Unit 6 Science Short Answer and Visual Analysis – Flashcards
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What is the principle of common descent? How is it shown in the fossil record?
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The principle of common descent is the theory that all living things originated from a common ancestor. Fossil records show evidence of this by comparing anatomical structures.
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What does the continued presence of vestigial structures like the whale pelvis and femur shown in figure 16-1 suggest about the impact vestigial structures have on fitness?
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The whale's pelvis and femur do not have an affect on the whales fitness.
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How do homologous structures provide evidence for evolution? Give an example
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Similarities and differences between homologous structures help determine how recently species shared a common ancestor. For example, a chicken and alligator developed similar limbs.
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How do scientists use DNA sequences to determine relatedness of species? How are similar DNA sequences evidence for evolution?
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Scientists find similarities in their DNA, RNA and amino acid chain. If they are similar then their genes and traits are alike then they were inherited from a common ancestor.
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In general, describe the inter-relationship between the evolution of earth's environment and the biological evolution of life on Earth. Use evidence to support your answer.
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As the earth changed, so did the environment and so did the species living on it. They evolved and changed with it.
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Explain how reproductive isolation can lead to speciation. Give evidence to support your answer
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Reproductive isolation occurs when a population splits into groups and are no longer inbred. This leads to the population evolving into two separate species
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A pollinator species for a particular flowering plant undergoes a mutation that prevents it from seeing the plants dominant flower color. How might the plant evolve in response to the pollinator's loss of color sight?
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The plant cell put it's energy into smelling good to attract birds
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What adaptions enable later hominine species to walk upright?
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Some adaptions are a large and wide pelvis to support two wide legs, the shape of our feet. S shaped spine, shape of big toe.
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VA 1
According to this image, when did tetrapod characteristics become more important for living on shore or shallow waters?
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During the Devonian period
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VA 1
Explain the changes in the physical environment that might have contributed to the biological modifications taking place between 438 and 408 MYA.
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Some changes in the physical environment that might have contributed to the biological modifications taking place between 438 and 408 MYA are the bodies of water dried out.
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VA 1
What modifications took place from the Age of Amphibians to the end of the Paleozoic Era?
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Some modifications that took place were insects and reptiles appeared, and amphibians declined.
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VA 1
Create a cladogram including the following organisms from the image: trilobites, fish, amphibians, reptiles. Be sure to label shared characteristics in the appropriate sections between the organisms.
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(check paper)
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VA 2
According to Figure 26-9, which characteristic do birds and mammals share?
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Endothermy
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VA 2
According to Figure 26-9, which group was the first one to have true bones?
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Ray-finned fish
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VA 2
Use Figure 26-9 to identify the two characteristics that were required for animals to move from aquatic to land. Why were these characteristics necessary?
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The two characteristics are lungs and four limbs. These characteristics were necessary for animals to move from aquatic to land.
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VA 2
The Tiktaalik fossil found in Canada had fins with wrist bones. It also had both lungs and gills. According to figure 26-9, there is no living group of vertebrates that has this combination of characteristics. If this animal were discovered alive today, how might you revise the cladogram of chordates to include it?
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I would revise the cladogram by putting it with the lung fish
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VA 2
According to Figure 26-9, what are the major differences between jawless fish and cartilaginous fish?
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Jawless fish have a vertebrae, cartilaginous fish have jaws and appendages.
