Chapter 26: The tree of life: An introduction to biological diversity

  1. Describe the evidence that suggests that RNA was the first genetic material. Explain the significance of the discovery of ribozymes.
  2. Describe how natural selection may have worked in an early RNA world.
  3. Explain how the histories of Earth and life are inseparable.
  4. Explain how index fossils can be used to determine the relative age of fossil-bearing rock strata. Explain how radiometric dating can be used to determine the absolute age of rock strata. Explain how magnetism can be used to date rock strata.
  5. Describe the major events in Earth’s history from its origin until 2 billion years ago. In particular, note when Earth first formed, when life first evolved, and what forms of life existed in each eon.
  6. How many mass extinctions were there and what are some of the causes? If we are in a current mass extinction, what is the cause?
  7. Describe the timing and significance of the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis
  8. Explain the endosymbiotic theory for the evolution of the eukaryotic cell. Describe the evidence that supports this theory.
  9. Describe the timing of key events in the evolution of the first eukaryotes and later multicellular eukaryotes.
  10. Explain how the snowball-Earth hypothesis explains why multicellular eukaryotes were so limited in size, diversity, and distribution until the late Proterozoic.
  11. Describe the key evolutionary adaptations that arose as life colonized land.
  12. Explain how continental drift explains Australia’s unique flora and fauna.
  13. Explain why R. H. Whittaker’s five-kingdom system has been replaced by a new system with three domains.

 

Lecture Highlights:

  1. How many species exist (are extant) today?
  2. How many species have there ever been (are extinct)?
  3. Speciation and recent examples of “new” species
  4. Extinction
  5. Biological history linked with geologic history
  6. Life and the atmosphere (relevance to current times)
  7. Phyletic vs. branching evolution
  8. Birds; Horses; Primates
  9. Comparisons between Domains, Kingdoms (cell size and structure, nutritional mode, reproduction, growth)