage of head lice were found to be resistant to chemicals in a recent study?

  12%
• How can natural selection explain the resistance of head lice to chemicals?

  Resistant lice survive and reproduce, passing on their resistance alleles.
• How old are the oldest stone tools?

  Approximately 2.4 million years old.
• What does the development of more complex stone tools indicate about human evolution?

  It indicates an advancement in human cognitive abilities and tool-making skills.
• How can stone tools be dated from their contexts?

  By measuring radiation in sediment layers above and below the tools.
• Why can't the stone used to make tools be used to date when the tools were made?

  Because the stone is much older than the tools themselves.
• What are the five kingdoms originally proposed by Carl Linnaeus?

  1. Animals
  2. Plants
  3. Fungi
  4. Protists
  5. Prokaryotes
• What has genetic research revealed about the classification of organisms?

  It has shown that Eubacteria and Archaea should be separated into two groups.
• What is the three-domain system of classification?

  • Eubacteria
  • Archaea
  • Eukaryotes
• Why has the five-kingdom system been replaced by the three-domain system?

  Because prokaryotes are fundamentally different from eukaryotes.
• What are the similarities among plants, animals, fungi, and protists?

  • They are all eukaryotic organisms
  • They share common cellular structures
  • They reproduce in similar ways
• What distinguishes prokaryotes from eukaryotes?

  • Prokaryotes lack a nucleus
  • Prokaryotes are generally smaller
  • Prokaryotes have simpler cellular structures