Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology (Bio110) – Spring 2017
Exam 2 – Study Guide
This study guide contains topics and information covered in class and through the course
readings. This is by no means exhaustive or complete, but should give you a good
starting point for synthesizing the information learned in class.
The Process and Modes of Speciation
- Divergence between populations
o Problems with morphology when defining a species
Subspecies
Ecotype
Cladogenesis
o Species concepts
Biological
Evolutionary Lineage (phylogenetic)
Ecological
Morphospecies
o Biological Species Concept
Reproductive isolation
Prezygotice barriers
o Premating isolation mechanisms
o Attempted mating isolation mechanisms
Postzygotic barriers
o Hybrid inviability
o Hybrid sterility
o Hybrid breakdown
o Mechanisms of speciation
Allopatric
Sympatric
Example of polypoloidy
The Origins of the Universe & Life on Earth
- The Big Bang Theory
o The four physical properties that made up the starting point
o Scientific evidence for the Big Bang
o When did it happen?
- The Early Earth
o When was it formed?
o What were the early atmospheric conditions on Earth?
Prebiotic soup
What were the inorganic molecules present on the early Earth?
o What are the necessary ingredients needed to make life?
Two hypothetical locations where organic molecules arose on Earth
o Know the details of the Urey-Miller experiment
Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology (Bio110) – Spring 2017
o Origin of complex Organic Molecules
o Protobionts/Protocell
o Which genetic material (RNA or DNA) came first and why?
o Timeline of the origins of life on Earth
Focus your attention on the sequence of innovations that arose, which
paved the way for further diversification of life
Metabolic processes
Early oxygen levels and slow accumulation
o Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
Know key differences in characteristics
o The three domains
Order of evolution
o Endosymbiosis Hypothesis
Two genomes in some Eukaryotes
How did they get there?
Three genomes in some Eukaryotes
How did they get there?
Taxonomy and Systematics
- Recall Linneaus’ contribution
o Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species
- Taxonomy Rules
o Know what they are and how to apply them
- Phylogenies
o Know the key terms used to interpret relationships within phylogenies and
be able to apply them
- Monophyletic, Paraphyletic, and Polyphyletic
- Parsimony
- Phylogenetic Systematics (Molecular Systematics)
o Instead of using morphological features as the ‘characters’ to determine
relationships, we use DNA, RNA and/or Protein composition as the
‘characters’
Parsimony is only one approach used to determine the ‘correct’
relationships
- Cladistics and Parsimony
o Be able to apply your understanding of Parsimony to interpreting or even
creating a tree (use your recent quiz as a practice tool).
o Symplesiomorphy and Synapomorphy
Bacteria and Archaea
- Prokaryotic cell structure
- Prokaryotic taxonomy is in a transitional phase
- Archaea
o Life history traits
o Extremophiles
Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology (Bio110) – Spring 2017
Hyperthermophyles (examples)
Halophiles
- Bacteria
o Diverse and Important phyla
Examples given and their ecological roles
Cyanobacteria
Characteristics including four forms of structural diversity
- Variation in Prokaryotic cell shape
o Four primary cell shapes
- Motility
o Gas vesicles
o Magnetosomes
o Flagella
o Pili
- Bacterial Cell wall structure
o All Archaea are gram negative
o Know what makes a Bacterium gram positive or negative
How is gram staining used for diagnosis
- Prokaryotic Reproduction
o Binary Fission
Know how the process works
- Prokaryotic Genetic Exchange
o Conjugation (sex pili)
o Transduction (the role of virus’)
o Transformation
Know about Fred Griffith’s experiment on mice with S and R strain
bacteria
- Modes of nutrition
o Autotrophic and Heterotrophic conditions
Know where the energy and carbon are coming from
The First Eukaryotes (Protists)
- Protists
o Ecological importance and general life history traits
o Taxonomy in a state of transition
No more kingdom Protista
Informal classification based on ecological roles
‘Algae’
‘Protozoa’
‘Fungus-like’
o Current Classification – protists fall into 7 eukaryotic supergroups
Know primary characteristics that place organisms into these groups
Know some examples of organisms in these groups, as provided in our
lecture power point
Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ecology (Bio110) – Spring 2017