Short and Long Answer Question

Short answers. Choose and answer four (4) questions from below. Clearly indicate the

numbers of the questions you are answering. If the wrong number is indicated, points

could be deducted. If more than four questions are answered, only the first four will be

graded. (10 pts. each)

1. Explain how does inbreeding increase the risk of extinction for a population.

2. Explain what does the epiglottis in the pharynx illustrate about evolution.

3. Explain what are endemic species and cosmopolitan species. Give one example of

each.

4. List and explain the different types of mating systems found among animals in

nature.

5. For a population undergoing exponential growth, if its exponential growth rate (r) is

0.3148, what is its geometric growth rate (λ)? If the population size (N) is 2500

individuals, what is the rate of change of the population? Show all of your work.

6. Explain the differences between primary sexual characteristics and secondary

sexual characteristics. Give an example of each.

7. Explain what is the Allee effect and how might it contribute to the extinction of a

population.

8. For a population undergoing geometric growth, if its geometric growth rate (λ) is 2.07

and its initial population size (N0) is 863 individuals, what would the population size

be after five generations? What would its geometric growth rate be after five

generations? Show your work.

Essay questions. Choose and answer two (2) questions from below. Clearly indicate

the numbers of the questions you are answering. If the wrong number is indicated,

points could be deducted. If more than two questions are answered, only the first two

will be graded. Be careful about providing citation(s) where asked. (30 pts. each)

9. List and explain all the main drivers of evolution. Which one(s) lead(s) to adaptive

evolution?

10. List and explain the major models for intersexual selection, including the initial

proponent of each model. Describe one example from a peer-reviewed study. Give

the citation by including the URL of the article.

11. Explain what a population cycle is and what are some of the potential causes of it.

Describe one example from a peer-reviewed study. Give the citation by including the

URL of the article.

12. Explain the optimal foraging theory, including all the factors involved in its prediction.

Give an example of this from a peer-reviewed study. Give the citation by including

the URL of the article.

13. Explain what a metapopulation is and how its dynamics are predicted. Describe one

example from a peer-reviewed study. Give the citation by including the URL of the

article.