You should be able to define the "biological species" concept and describe how new species arise. Understanding the capability of breeding naturally and producing fertile offspring is crucial. You should also realize that mating must occur in nature, and that the offspring born be fertile.
You should be able to discuss different models for macroevolutionary change and the nature and causes of extinction. Speciation, Reproductive Isolation, Genetic Divergence, Adaptive Radiation, Gradualism, and Punctuated Equilibrium models are all discussed.
You should know the common misconceptions concerning natural selection: "Bigger is Better," "Newer is Better," "Natural Selection Always Works," and "There is an Inevitable Direction in Evolution." You should also understand the scientific principles they misinterpret.
You should understand the classification of species and how they are grouped together according to certain shared characteristics. These categories include: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Familiarity with the Linnaean hierarchical system of classification is fundamental and important to understanding the order of hominin evolution in later chapters.
You should be familiar with classification methods relating to trait similarities between species. These include: Homology, Homoplasy, and Primitive and Derived Traits.
You should know the two major biological schools of classification: Evolutionary Systematics and Cladistics.
