Chapter Study Questions

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Chapter 10

Chapter Study Questions

This activity contains 16 questions.

Match the key terms in this chapter listed below with the phrase that is the best match for it.

Using the pull-down menus, match each item in the left column to the corresponding item in the right column.


	phenotypic plasticity

	adaptation

	reaction norm

	genotype

	trade-off

1.1 trait that increases the fitness of its possessor

1.2 an influence on phenotype by the environment

1.3 the normal range of possible phenotypes that a given genotype may produce under different environmental conditions

1.4 genetic variation for phenotypic plasticity; a phenomenon in which some genotypes show higher phenotypic plasticitiy than others, in response to changes in environment.

1.5 a situation in which evolution of increased fitness of one trait causes reduced fitness in another trait

Which of the following statements are correct?

Not every trait is an adaptation. Differences between populations may be assumed to be adaptations to their different environments. Adaptations that are intuitively obvious need not be tested experimentally. Adaptations are usually perfect.

Which of the following is not a guideline for good experimental design?

Treat all groups in exactly the same way. To avoid scatter in the data, repeat the test on no more than ten individuals. Test as many competing, realistic hypotheses as you can think of. Phrase your question as precisely as possible. Use randomization to equalize other miscellaneous effects across groups.

Why was it important that Weeks ran the oxpecker experiment three times, with different assortments of cattle? Why was it important for Weeks to do the experiment at all? Are you satisfied with his results?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Felsenstein's method of independent phylogenetic contrasts is a method _________________.

of controlling for phylogenetic relatedness in comparative studies of performing comparisons between individuals during observational studies of calculating a test statistic for experimental studies useful for comparative studies when phylogenies are not completely known

Which of these conclusions can not be drawn from the tephritid fly experiment shown above?

Both wing-waving and wing markings are required for jumping spiders to retreat. The wing-waving behavior of tephritid flies is probably an anti-predator adaptation. The markings on tephritid fly wings are probably an anti-predator adaptation. Jumping spiders will retreat from marked wings; the wing-waving is not necessary.

A trait may be assumed to be an adaptation if ____________________.

it appears plausible that it is an adaptation it is shown, in a well-designed study, to have a function and to increase fitness a news story reports that it is an adaptation an interesting theory has been proposed that it is an adaptation it has long been common knowledge that it is an adaptation

In comparative studies, it is important to be aware of relationships among species because ___________________.

data points should be independent, and two related species might have derived their trait from a shared ancestor, rather than each having evolved it independently it is not necessary to have large sample sizes if the species are closely related a trait that appears in several closely related species is probably an adaptation experimental conclusions are statistically more powerful when data points are not independent of each other testing related species is more powerful than testing randomly chosen species

In bats, what is the evidence that brain size is negatively correlated with testis size? Is this true for all bats? What methods were used in data analysis? Does the evolution of larger testes cause the evolution of smaller brains?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Cleaner wrasses are a type of small coral reef fish that performs a wriggling dance at a certain location in the reef. Larger fish come to these locations, or stations, apparently attracted by the wriggling dance, and stay motionless while the cleaner wrasses move over them, apparently feeding off of the larger fish's body. The larger fish even permit the cleaner wrasses to swim into their mouths and feed there.

Like oxpeckers, cleaner wrasses have long been assumed to be providing a beneficial cleaning service to their hosts, removing parasites and dead or diseased skin. How could you test this hypothesis?

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

Describe how Huey et al. tested the hypothesis that garter snakes behaviorally thermoregulate by identifying (1) what important feature(s) of the environment they monitored; (2) what specific prediction they made about the snakes' behavior; and (3) how they demonstrated that the snakes' behavior was not random.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type at the beginning of the paragraph, and at the end.

The graph illustrates the relationship between relative testes size and social group size in 17 species of Megachiroptera. The positive relationship between the two may be less strong than it appears because

the sample size is much too small for meaningful conclusions to be drawn.the points may not be independent -- the 17 species may have inherited their traits from a much smaller number of ancestors.the points do not fall on a straight line, so the correlation is probably weak.All of the above are correct.

The graphs below illustrate the results of Schemske and Agren's studies of female flower size in Begonia involucrata. The bar graph illustrates the number of pollinator visits made to artificial flowers of three sizes; "mean" is the average male flower size. The scatterplot illustrates the relationship between the area of the petaloid sepals (the "blossom") and the number of female flowers per inflorescence. Which of the following correctly interprets these results?

Female begonias are under directional selection for increased flower size: bees prefer large flowers to small flowers.Female begonias are under directional selection for reduced flower size: plants can produce a larger number of smaller flowers than larger flowers.Female begonias are under directional selection for increased flower size: larger flowers set more seeds than do smaller flowers.The first two choices are correct.

In general, the hypothesis that a particular trait represents a trade-off implies that

the trait has no genetic basis.natural selection has no role in the evolution of the trait.the trait is the result of “conflicting” selection pressures.physiological processes regulate the trait.

According to Delph and Lively's studies, why do fuchsia flowers turn red when they are no longer receptive to pollen rather than simply falling off? Use the graph to help you identify the correct answer.

It would be extremely maladaptive for fuschias to drop their flowers before pollen tubes deliver pollen to the ovules -- which takes several days after pollination.Fuchsias receive a selective advantage from advertising to pollinators that individual flowers are no longer receptive to pollen.Fushsias are constrained by their total energy budget to limit the number of flowers that can be blooming at one time.The first two choices are correct.

The table presents data from Futuyma et al.'s studies of genetic variation in larval and adult Ophraella beetles feeding on potential host plants. Which of the choices is/are correct interpretation(s) of these results?

Genetic variation for feeding is more likely to be found when a beetle is tested on a potential host that is the actual host of a closely related beetle.Many of the plausible host shifts in this group of beetles are genetically impossible due to a lack of appropriate genetic variation. The lack of variation constrains evolution, at least in part.Genetic variation for feeding is more likely to be found when a beetle is tested on a potential host that is closely related to its actual host.The first three choices are correct.

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