Question 1

Which statement illustrates the connection between natural selection and overreproduction of a population?

Accepted Answer

A)  Populations vary in their inherited traits. 
B)  Species produce more offspring than can survive in the environment. 
C)  Individuals with inherited traits that promote survival tend to have more surviving offspring. 
D)  Individuals with traits that do not enhance survival cannot reproduce. 
A)  Populations vary in their inherited traits. 
B)  Species produce more offspring than can survive in the environment. 
C)  Individuals with inherited traits that promote survival tend to have more surviving offspring. 
D)  Individuals with traits that do not enhance survival cannot reproduce. C

Question 2

Which of the following statements best explains why modification or change in an organ or tissue during the lifetime of an individual is not inherited?

Accepted Answer

A)  Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes. 
B)  Spontaneous mutations can result in the appearance of new traits. 
C)  Only favorable adaptations have survival value. 
D)  Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual disappearance. 
A)  Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes. 
B)  Spontaneous mutations can result in the appearance of new traits. 
C)  Only favorable adaptations have survival value. 
D)  Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual disappearance. A

Question 3

Many crustaceans (for example, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish) use their tails to swim, but crabs have reduced tails that curl under their shells and are not used in swimming. This is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  convergent evolution 
B)  a homologous structure 
C)  natural selection 
D)  a vestigial trait 
A)  convergent evolution 
B)  a homologous structure 
C)  natural selection 
D)  a vestigial trait D

Question 4

If x indicates the fossils of two closely related species, neither of which is extinct, then their remains may be found in how many of these strata?

Accepted Answer

A)  one stratum 
B)  two strata 
C)  three strata 
D)  four strata 
A)  one stratum 
B)  two strata 
C)  three strata 
D)  four strata

Question 5

The following questions refer to the evolutionary tree in the figure below.
The horizontal axis of the cladogram depicted below is a timeline that extends from 100,000 years ago to the present; the vertical axis represents nothing in particular. The labeled branch points on the tree (V-Z) represent various common ancestors. Let's say that only since 50,000 years ago has there been enough variation between the lineages depicted here to separate them into distinct species, and only the tips of the lineages on this tree represent distinct species.
  
-Which of the five common ancestors, labeled V-Z, is the common ancestor of the greatest number of species, both living and extinct?

Accepted Answer

A)  V 
B)  W 
C)  Y 
D)  Z 
A)  V 
B)  W 
C)  Y 
D)  Z

Question 6

Darwin used the phrase "descent with modification" to explain ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  unity of life 
B)  descent of all organisms from a single, ancient ancestor 
C)  that habitat differences stimulate change in organisms 
D)  evolution of the unity and diversity of life 
A)  unity of life 
B)  descent of all organisms from a single, ancient ancestor 
C)  that habitat differences stimulate change in organisms 
D)  evolution of the unity and diversity of life

Question 7

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?

Accepted Answer

A)  Natural selection cannot account for losses, but accounts only for new structures and functions. 
B)  Natural selection accounts for these losses by the principle of use and disuse. 
C)  Under particular circumstances that persisted for long periods, each of these structures presented greater costs than benefits. 
D)  The ancestors of these organisms experienced harmful mutations that forced them to lose these structures. 
A)  Natural selection cannot account for losses, but accounts only for new structures and functions. 
B)  Natural selection accounts for these losses by the principle of use and disuse. 
C)  Under particular circumstances that persisted for long periods, each of these structures presented greater costs than benefits. 
D)  The ancestors of these organisms experienced harmful mutations that forced them to lose these structures.

Question 8

The questions below refer to the following evolutionary tree, in which the horizontal axis represents time (present time is on the far right) and the vertical axis represents morphological change.
  
-Which of these is the extant (that is, living) species most closely related to species X?

Accepted Answer

A)  V 
B)  W 
C)  Y 
D)  Z 
A)  V 
B)  W 
C)  Y 
D)  Z

Question 9

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?

Accepted Answer

A)  All habitats should have received applications of DDT at about the same time. 
B)  The frequency of DDT application should have been higher. 
C)  None of the insect pests would have genetic variations that resulted in DDT resistance. 
D)  DDT application should have been continual. 
A)  All habitats should have received applications of DDT at about the same time. 
B)  The frequency of DDT application should have been higher. 
C)  None of the insect pests would have genetic variations that resulted in DDT resistance. 
D)  DDT application should have been continual.

Question 10

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 ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  homology 
B)  convergent evolution 
C)  the evolution of common structure as a result of common function 
D)  the evolution of similar appearance as a result of common function 
A)  homology 
B)  convergent evolution 
C)  the evolution of common structure as a result of common function 
D)  the evolution of similar appearance as a result of common function

Question 11

Which of Darwin's ideas had the strongest connection to his reading of Malthus's essay on human population growth?

Accepted Answer

A)  descent with modification 
B)  variation among individuals in a population 
C)  struggle for existence 
D)  that the ancestors of the Galápagos finches had come from the South American mainland 
A)  descent with modification 
B)  variation among individuals in a population 
C)  struggle for existence 
D)  that the ancestors of the Galápagos finches had come from the South American mainland

Question 12

If the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus experiences a cost for maintaining one or more antibiotic-resistance genes, what would happen in environments that lack antibiotics?

Accepted Answer

A)  These genes would be maintained in case the antibiotics appear. 
B)  These bacteria would be outcompeted and replaced by bacteria that have lost these genes. 
C)  These bacteria would try to make the cost worthwhile by locating and migrating to microenvironments where traces of antibiotics are present. 
D)  The number of genes conveying antibiotic resistance would increase in these bacteria. 
A)  These genes would be maintained in case the antibiotics appear. 
B)  These bacteria would be outcompeted and replaced by bacteria that have lost these genes. 
C)  These bacteria would try to make the cost worthwhile by locating and migrating to microenvironments where traces of antibiotics are present. 
D)  The number of genes conveying antibiotic resistance would increase in these bacteria.

Question 13

Starting from the wild mustard Brassica oleracea, breeders have created the strains known as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Therefore, which of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  In this wild mustard, there is enough heritable variation to permit these different varieties. 
B)  Heritable variation is low in wild mustard-otherwise this wild strain would have different characteristics. 
C)  Natural selection is rare in wild populations of wild mustard. 
D)  In wild mustard, most of the variation is due to differences in soil or other aspects of the environment. 
A)  In this wild mustard, there is enough heritable variation to permit these different varieties. 
B)  Heritable variation is low in wild mustard-otherwise this wild strain would have different characteristics. 
C)  Natural selection is rare in wild populations of wild mustard. 
D)  In wild mustard, most of the variation is due to differences in soil or other aspects of the environment.

Question 14

Which of the following is not an observation or inference on which natural selection is based?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is heritable variation among individuals. 
B)  Poorly adapted individuals never produce offspring. 
C)  Species produce more offspring than the environment can support. 
D)  Only a fraction of an individual's offspring may survive. 
A)  There is heritable variation among individuals. 
B)  Poorly adapted individuals never produce offspring. 
C)  Species produce more offspring than the environment can support. 
D)  Only a fraction of an individual's offspring may survive.

Question 15

Members of two different species possess a similar-looking structure that they use in a similar way to perform about the same function. Which of the following would suggest that the relationship more likely represents homology instead of convergent evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  The two species live at great distance from each other. 
B)  The two species share many proteins. 
C)  The structures in adult members of both species are similar in size. 
D)  Both species are well adapted to their particular environments. 
A)  The two species live at great distance from each other. 
B)  The two species share many proteins. 
C)  The structures in adult members of both species are similar in size. 
D)  Both species are well adapted to their particular environments.

Question 16

The questions below refer to the following evolutionary tree, in which the horizontal axis represents time (present time is on the far right) and the vertical axis represents morphological change.
  
-Logically, which of these should cast the most doubt on the relationships depicted by an evolutionary tree?

Accepted Answer

A)  Some of the organisms depicted by the tree lived in different habitats. 
B)  The skeletal remains of the organisms depicted by the tree were incomplete (in other words, some bones were missing). 
C)  Transitional fossils had not been found. 
D)  Relationships between DNA sequences among the species did not match relationships between skeletal patterns. 
A)  Some of the organisms depicted by the tree lived in different habitats. 
B)  The skeletal remains of the organisms depicted by the tree were incomplete (in other words, some bones were missing). 
C)  Transitional fossils had not been found. 
D)  Relationships between DNA sequences among the species did not match relationships between skeletal patterns.

Question 17

In a hypothetical environment, fishes called pike-cichlids are visual predators of large, adult algae-eating fish (in other words, they locate their prey by sight). The population of algae-eaters experiences predatory pressure from pike-cichlids. Which of the following is least likely to result in the algae-eater population in future generations?

Accepted Answer

A)  selection for drab coloration of the algae-eaters 
B)  selection for nocturnal algae-eaters (active only at night) 
C)  selection for larger female algae-eaters, bearing broods composed of more, and larger, young 
D)  selection for algae-eaters that become sexually mature at smaller overall body sizes 
A)  selection for drab coloration of the algae-eaters 
B)  selection for nocturnal algae-eaters (active only at night) 
C)  selection for larger female algae-eaters, bearing broods composed of more, and larger, young 
D)  selection for algae-eaters that become sexually mature at smaller overall body sizes

Question 18

The following questions refer to the evolutionary tree in the figure below.
The horizontal axis of the cladogram depicted below is a timeline that extends from 100,000 years ago to the present; the vertical axis represents nothing in particular. The labeled branch points on the tree (V-Z) represent various common ancestors. Let's say that only since 50,000 years ago has there been enough variation between the lineages depicted here to separate them into distinct species, and only the tips of the lineages on this tree represent distinct species.
  
-About thirteen different species of finches inhabit the Galápagos Islands today, all descendants of a common ancestor from the South American mainland that arrived a few million years ago. Genetically, there are four distinct lineages, but the thirteen species are currently classified among three genera. The first lineage to diverge from the ancestral lineage was the warbler finch (genus Certhidea). Next to diverge was the vegetarian finch (genus Camarhynchus), followed by five tree finch species (also in genus Camarhynchus) and six ground finch species (genus Geospiza). If the six ground finch species have evolved most recently, then which of these is the most logical prediction?

Accepted Answer

A)  They should be limited to the six islands that most recently emerged from the sea. 
B)  Their genomes should be more similar to each other than are the genomes of the five tree finch species. 
C)  They should share fewer anatomical homologies with each other than they share with the tree finches. 
D)  The chances of hybridization between two ground finch species should be less than the chances of hybridization between two tree finch species. 
A)  They should be limited to the six islands that most recently emerged from the sea. 
B)  Their genomes should be more similar to each other than are the genomes of the five tree finch species. 
C)  They should share fewer anatomical homologies with each other than they share with the tree finches. 
D)  The chances of hybridization between two ground finch species should be less than the chances of hybridization between two tree finch species.

Question 19

Which one of the following statements best defines artificial selection?

Accepted Answer

A)  Process that occurs when individuals inherit traits that enable them to survive and reproduce 
B)  Process where humans decide which plants and/or animals will not breed 
C)  Process of human directed breeding aimed to produce selective traits in selected species 
D)  Process that favors beneficial mutations 
A)  Process that occurs when individuals inherit traits that enable them to survive and reproduce 
B)  Process where humans decide which plants and/or animals will not breed 
C)  Process of human directed breeding aimed to produce selective traits in selected species 
D)  Process that favors beneficial mutations

Question 20

A farmer uses triazine herbicide to control pigweed in his field. For the first few years, the triazine works well and almost all the pigweed dies; but after several years, the farmer sees more and more pigweed. Which of these statements explains why the pigweed reappeared?

Accepted Answer

A)  The herbicide company lost its triazine formula and started selling poor-quality triazine. 
B)  Natural selection caused the pigweed to mutate, creating a new triazine-resistant species. 
C)  Triazine-resistant pigweed has less-efficient photosynthesis metabolism. 
D)  Triazine-resistant weeds were more likely to survive and reproduce. 
A)  The herbicide company lost its triazine formula and started selling poor-quality triazine. 
B)  Natural selection caused the pigweed to mutate, creating a new triazine-resistant species. 
C)  Triazine-resistant pigweed has less-efficient photosynthesis metabolism. 
D)  Triazine-resistant weeds were more likely to survive and reproduce.

Exam 22: Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life

Which statement illustrates the connection between natural selection and overreproduction of a population?

Which of the following statements best explains why modification or change in an organ or tissue during the lifetime of an individual is not inherited?

Many crustaceans (for example, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish) use their tails to swim, but crabs have reduced tails that curl under their shells and are not used in swimming. This is an example of ________.

If x indicates the fossils of two closely related species, neither of which is extinct, then their remains may be found in how many of these strata?

Darwin used the phrase "descent with modification" to explain ________.

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?

The questions below refer to the following evolutionary tree, in which the horizontal axis represents time (present time is on the far right) and the vertical axis represents morphological change. -Which of these is the extant (that is, living) species most closely related to species X?

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?

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 ________.

Which of Darwin's ideas had the strongest connection to his reading of Malthus's essay on human population growth?

If the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus experiences a cost for maintaining one or more antibiotic-resistance genes, what would happen in environments that lack antibiotics?

Starting from the wild mustard Brassica oleracea, breeders have created the strains known as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Therefore, which of the following statements is correct?

Which of the following is not an observation or inference on which natural selection is based?

Members of two different species possess a similar-looking structure that they use in a similar way to perform about the same function. Which of the following would suggest that the relationship more likely represents homology instead of convergent evolution?

Which one of the following statements best defines artificial selection?

A farmer uses triazine herbicide to control pigweed in his field. For the first few years, the triazine works well and almost all the pigweed dies; but after several years, the farmer sees more and more pigweed. Which of these statements explains why the pigweed reappeared?

Evolution, the Themes of Biology, and Scientific Inquiry

The Chemical Context of Life

Water and Life

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A Tour of the Cell

Membrane Structure and Function

An Introduction to Metabolism

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Photosynthesis

Cell Communication

The Cell Cycle

Meiosis and Sexual Life Cycles

Mendel and the Gene Idea

The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance

The Molecular Basis of Inheritance

Gene Expression: From Gene to Protein

Regulation of Gene Expression

Viruses

DNA Tools and Biotechnology

Genomes and Their Evolution

The Evolution of Populations

The Origin of Species

The History of Life on Earth

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land

Plant Diversity II: The Evolution of Seed Plants

Fungi

An Overview of Animal Diversity

An Introduction to Invertebrates

The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Vascular Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Resource Acquisition and Transport in Vascular Plants

Soil and Plant Nutrition

Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology

Plant Responses to Internal and External Signals

Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

Animal Nutrition

Circulation and Gas Exchange

The Immune System

Osmoregulation and Excretion

Hormones and the Endocrine System

Animal Reproduction

Animal Development

Neurons, Synapses, and Signaling

Nervous Systems

Sensory and Motor Mechanisms

Animal Behavior

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems and Restoration Ecology

Conservation Biology and Global Change

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