Quiz: Macroevolution

Quiz Format

Google Form

10 multiple choice questions - 2 points each

Study Topics & Learning Objectives

Use the following topic categories and learning objectives to focus your learning. 

7.9 Phylogeny

• Describe the types of evidence that can be used to infer an evolutionary relationship.

• Explain how a phylogenetic tree and/or cladogram can be used to infer evolutionary relatedness.

7.10 Speciation

•  Describe the conditions under which new species may arise

• Describe the rate of evolution and speciation under different ecological conditions.

• Explain the processes and mechanisms that drive speciation.

7.11 Extinction

• Describe factors that lead to the extinction of a population.

• Explain how the risk of extinction is affected by changes in the environment.

• Explain species diversity in an ecosystem as a function of speciation and extinction rates.

• Explain how extinction can make new environments available for adaptive radiation.

Essential Knowledge

The following outline was provided by AP Biology to focus on the important concepts. 

Understanding(s):

All species have evolved and continue to evolve

• Genomic changes over time. 

• Continuous change in the fossil record

• Evolution of resistance to antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, or chemotherapy drugs.

• Pathogens evolve and cause emergent diseases.

Phylogenetic trees and cladograms show evolutionary relationships among lineages. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms both show relationships between lineages, but phylogenetic trees show the amount of change over time calibrated by fossils or a molecular clock. 

Traits that are either gained or lost during evolution can be used to construct phylogenetic trees and cladograms. Shared characters are present in more than one lineage.  Shared, derived characters indicate common ancestry and are informative for the construction of phylogenetic trees and cladograms. The out-group represents the lineage that is least closely related to the remainder of the organisms in the phylogenetic tree or cladogram.

Molecular data typically provide more accurate and reliable evidence than morphological traits in the construction of phylogenetic trees or cladograms. 

Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can be used to illustrate speciation that has occurred. The nodes on a tree represent the most recent common ancestor of any two groups or lineages. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms can be constructed from morphological similarities of living or fossil species and from DNA and protein sequence similarities. Phylogenetic trees and cladograms represent hypotheses and are constantly being revised, based on evidence

Speciation may occur when two populations become reproductively isolated from each other.  The biological species concept provides a commonly used definition of species for sexually reproducing organisms. It states that species can be defined as a group capable of interbreeding and exchanging genetic information to produce viable, fertile offspring. Describe the rate of evolution and speciation under different ecological conditions. 

Punctuated equilibrium is when evolution occurs rapidly after a long period of stasis. Gradualism is when evolution occurs slowly over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. Divergent evolution occurs when adaptation to new habitats results in phenotypic diversification. Speciation rates can be especially rapid during times of adaptive radiation as new habitats become available.

Speciation results in diversity of life forms. Speciation may be sympatric or allopatric. Various prezygotic and postzygotic mechanisms can maintain reproductive isolation and prevent gene flow between populations. 

Extinctions have occurred throughout Earth’s history. Extinction rates can be rapid during times of ecological stress. Human activity can drive changes in ecosystems that cause extinctions. The amount of diversity in an ecosystem can be determined by the rate of speciation and the rate of extinction. Extinction provides newly available niches that can then be exploited by different species.