1. Explain the importance of the fossil record to the study
of evolution
2. Describe how fossils form
3. Distinguish between relative dating and absolute dating
4. Explain how isotopes can be used in absolute dating
5. Explain how preadaptation can result in macroevolutionary
change
6. Explain how modification of regulatory genes can result in
macroevolutionary change
7. Describe the importance of evolutionary trends to
macroevolution
8. Explain how continental drift may have played a role in
macroevolutionary change
9. Describe how radiation into new adaptive zones could
result in macroevolutionary change
10. Explain how mass extinctions could occur and affect
evolution of surviving forms
11. Distinguish between systematics and taxonomy
12. Describe the contribution Carolus Linnaeus made to
biology
13. Distinguish between a taxon and a category
14. List the major taxonomic categories from the most to
least inclusive
15. Explain why it is important when constructing a phylogeny
to distinguish between homologous and analogous character traits
16. Distinguish between homologous and analogous structures
(define)
17. Describe three techniques used in molecular systematics
and explain what information each provides
18. Distinguish between a monophyletic and a polyphyletic
group, and explain what is meant by a “natural taxon”
19. Distinguish among the three school of taxonomy: phenetics, cladistics, and classical
evolutionary taxonomy
20. Distinguish between pleisomorphic and apomorphic
characters
21. Describe how a new synthesis incorporates both the
evolutionists’ and punctuationalists’ views of evolution