BIL 104 - Genetics and Society

Dana Krempels

Study Guide for Final Exam - Fall 2002

Remember: this is merely a checklist of the main topics covered in lectures 20 - 25. If it's in the notes and doesn't appear here, it doesn't mean it won't be on the exam. The best way to study for the final is to:
  • Review Study Guides 1 - 3 for cumulative material
  • Review Exam 1 - 3 (and answers!) for cumulative material
  • Read over your class notes
  • Read and study lectures 20-25 carefully for the non-cumulative portion of the exam.
  • Remember, the final is worth double. If you do well on the final, it can make a difference to your final grade in the course.
  • There will also be TEN BONUS EXTRA CREDIT QUESTIONS (20 possible points on any subject we've covered this semester!) on the exam, with varying levels of difficulty. These points are added after the final grade curve is drawn up, so they can help you if you're on the borderline between grades!
  • Good luck!
    MICROEVOLUTION

    Understand what is meant by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and be able to interpret the graph of genotype proportions from Lecture #23.
    Understand what's meant by each of the five factors that can cause a population to NOT exist in HW equilibrium, and be able to recognize examples of each.
    Know the meaning/significance of: random genetic drift, Founder Effect, Bottleneck Effect, random sampling error, assortative mating, sexual selection, endemic species, character displacement, adaptive radiation, (use the Galapagos finches as examples of these last two for study, but be able to recognize other examples)
    Understand what's meant by the Classical, Balance and Neutral Mutation Models of evolution.
    Understand the meaning/significance of: gene flow, demes, hybrid zone, cohesive species
    Understand the tenets of evolution by natural selection, and what it means for a trait to be adaptive, maladaptive or neutral.
    Understand the meaning/significance of: evolutionary fitness, fitness and selection coefficients, disruptive, stabilizing and directional natural selection, allopatric speciation, sympatric speciation

    MACROEVOLUTION

    Understand the basic ideas of the theories of gradualism and punctuated equilibrium (who devised the latter theory?).
    Understand the meaning/significance of: anagenesis, cladogenesis, inclusive fitness, kin selection and individual fitness, altruism.
    Know the contributions to evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin, Stephen Jay Gould, Etheridge, E. O. Wilson, Wynne-Edwards,

    LIFE IN THE BALANCE

    Be sure to study the notes from the video on the loss of biodiversity. What are the consequences we might face with the loss of species?
    What is the difference between Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming?
    What are the major reasons for loss of species today?

    POPULATION GENETICS

    Know the meaning/significance of: polymorphisms, heterozygosity, population, deme, macroevolution, microevolution, gene flow, reproductive isolation and reproductive isolating mechanisms, anagenesis, cladogenesis, cohesion (of a species), Darwinian fitness

    Know how to calculate allele frequencies (given the appropriate information to start with), and how to use the Hardy-Weinberg model.

    Understand the assumptions of the H.W. model, and what factors can operate in populations to take a population out of equilibrium.

    Know the meaning/significance of: genetic drift, founder effect, bottleneck effect, character displacement, adaptive radiation, disruptive, directional and stabilizing selection, fitness, selection coefficient

    What are the general tenets of the Classical, Balance and Neutral Mutation models of allele frequency changes.

    Know Darwin's four tenets of Evolution by Natural Selection.

    Know the difference between the theories of gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium (and who devised the latter)

    What is "sociobiology", and which scientists have published well known works in this field?

    Know the difference between individual selection, kin selection and inclusive fitness. Know the meaning of altruism.

    QUANTITATIVE GENETICS

    Know the meaning/significance of: "nature vs. nurture", genetic vs. environmental effects on phenotype.

    Know the meaning/significance of: genotype, phenotype, epistasis, pleiotropy, multiple loci, multiple alleles, penetrance, expressivity, qualitative vs. quantitative data, discrete vs. continuous phenotype variability

    BIOTECHNOLOGY

    BE SURE TO GO TO THE NEWLY REVISED AND IMPROVED NOTES FOR

    Understand what is meant by the term "clone", and how animals, plants, and even DNA itself can be cloned.
    Understand the meaning/significance of: restriction enzymes, restriction sequences, vectors (of various types), plasmid, chimeric DNA, transgenic organism, marker gene (e.g. luciferase, as we discussed in class)
    What are the uses of cloned DNA? Why do we make transgenic organisms?
    What is the Dideoxy method of DNA sequencing? Have a look HERE for a detailed review (I covered this in lecture, but figured it would be more clear if I wrote it all down for you. All new!).

    APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

    These items are covered in Lecture 25, and will be discussed in more detail at the review session (Tuesday, December 10 at 10:00am in SA 145), at the start of the review. Don't miss it! The review is at the same time we held class, so everyone should be able to come. (If you can't make it, the notes are very clear and should be pretty simple to understand.)

    Last minute questions or panic? EMAIL ME and let me allay your fears. (I'll try not to make them worse.)

    GOOD LUCK ON THE FINAL!

    DON'T MISS THE REVIEW SESSION ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 AT 10:00AM IN SA 145.