All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is a structural adaptation related to reproduction?
Answer: A physical trait that increases chances of mating or offspring survival. Physical features evolved through natural or sexual selection for reproduction.
Flashcard 2: What is sexual selection?
Answer: Selection for traits that increase success in obtaining mates. Evolutionary process where mating advantages drive trait evolution.
Flashcard 3: What is courtship behavior?
Answer: A set of behaviors used to attract and choose a mate. Species-specific behaviors ensure successful mating with compatible partners.
Flashcard 4: What is the key reproductive advantage of internal fertilization compared with external fertilization?
Answer: Higher fertilization success and better protection of gametes/embryos. Direct sperm transfer and protected development increase offspring survival.
Flashcard 5: Which type of evidence best supports that a trait increases reproductive success?
Answer: Higher number of surviving offspring in individuals with the trait. Direct measurement of offspring survival shows evolutionary advantage.
Flashcard 6: Identify the best claim if flowers with brighter petals get more pollinator visits.
Answer: Brighter petals increase pollination and seed production. More visits mean more pollen transfer, creating more seeds.
Flashcard 7: What is a behavioral adaptation related to reproduction?
Answer: An inherited behavior that increases chances of producing offspring. Natural selection favors behaviors that enhance mating or offspring survival.
Flashcard 8: What is a common reproductive advantage of bright plumage in some male birds?
Answer: Increases mate attraction, raising mating success. Sexual selection favors conspicuous traits despite survival costs.
Flashcard 9: Which option best supports that egg shells increase reproductive success: eggs are heavier or eggs lose less water and hatch more?
Answer: Eggs lose less water and hatch more often. Reduced desiccation and higher hatching rates show reproductive benefit.
Flashcard 10: Which option is the strongest evidence that a mating call is species-specific: predators react or only same species respond?
Answer: Only individuals of the same species respond. Species-specific response prevents hybridization and wasted mating efforts.
Flashcard 11: Identify the best evidence that a warning coloration affects reproduction rather than feeding.
Answer: Individuals with warning colors survive to reproduce more often. Survival to breeding age shows reproductive benefit of the trait.
Flashcard 12: Choose the best conclusion: birds that share incubation have more fledglings than birds that do not. What increases success?
Answer: Parental care (shared incubation). Behavioral cooperation increases offspring survival to fledging.
Flashcard 13: Which option best links structure to reproduction: thicker fur helps warmth or specialized pollen structures aid pollination?
Answer: Specialized pollen structures aid pollination. Pollen transfer directly enables plant reproduction.
Flashcard 14: Identify the most direct measure of reproductive success in a study of frogs over one breeding season.
Answer: Number of offspring produced that survive to the next life stage. Counts offspring reaching independence, the ultimate fitness measure.
Flashcard 15: Which evidence best supports that nest building is adaptive: nests look nice or chicks survive more often in nests?
Answer: Chicks survive more often in nests. Survival data directly links behavior to reproductive fitness.
Flashcard 16: Identify the best claim: a longer tail is favored if males with longer tails leave more offspring. What process is this?
Answer: Sexual selection. Traits that increase offspring production spread through populations.
Flashcard 17: Which option is the best evidence that a mating display increases reproductive success: higher survival or more mates?
Answer: More mates (higher mating frequency or more offspring produced). Direct reproductive output shows immediate fitness benefits.
Flashcard 18: What is camouflage in a nesting animal most likely to increase?
Answer: Offspring survival by reducing detection by predators. Cryptic coloration protects vulnerable offspring from predation.
Flashcard 19: What is parental care, and how is it related to reproductive success?
Answer: Care for young; increases offspring survival and future reproduction. Investment in offspring increases their survival to reproductive age.
Flashcard 20: What is a mating call an example of, and what is its main reproductive function?
Answer: Behavioral adaptation; attracts mates and signals species identity. Sound signals prevent cross-species mating and increase mating success.
Flashcard 21: What is reproductive success in biology?
Answer: Number of viable offspring an organism produces that survive to reproduce. Measures evolutionary fitness through offspring that reach breeding age.
Flashcard 22: Identify the best evidence that a courtship display improves reproduction.
Answer: Individuals using the display mate more often and produce more offspring. Links behavior directly to both mating success and offspring production.
Flashcard 23: Which option is the best evidence that a toxin in a frog protects offspring?
Answer: Predators avoid toxic frogs, and more of their young survive to adulthood. Shows toxin deters predators, directly improving offspring survival.
Flashcard 24: Identify the best inference if birds with stronger beaks crack more seeds and raise more chicks.
Answer: Stronger beaks increase offspring survival by improving feeding success. Better feeding ability means parents can nourish more young.
Flashcard 25: Which conclusion is supported if a fish fanning eggs increases hatching rate?
Answer: Egg fanning increases reproductive success by improving egg survival. Oxygen flow from fanning helps more eggs develop successfully.
Flashcard 26: Which conclusion is supported if a frog species calls only after rain and mates more?
Answer: Calling after rain improves mating success by timing reproduction to conditions. Synchronizes breeding with water availability for tadpole survival.
Flashcard 27: Which conclusion is supported if a nest-guarding bird loses fewer chicks?
Answer: Nest guarding increases reproductive success by increasing chick survival. Protection behavior directly increases offspring survival rate.
Flashcard 28: Which conclusion is supported if males with longer tails have more offspring?
Answer: Longer tails increase mating success and thus reproductive success. More offspring shows the trait helps males attract females.
Flashcard 29: What is camouflage in eggs or nests, and how can it affect reproduction?
Answer: Concealment; it reduces predation and increases offspring survival. Hidden eggs/nests are harder for predators to find and destroy.
Flashcard 30: What is a mating call, and what is its main reproductive function?
Answer: A signal to attract mates or coordinate breeding at the right time. Sound signals help animals find mates when ready to breed.