Skip to contents

BIOL 210 Problem Set 1

Week 1, Sep 4-6

ps1.Rmd

General Instructions for Problem Sets

The goal of the problem sets is to give you practice thinking about and working with the concepts that we are covering. You may work with others to complete these assignments but should submit your own responses (not copied from someone else’s response).

Before completing a problem set, you should review the content videos for the week and it may be helpful to complete those before the related class periods as well.

Once you have answered the questions and before you turn in your responses, check your work against the answer key (linked for each problem set). If your responses are missing important information or incorrect, you need to correct them, using a different color font and explaining why your original answer was insufficient.

Use the link at the top of this page to turn in your completed assignment, including corrections.

Usually these readings will be optional for learning more about the topics we’re covering. Occasionally, some readings will be required to answer some problems.

Questions

  1. Let’s practice using classification and scientific nomenclature. For each of the organisms named below (common names provided), find the scientific name (the binomial nomenclature). Be sure to use the proper formatting!
    1. fruit fly
    2. whale shark
    3. Venus flytrap
    4. magic mushrooms

  2. As a reminder about the proper formatting, for each of the examples below, describe what is incorrect about the binomial nomenclature.
    1. Homo sapiens
    2. homo sapiens
    3. Homo Sapiens
    4. Sapiens

  3. Use the Oak Phylogeny Sheet for questions 3-9. List the terminal taxon or taxa (in this case, species) identified by their most recent common ancestor, that are sister to each oak below.
    1. northern red oak is sister to…
    2. post oak is sister to…
    3. black oak is sister to…
    4. swamp white oak is sister to…

  4. TRUE / FALSE Swamp white oak is most closely related to bur oak. Briefly explain your answer.

  5. What is the most recent common ancestor of each of the pairs of species listed below? In other words, which node unites the following pairs of species? Write the correct letter for each node next to each pair of species.
    1. pin oak & shumard oak
    2. post oak & southern red oak
    3. bur oak & chestnut oak

  6. Rank the following nodes in Tree 1 in order of increasing age (i.e. youngest to oldest): A, D, K


  7. Which terminal taxa are in the clade that is defined by node E?

  8. Now find all of the clades in Tree 1. How many are there? List them, using the node to define the clade (so clade defined by node A would be everything on the tree). (Remember that the clade is defined by an ancestor and all of its descendants, so all should be contained in the grouping.)

  9. Below are several groups of taxa, some of which form clades in Tree 1 and others of which do not. Place an X next to each group of taxa below that collectively form a clade in Tree 1.
    1. white oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, Node B, and all of its descendants
    2. southern red oak, post oak, overcup oak, Node K, and all of its descendants
    3. black oak, northern red oak, shumard oak and all of Node I’s descendants
    4. northern red oak, pin oak, southern red oak, and Node H
    5. post oak, overcup oak

  10. Referring to the Tree of Life sheet (before filled out):
    1. How many taxa on this tree possess vertebrae?
    2. Find the branch where “segmentation” evolved. Is this trait present in all of the descendants of this ancestor?
    3. Which taxa have alternation of generations but lack vascular tissue?
    4. Which taxa on the tree are segmented but lack a collagen cuticle?

  11. Complete the table below, using the Tree of Life sheet and other resources (texts, internet, etc) to figure out which number corresponds to which of the following taxa, giving an example species, and listing defining features of the taxon (not the specific species but the larger taxonomic group). Note the additional question after the table.


    12. Taxon_Name Taxon_Number Example_Species Defining_Traits
    Actinopterygii
    Amoebozoa
    Angiosperms
    Annelida
    Arthropoda
    Aves
    Bacteria
    Cnidaria
    Echinodermata
    Euglena
    Fern
    Fungi
    Green algae
    Gymnosperms
    Lepidosaur
    Lichen
    Mammalia 4 humans mammary glands
    Mollusca
    Moss
    Nematoda
    Paramecium
    Porifera


  12. Weekly Reflection. Consider this week’s material and reply to one or more of the following prompts:
    • What was confusing or interesting to you about this week’s material?
    • Did you have any key insights while studying this material?
    • Does anything from this week’s material particularly stick with you?


When you are finished, check your responses on the key for PS1.

Remember to sign the Honor Code on your assignment.