Name: Sarah Cates

Class: 3

Date: 05/05/16

PBS Evolution
Why Sex?
1. What is unusual about the reproduction of the desert grassland whiptail lizard?
The reproduction of the desert grassland whiptail lizard is unusual because all of the species are female
and give birth without having sex, each baby lizard is an exact copy of its mother.
2. What are three disadvantages of sexual reproduction, particularly the presence of males?
The three disadvantages of sexual reproduction is that women pass on 50% of their genes, the time
energy and water involved is wasteful and women are required to raise the child while a man is not.
3. Most species on earth use ( sexual / asexual ) reproduction.
Sexual

Sexual vs. Asexual Reproduction

4. What percent of the Poeciliid (minnow) population was affected with black spot disease?
About 40%
5. Which minnows were affected by the disease more, the sexual or asexual
reproducing group?
The minnows that were asexual were more affected
6. Describe the Red Queen theory of evolution.
The Red Queen theory is asking the question if evolution stops based off of the environment because
if a species stops evolving then they will not survive in the environment
7. How are the sexually-reproducing minnows like a moving target for the bacteria?
They are like a moving target because they have a new combination of genes and the challenges of
infecting the sexually reproduced minnows were greater than that of the asexual reproduced minows.
8. Why did the sexually-reproducing fish suddenly become more susceptible to disease following
the severe drought?
They suddenly became susceptible to disease after the severe drought because the sexual species had
become inbred and they all resembled each other genetically.
9. What experiment did Robert Vrijenhoek conduct that reversed this trend?
He conducted an experiment where he took minnows from a well bred pool and reimplanted genetic
variation into the pool.

Science Education Resources | http://www.aurumscience.com

Name: Sarah Cates

Class: 3

Date: 05/05/16

Origin of Sexual Reproduction

10. Describe the theory of how sexual reproduction began with single-celled organisms.
The theory that sexual reproduction began with single cell organisms states that by sexual reproduction
it allows for genetics to evolve and prevent inbreeding. The single cells eventually evolved into males
and females.
11. Given the characteristics of sperm and eggs, why does evolution favor females that are selective
or choosy?
The environment favors females that are selective because the men have a desire to fertilize all eggs so
through a female being selective, it allows for more selective reproduction.

Darwins Dilemma and Sexual Reproduction

12. Explain why Darwin may have wrote the sight of a peacock makes me sick. How does its
physical appearance seem to contradict natural selection?
Darwin wrote that because he didnt understand how peacocks evolve. The appearance seems to
contradict natural selection because they are heavy and difficult to carry around and they are difficult to
grow. The tail slows the animal down and makes it more susceptible to predators.
13. Why did it take so long for the idea of female-driven sexual selection to be accepted?
It took so long because it was unheard of to see that evolution occurs because of a woman's ability to
choose. It was hard to understand that women held the key to evolution in her hand.
14. What two characteristics of a male peacock do females look for in choosing a mate?
The two characteristics are the eyespots and size of tails.
15. What impact did intentionally pairing females with males with more elaborate tail feathers have
on their offspring?
The impact was that the offspring that was formed with a peacock with a large tail did better than that of
parents with a small tail.

Monogamy and Gender Roles

16. What is monogamy?
Monogamy is remaining with one partner.
17. Why is it an advantage for songbirds (and humans) to practice monogamy?
It is an advantage because the mother gets help with raising the child and ensuring the child's survival
and the child's ability to pass on genes.

Science Education Resources | http://www.aurumscience.com

Name: Sarah Cates

Class: 3

Date: 05/05/16

18. Explain how the behavior of cheating might be an evolutionary advantage for songbirds.
It might be an advantage because by sharing you are able to have better genetic traits and promote the
passing on of stronger generations
19. Jacanas are tropical birds that lose a lot of offspring to crocodile
predators. How has evolution changed their behavior to overcome this?
Evolution has changed their behavior because they have a genetic reversal
where the female lays the eggs and the males protect the eggs. Now that the
females are free they are able to lay more eggs and lay more eggs.

Chimpanzees and Bonobos

20. Compare the behavior and social structure of chimpanzees and bonobos.
The behavior and social structure of chimps and bonobos are comparable because chimps are violent
and abusive while bonobos are peaceful and caring.
21. How has infanticide influenced the reproductive behavior of chimpanzee females?
It influenced the behavior because females try to mate with all the males of the pact because they will
protect the child if they all think its theirs
a. How has this affected the reproductive anatomy of chimpanzee males?
This has affected the reproductive anatomy by having large testes in order to produce large
amounts of sperm.
22. How are bonobo females able to avoid being dominated by males?
They are able to avoid being dominated by males because they have female solidarity that allow for
women to form alliances with other women and form alliances against males.
23. Explain the differences between the ecosystems of chimpanzees and bonobos that may be
responsible for their differences in behavior. What single event led to this change?
Their environment affects their behavior differently because the chimpanzees are almost entirely
dependent on fruit trees and females are required to scavenge alone and the males eat all the food
requiring the pact to split. The event that led to this change was the feeding ecology and the access to
food on the ground.

Evolutionary Psychology
24. Why does waste or garbage smell bad to humans, but not to dung beetles?
It smells bad to humans and not beetles because we have developed to have a negative association to
things that might cost humans their evolutionary capabilities

Science Education Resources | http://www.aurumscience.com

Name: Sarah Cates

Class: 3

Date: 05/05/16

25. If human attraction were based on smell alone, what kinds of mates to women choose?
They would choose a mate with an immune system that is different from theirs.
26. When given the choice, what types of characteristics do women prefer for a short-term
relationship? A long-term relationship?
In a short term relationship they want someone who has a lot of testosterone markers on their face. In a
long term relationship they want a softer kinder looking face.
27. How might sex and attraction be related to artistic expression?
They might be rated to artistic expression because they are rooted in the process of securing a mate and
partaking in a sexual instinct.
28. From the perspective of evolution, why is sex pleasurable and parenting rewarding?
It is pleasurable and parenting is rewarding because it encourages the population to reproduce and for
the parents to protect their young to ensure the survival of the offspring.
29. What single behavior do humans have that is unique in the animal world?
We have the unique behavior of being able to adopt a child and still treat the child as if it was one of
their own.

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