Download Exam 1 Study Guide

Study Questions for the
1st Exam
What are the overall (summary) equations for photosynthesis & respiration?
How does the molecular structure of the water molecule explain water's special properties as a
solvent??
What's an autotroph? A heterotroph? Can an organism be heterotrophic for one element and
autotrophic for another?
What is an endergonic reaction? An exergonic reaction?
What’s the source of energy release in chemical reactions? Rearrangements of Protons?
Neutrons? Electrons? Making bonds? Breaking bonds?
What's a primary producer? A primary consumer? A tertiary consumer?
What is the "primary productivity" of an ecosystem? What are the trophic levels of an ecosystem?
What is the "rule of 10?" Which biological processes account for the rule of 10?
What is the rate of population growth? How does it relate to the increase in a population? What's
the intrinsic rate of population growth?
This important equation models population growth as a population
K-N
approaches carrying capacity:
I = ro N K
Explain how the equation behaves when N is near K. Far from K?
What’s the difference between an r-strategist and a K-strategist?
What is a density-dependent check on population growth?
How do predators influence the life history of the guppy? What causes changes in guppy
maturity and egg size, and how do they relate to predation selection?
What is the distinction between exploitation and interference competition?
What is the distinction between niche and habitat?
What is commensalism? Mutualism? Facultative mutualism? Parasitism?
What is competitive exclusion?
What is predation selection? How does it influence an organism? How does predation selection
account for mimicry?
What is a Batesian mimic? A Müllerian mimic?
In Chapter 3 of The Origin of Species, Darwin noted that the struggle for existence is often most
severe between members of the same species. Why is this a key insight in developing the
theory of evolution?
What key contribution did Jean Baptiste Lamarck make to evolutionary biology? How was his
theory of evolution different from Darwin’s?
Define "natural selection." What forces besides predation selection are behind natural selection?
Why was the “succession of types” important in developing the theory of evolution?
What is "Sexual selection?" Are deer antlers examples of sexual selection? Is sexual selection
different from “directional selection?”
What does the relationship of lion mane color to testosterone levels say about the nature of sexual
selection?
What is sympatric speciation? allopatric speciation? Which (if either) of these can be
demonstrated by Darwin's finches? How about the apple maggot fly?
Is the course of evolution predictable?
What is sociobiology?
What is inclusive fitness? And what does it have to do with social behavior?
What is altruistic behavior? Why does the usual Darwinian analysis fail to explain the evolution
of altruism?
What is kin selection? What is the meaning of the relationship: Br > C ?
Is an act still considered biological altruism if it actually helps an individual to care for their own
offspring which may carry many of their own genes?
Why did the Disney-produced video of lemmings committing suicide for the common good of
their species make little biological sense?
What is haplodiploidy? Why do the organisms that follow haplodiploidy (the social insects)
have such elaborate social systems?
What is social parasitism? How are cuckoos examples of social parasitism? Why don’t most birds
immediately discard eggs that look different from their own? How does egg mimicry
arise?
What is “blending” inheritance – and why would it have presented a problem for Darwin's
theory of evolution?
Since peas are generally self-fertilizing, how are controlled crosses carried out in pea plants?
What is the distinction between genotype and phenotype?
What is a Punnett square? How does one construct such a square?
What is the meaning of Mendel's principle of Segregation? of Independent Assortment?
What is the cell cycle? What are the phases of mitosis? In which phase are sister chromatids
separated from each other?
What are the key differences between meiosis & mitosis?
How are chromatids arranged at metaphase of meiosis II?
Which step in meiosis accomplishes the separation of genes required by Mendel’s principle of
Segregation?
Draw the arrangement of chromosomes and chromatids at metaphase of mitosis and meiosis-I in
an organism where the diploid number is 8.
Please keep in mind that these are not exam-style questions. They’re intended to help you
to review material, not to practice for specific questions. Be sure to look at the exams from
2012 (on the web site) to see actual exam questions of the sort to expect on exam day.
No warranty, explicit or implied, is
intended that these pages present a
perfect review of course material, or
that exam questions will be drawn
only from topics listed here. It
merely represents a good faith effort
on my part to review the key topics
we have covered in class and ask a
few important questions about each
of them that may be useful in
reviewing material for the exam.
Good Luck.
- KRM.
Biology 0200