Evolution

1

100

Evolution is: a. A rare event b. Currently occurring only in scientific laboratories c. Constantly occurring at the same rate in ALL organisms d. An inevitable consequence of the nature of organisms

What is d. An inevitable consequence of the nature of organisms

200

Which describes natural selection? a. Some live and some die in each generation b. Only the largest and strongest survive c. Random assortment of genes results in better characteristics in the following generations d. The best adapted individuals survive and reproduce, contributing the most to the next generation

What is d. The best adapted individuals survive and reproduce, contributing the most to the next generation

300

Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Convergent evolution demonstrates evolutionary relationships. b. Homologous structures are the same body parts that are modified in different ways in different lines of descent from a common ancestor. c. Fossils can show evolutionary changes in bones and teeth. d. The more similarity in the structure of two proteins from different organisms, the more closely related the organisms are.

What is a. Convergent evolution demonstrates evolutionary relationships.

400

Darwin explained the differences in beak shape among Galapagos finches as being the result of a. chance events b. adaptations to eating different foods c. differences that existed in the colonizing species d. inheritance of acquired characteristics

What is b. adaptations to eating different foods

500

Which of the following is true of evolution? a. evolutionary changes increase the ability of a species to survive and reproduce in a specific environment. b. evolutionary changes increase the ability of a species to survive and reproduce under any circumstances. c. evolutionary changes result in a species becoming more and more abundant over time. d. evolutionary changes result in animals becoming larger over time and having larger numbers of offspring.

What is a. evolutionary changes increase the ability of a species to survive and reproduce in a specific environment.

2

100

Which of the following is a basic requirement for natural selection to be an effective evolutionary force? a. Individuals must reproduce at a rapid rate. b. Each population must be limited to a small size. c. A population must exhibit some genetic variability. d. All of the above.

What is c. A population must exhibit some genetic variability.

200

According to natural selection, birds such as cardinals, eagles, and ducks have differently shaped feet due to a. random changes in foot structure b. adaptations to different environments and feeding habits c. differences inherited from their ancestors d. inheritance of acquired characteristics

What is c. differences inherited from their ancestors

300

The theory of common descent states that all modern organisms a. can change in response to environmental change. b. are descended from a single ancestral species. c. can be arranged in a linear order from "least evolved" to "most evolved". d. have not changed over time.

What is b. are descended from a single ancestral species.

400

Which of the following is an example of a microevolution? a. The evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. b. The speciation of finches on the Galapagos islands. c. The increase in size, over time, of fossil horses. d. The evolution of humans from an ancestral primate.

What is a. The evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

500

Artificial selection has given us a. the many species of wild cats b. breeds of domesticated dogs c. various human societies d. the many rainforest species

What is b. breeds of domesticated dogs

3

100

In many cases, one type of organism puts selection pressure on another, so they evolve together. For example, flowers and their pollinators. This is called a. artificial selection b. coevolution c. random mutation d. mimicry

What is b. coevolution

200

The idea of evolution_____Darwin a. was originated by b. was never really considered by c. destroyed the reputation of d. was thought of before

What is d. was thought of before

300

Which of the following has provided an abundance of evidence that the diversity of life on Earth has changed over time? a. population genetics b. the fossil record c. natural selection d. creationism

What is b. the fossil record

400

All of the following statements are related to the ideas of natural selection except which one? a. There is heritable variation among individuals. b. Production of offspring is unrelated to the availability of essential resources. c. Only a fraction of offspring survive because of competition for limited resources. d. Unequal reproductive success leads to adaptations.

What is b. Production of offspring is unrelated to the availability of essential resources.

500

Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the wing of a bat? a. the dorsal fin of a shark b. the tail of a kangaroo c. the wing of a butterfly d. the arm of a human

What is d. the arm of a human

4

100

It is possible for evolution to be influenced by choices that individuals make concerning which individual to mate with or even which offspring to pay more attention to. a. true b. false

What is true

200

The core idea of evolutionary "success" is oriented around a. intelligence b. reproduction c. achievement of a long life d. better senses

What is b. reproduction

300

Mutations of genetic material a. are usually harmful b. are often beneficial c. usually help an organism adapt more effectively to its environment d. occur frequently

What is a. are usually harmful

400

In the evolution of organisms through time, a. species always become bigger, stronger, or faster b. intelligence continually increases in animal species c. there is no particular direction to evolutionary change d. species slowly degenerate

What is c. there is no particular direction to evolutionary change

500

Which shows the effects of artificial selection? a. moths b. pandas c. dairy cows d. cheetahs

What is c. dairy cows

5

100

When populations with separate ancestors adapt in similar ways to similar environmental constraints (e.g., "flippers" in whales and penguins), it is referred to as a. homology b. natural selection c. convergent evolution d. coevolution

What is c. convergent evolution

200

Which ONE of the following statements is true of evolution: a. Evolution by natural selection leads to changes which increase the ability of a population to succeed in the environment in which they find themselves. b. Evolutionary changes must lead to increased genetic diversity in a population. c. When a population is evolving, offspring will not resemble their parents. d. Natural selection can cause inheritable (genetic) changes in an organism.

What is a. Evolution by natural selection leads to changes which increase the ability of a population to succeed in the environment in which they find themselves.

300

Specific environmental factors that favor certain characteristics in organisms are called a. selecting agents b. hurricanes c. mutations d. disruptive factors

What is a. selecting agents

400

Which evolves? a. individuals b. populations c. genes d. all of these

What is b. populations

500

The gene pool of a species a. remains constant over time b. continually loses alleles c. is changed by evolution d. is identical to that of many other species

What is c. is changed by evolution