Chapter 25

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 continental drift may have played a role in history of life.
6. Describe how radiation into new adaptive zones could result in macroevolutionary change.
7. Explain how mass extinctions could occur and affect evolution of surviving forms.
8. List the major taxonomic categories from the most to least inclusive.
9. Explain why it is important when constructing a phylogeny to distinguish between homologous and analogous character traits.
10. Distinguish between homologous and analogous structures.
11. Describe three techniques used in molecular systematics and explain what information each provides.
12. Distinguish between a monophyletic and a polyphyletic group, and explain what is meant by a "natural taxon."
13. Describe the contributions of phenetics and cladistics to phylogenetic systematics.
14. Describe how cladistic analysis uses novel homologies to define branch points on phylogenetic trees.