Biology 2
Project-Survival of the fittest project
You will be assigned a group and a chapter in which to work. EACH member will be
assigned an equal part of this project. You will then teach the information that you
learned to the class. You will ONLY be reading ONE chapter of this book.
Chapter 1
Ironing it out
Colin
1. Advantages and disadvantages of having hemochromatosis and explain why this
gene is still in our genetic code
2. What does the bubonic plague, Jews, menstruating women and Vikings got to do
with hemochromatosis? Explain the experiment done in Somalia with this illness.
Chapter 2
A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down Ashleigh
1. What is diabetes & why did it evolve to stay in the genetic code? (types, causes,etc)
2. What does diabetes have to do with cold climates? Make sure to include in your
paper: the Hunters response, Inuit people, brown fat, ice wine, and wood frogs.
Chapter 3
The cholesterol also rises Rachel and Nick
1. What is the relationship between Vitamin D, UVB, folate and cholesterol? What
are the CYP2D6 and CCR5-32 genes
2. What caused a problem for man as man evolved and lost hair? Why would people
evolve to keep the ApoE4 genes? What does this have to do with HIV, AIDS,
drug tolerance, etc?
3. What are some of the difficulties people of African descent face when trying to
regulate their cholesterol, blood pressure and vitamin deficiencies? Explain why
people in the south has less prostate cancer than those in the north.
Chapter 4
Hey Bud, can you do me a Fava? Mitchell and Drew
1. What is Favism? What is the G6PD enzyme and why is it a ‘survival advantage’ in
some areas of the world?
2. What is meant by the statement “Eat your vegetables but vegetables can kill you!”
Why evolve an enzyme deficiency to die if you eat beans?
3. Explain the many toxins produced by plants and the sometimes-mutual benefit this
has for the plant and the other organism.
Chapter 5
Of Microbes and Men Aspen and Patrick
1. Explain what is meant by the statement “Infectious diseases evolve with us.”
Evolution & microbes shape our senses, blood chemistry, etc. Explain how this
occurs using evidence of host manipulation of many organisms.
2. Give an example of ‘passive and soft manipulations’ of a host. (toxoplasma,
sneezing, pinworms, cholera and malaria)
3. Host manipulation is when a parasite or disease affects behavior to its own end.
Explain the statement “personal, cultural and social standards evolve to handle
the disease”
4. What is the new idea on how to handle Staph since it evolves so quickly to become
resistant to antibiotics? What determines VIRULANCE of a pathogen? Explain the
statement made that we should be favoring mild strains of pathogens and not focus
on stronger antibiotics.
Chapter 8
That’s life: why you & your ipod must die! Mark and Garrett
1. Is aging ACCIDENTAL or INTENTIONAL? (telomeres, hayflick limit,
telomerase)Why do larger species live longer than than smaller organisms and
why?
2. How does a species get a genetic upgrade? (programmed aging confers benefit
to SPECIES and not the INDIVIDUAL) Why would man evolve & favor a
dangerous birth? What do you think may be the ‘survival advantage’?
3. Explain the differences between the Savanna hypothesis and the Aquatic Ape
Hypothesis concerning the evolution of man.
4. Compare a normal birth with an underwater birth. What are the advantages and
disadvantages?
Survival of the Sickest Project
Grading rubric
Paper (75 pts.)
Minimum of 2 pages, typed, double-spaced) answering your question
65 pts. Did you clearly answer the question?
10 mechanics (punctuation, etc.)
Presentation input (25 pts.)