Over long periods of time, many cave-dwelling organisms have lost
their eyes. Tapeworms have lost their digestive systems. Whales have
lost their hind limbs. How can natural selection account for these losses?
Answers:
Natural selection cannot account for losses, but accounts only
for new structures and functions. Natural selection
accounts for these losses by the principle of use and disuse.
Under particular circumstances that persisted for long periods,
each of these structures presented greater costs than benefits.
The ancestors of these organisms experienced harmful mutations
that forced them to lose these structures.
3
During a study session about evolution, one of your fellow students
remarks, "The giraffe stretched its neck while reaching for
higher leaves; its offspring inherited longer necks as a result."
Which statement is most likely to be helpful in correcting this
student's misconception?
Answers:
Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are
generally not passed on through genes. Spontaneous
mutations can result in the appearance of new traits. Only
favorable adaptations have survival value. Disuse of an
organ may lead to its eventual disappearance.
1
Darwin and Wallace's theory of evolution by natural selection was
revolutionary because it _____.
Answers:
was the first theory to refute the ideas of special
creation proved that individuals acclimated to their
environment over time dismissed the idea that species are
constant and emphasized the importance of variation and change in
populations was the first time a biologist had proposed that
species changed through time
3
Darwin and Wallace were the first to propose _____.
Answers:
that evolution occurs a mechanism for how evolution
occurs that Earth is older than a few thousand years
natural selection as the mechanism of evolution
4
Which of these conditions are always true of populations evolving due
to natural selection?Condition 1: The population must vary in
traits that are heritable.Condition 2: Some heritable traits
must increase reproductive success.Condition 3: Individuals pass
on most traits that they acquire during their lifetime.
Answers:
Condition 1 only Condition 2 only Conditions
1 and 2 Conditions 2 and 3
3
Which of the following evidence most strongly supports the common
origin of all life on Earth? All organisms _____.
Answers:
require energy use essentially the same genetic
code reproduce show heritable variation
2
Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the
bones in the wing of a bird?
Answers:
bones in the hind limb of a kangaroo chitinous struts
in the wing of a butterfly bony rays in the tail fin of a
flying fish bones in the flipper of a whale
4
Given what we know about evolutionary biology, we expect to find the
largest number of endemic species in which of the following geological
features, which have existed for at least a few million years?
Answers:
an isolated ocean island in the tropic san extensive
mountain range a grassland in the center of a large
continent, with extreme climatic conditions a shallow
estuary on a warm-water coast
1
Structures as different as human arms, bat wings, and dolphin
flippers contain many of the same bones, which develop from similar
embryonic tissues. These structural similarities are an example of _____.
Answers:
homology convergent evolution the evolution
of common structure as a result of common function the
evolution of similar appearance as a result of common function
1
DDT was once considered a "silver bullet" that would
permanently eradicate insect pests. Instead, DDT is largely useless
against many insects. Which of these would have prevented this
evolution of DDT resistance in insect pests?
Answers:
All habitats should have received applications of DDT at about
the same time. The frequency of DDT application should have
been higher. None of the insect pests would have genetic
variations that resulted in DDT resistance. DDT application
should have been continual.
3
Prior to the work of Lyell and Darwin, the prevailing belief was that
Earth is _____.
Answers:
a few thousand years old, and populations are unchanging
a few thousand years old, and populations gradually change
millions of years old, and populations rapidly change
millions of years old, and populations are unchanging
1
If Darwin had been aware of genes and their typical mode of
transmission to subsequent generations, with which statement would he
most likely have been in agreement?
Answers:
If natural selection can change gene frequency in a population
over generations, given enough time and genetic diversity, then
natural selection can cause sufficient genetic change to produce new
species from old ones. If an organism's somatic cell genes
change during its lifetime, making it more fit, then it will be able
to pass these genes on to its offspring. If an organism
acquires new genes by engulfing, or being infected by, another
organism, then a new genetic species will result. A single
mutation in a single gene in a single gamete, if inherited by future
generations, will produce a new species.
1
What must be true of any organ described as vestigial?
Answers:
It must be analogous to some feature in an ancestor.
It must be homologous to some feature in an ancestor
.It must be both homologous and analogous to some feature in an
ancestor. It need be neither homologous nor analogous to some
feature in an ancestor.
2
Which of the following scientists argued that variation among
individuals allows evolution to occur?
Answers:
Aristotle Lamarck Linnaeus
Wallace
4
Scientific theories _____.
Answers:
are nearly the same things as hypotheses are
supported by, and make sense of, many observations cannot
be tested because the described events occurred only once
are predictions of future events
2
The role that humans play in artificial selection is to _____.
Answers:
determine who lives and who dies create genetic
diversity choose which organisms reproduce perform
artificial insemination
3
Catastrophism was Cuvier's attempt to explain the existence of _____.
Answers:
evolution the fossil record
uniformitarianism the origin of new species
2
A population of organisms will not evolve if _____.
Answers:
all individual variation is due only to environmental
factors the environment is changing at a relatively slow
rate the population size is large the population
lives in a habitat without competing species present
1
Which of the following must exist in a population before natural
selection can act upon that population?
Answers:
genetic variation among individuals variation among
individuals caused by environmental factors sexual
reproduction the population has predators
1