Evolution Unit, Selected Topics in Evolution

AP Biology Evolution Unit, Selected Topics in Evolution Reading Guide

SELECTED TOPICS IN EVOLUTION (SEE CHAP 21, 53.6, 56.2 AND ATTACHED READINGS/VIDEO LINKS) ______

SEXUAL SELECTION http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/evo_28 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_09.html

1. Why did the peacock’s tail give Darwin so much Angst?

2. Sexual Selection works in two ways. Describe each of these and identify what type of interaction is going on here. TYPE OF INTERACTION DESCRIPTION

FEMALE CHOICE

MALE COMPETITION

3. Two hypotheses have been proposed for why female often choose ‘showy’ mates. Describe each of these hypotheses below.

Be familiar with these Specific Examples:  Peacock  Cichlids (http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/090301_cichlidspeciation) COEVOLUTION http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/3/l_013_07.html

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It is becoming increasingly recognized that pressure to adapt comes from interactions of various populations.

4. What must be demonstrated is occurring among the interacting populations for the changes to be considered a case of coevolution? (See the Newt-Snake case study for more details.)

Explore the following examples of coevolution:

 Newt-Snake (http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/biowarfare_01) Explain what is happening in this case. What type of interspecific interaction is driving this coevolution?

 Plant-Pollinators Explain what is happening in this case. What type of interspecific interaction is driving this coevolution?

 Parasitic interactions (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/5/l_015_03.html) The Coevolution due to predator-prey and parasitic interactions is describe by the Red Queen Hypothesis. We will revisit the Red Queen when we discuss the evolution of Sex next Semester.

5. I was at the beach one day watching two boys build a sandcastle along the waters edge. They were too close to the water, so each time they would get their sandcastle almost completed, the waves would wash it away. Finally, one boy said to his friend ‘We continue to put in all this hard work for nothing.’ Relate this concept to the effort (evolutionary speaking) a population of organisms must exhibit for the species to exist.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTON: ALTRUSIM AND KIN SELECTION

6. Define and give an example of each of the following: DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE ______Page 2 of 3 AP Biology Evolution Unit, Selected Topics in Evolution Reading Guide

ALTRUISM

KIN SELECTION

RECIPROCAL SELECTION

7. Bottom line: Explain why any animal would place the good of its neighboors above its own welfare?

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