Exam 15: Extinction and Evolutionary Trends

How did the cause(s) of the K-Pg extinction event differ from the Permian extinction? How were they the same?

Fossil evidence from the Cambrian period indicated a large, rapid spike in speciation of marine species accompanied by increases in the number of genera and families. This would support which model of evolutionary change?

Which of the following scenarios may produce an active trend in evolutionary change? Briefly justify your answer. A. The mechanic stability of the exoskeleton of a group of terrestrial arthropods imposes an upper limit on the body size of these organisms. B. The evolution of an endoparasitic lifestyle results in overall smaller body size as parasite species diversify to utilize small-bodied hosts, which are more common than large-bodied hosts.

Why is the Permian mass extinction event often referred to as an event where life almost died? What do scientists believe caused this event and why did it result in such a catastrophic loss of diversity?

The history of life on Earth as recorded by fossil evidence of one type or another is referred to as

Yellowstone National Park in the United States has a caldera, essentially a super volcano, lying beneath its picturesque surface. When the caldera erupts again, it will blanket all of North America in varying depths of volcanic ash in addition to temporarily changing the atmosphere for at least a decade. This alteration of continental ecosystems will likely result in the extinction of some species. Which of the following species would be the most likely to become extinct?

What does this figure tell about the differences in extinction probabilities between planktotrophic and nonplanktotrophic species? Planktotrophic Nonplanktotrophic

Which of the following conditions favors fossilization?

Explain the difference between preserving "species diversity" and preserving "phylogenetic diversity."