Textbook Question
Compare the adaptations of amphibians and reptiles for terrestrial life.
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Ch. 19 The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 Biology: The Study of Scientific Life19
- Ch. 2 The Chemical Basis of Life17
- Ch. 3 The Molecules of Cells21
- Ch. 4 A Tour of the Cell20
- Ch. 5 The Working Cell17
- Ch. 6 How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy18
- Ch. 7 Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food15
- Ch. 8 The Cellular Basis of Reproduction and Inheritance22
- Ch. 9 Patterns of Inheritance17
- Ch. 10 Molecular Biology of the Gene13
- Ch. 11 How Genes Are Controlled13
- Ch. 12 DNA Technology and Genomics23
- Ch. 13 How Populations Evolve17
- Ch. 14 The Origin of Species19
- Ch. 15 Tracing Evolutionary History18
- Ch. 16 Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists16
- Ch. 17 The Evolution of Plant and Fungal Diversity15
- Ch. 18 The Evolution of Invertebrate Diversity13
- Ch. 19 The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity18
- Ch. 20 Unifying Concepts of Animal Structure and Function11
- Ch. 21 Nutrition and Digestion16
- Ch. 22 Gas Exchange16
- Ch. 23 Circulation17
- Ch. 24 The Immune System16
- Ch. 25 Control of Body Temperature and Water Balance20
- Ch. 26 Hormones and the Endocrine System10
- Ch. 27 Reproduction and Embryonic Development12
- Ch. 28 Nervous Systems10
- Ch. 29 The Senses12
- Ch. 30 How Animals Move19
- Ch. 31 Plant Structure, Growth, and Reproduction9
- Ch. 32 Plant Nutrition and Transport12
- Ch. 33 Control Systems in Plants15
- Ch. 34 The Biosphere: An Introduction to Earth's Diverse Environments15
- Ch. 35 Behavioral Adaptations to the Environment12
- Ch. 36 Population Ecology15
- Ch. 37 Communities and Ecosystems14
- Ch. 38 Conservation Biology14
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook
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Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 19 The Evolution of Vertebrate DiversityProblem 13
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 19 The Evolution of Vertebrate DiversityProblem 13Chapter 19, Problem 13
What adaptations inherited from our primate ancestors enable humans to make and use tools?
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Identify the key physical adaptations: Discuss the physical traits inherited from primate ancestors that are crucial for tool making and usage. These include opposable thumbs, which allow for a precision grip, and enhanced hand-eye coordination, which is essential for manipulating objects.
Consider the cognitive adaptations: Highlight the cognitive abilities that have evolved in humans, such as advanced problem-solving skills and the capacity for complex thought. These cognitive skills are necessary for conceptualizing tools and understanding how they can be used to interact with the environment.
Examine the role of bipedalism: Explain how walking on two legs (bipedalism) has freed up the hands for other uses, such as carrying and using tools. This adaptation is significant as it allows humans to perform tasks while moving.
Discuss the importance of vision: Elaborate on how changes in the visual system, such as better depth perception and color vision, have supported tool use. These visual adaptations enable more precise handling and manipulation of tools.
Explore social learning and culture: Describe how the ability to learn from others and cultural transmission have played a role in the development and refinement of tool use. This includes the ability to observe and mimic the tool-making behaviors of others, which is a trait seen in many primates.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Opposable Thumbs
Opposable thumbs are a key adaptation inherited from primate ancestors that allow for a strong grip and precise manipulation of objects. This anatomical feature enables humans to grasp tools effectively, facilitating intricate movements necessary for tool-making and usage.
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Primates
Cognitive Abilities
Humans possess advanced cognitive abilities, including problem-solving, planning, and abstract thinking, which are crucial for tool use. These cognitive skills allow individuals to conceptualize the function of tools, innovate new designs, and improve techniques over time, reflecting a significant evolutionary advantage.
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Social Learning
Social learning is the process through which individuals acquire skills and knowledge by observing others. This adaptation, rooted in our primate heritage, enables humans to share and transmit tool-making techniques across generations, enhancing cultural evolution and the refinement of tool use.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Birds and mammals are both endothermic, and both have four-chambered hearts. Most reptiles are ectothermic and have three-chambered hearts. Why don't biologists group birds with mammals? Why do most biologists now consider birds to be reptiles?
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Textbook Question
One of the misconceptions about human evolution is expressed in the question 'If chimpanzees were our ancestors, then why do chimpanzees still exist?' Use Figure 19.10A to explain the answer.
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Textbook Question
Summarize the hypotheses that explain variation in human skin color as adaptations to variation in UV radiation.
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Textbook Question
A good scientific hypothesis is based on existing evidence and leads to testable predictions. What hypothesis did the paleontologists who discovered Tiktaalik test? What evidence did they use to predict where they would find fossils of transitional forms?
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Textbook Question
Explain some of the reasons why the human species has been able to expand in number and distribution to a greater extent than most other animals.
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