Question 1

The ribosomal RNA rRNA) genes of different organisms are often compared as a means to classify them because rRNA genes evolve much more slowly than other genes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The pollen, or sperm, from a red maple tree is unable to fertilize the eggs from a sugar maple tree. This is an example of what type of isolating mechanism?

Accepted Answer

A)  mechanical isolation 
B)  habitat isolation 
C)  temporal isolation 
D)  hybrid sterility 
E)  gamete isolation This is an example of gamete isolation because the gametes from the two species are unable to fuse. 
A)  mechanical isolation 
B)  habitat isolation 
C)  temporal isolation 
D)  hybrid sterility 
E)  gamete isolation This is an example of gamete isolation because the gametes from the two species are unable to fuse.

Question 3

Use of chemical signals in mate recognition is a type of postzygotic isolating mechanism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

In the three-domain system of classification

Accepted Answer

A)  eukaryotes are more similar to the prokaryotes now classified in domain Bacteria than to those now classified in domain Archaea. 
B)  animals and plants are less similar to each other than to the prokaryotes now classified in domain Archaea. 
C)  prokaryotes are classified into two domains, with the organisms in domain Archaea more similar to eukaryotes than to the prokaryotes in domain Bacteria. 
D)  cladistics alone are used to formulate the new phylogenetic tree of life. 
E)  by the principle of parsimony, it requires fewer assumptions to divide the prokaryotes into two domains than it does to put them in a single domain. Analysis of rRNA genes indicate that some prokaryotes, now classified as the domain Archaea, are more similar to eukaryotes than to the other prokaryotes that are now classified in the domain Bacteria. 
A)  eukaryotes are more similar to the prokaryotes now classified in domain Bacteria than to those now classified in domain Archaea. 
B)  animals and plants are less similar to each other than to the prokaryotes now classified in domain Archaea. 
C)  prokaryotes are classified into two domains, with the organisms in domain Archaea more similar to eukaryotes than to the prokaryotes in domain Bacteria. 
D)  cladistics alone are used to formulate the new phylogenetic tree of life. 
E)  by the principle of parsimony, it requires fewer assumptions to divide the prokaryotes into two domains than it does to put them in a single domain. Analysis of rRNA genes indicate that some prokaryotes, now classified as the domain Archaea, are more similar to eukaryotes than to the other prokaryotes that are now classified in the domain Bacteria.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of sympatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

A)  two populations of salamanders that live on isolated islands and eventually become separate species, unable to interbreed 
B)  different breeds of dogs that live in different areas of the world but are able to produce fertile offspring 
C)  a horse and a donkey that may interbreed to produce a mule that is sterile and unable to reproduce 
D)  two related plant species living in the same area that hybridize, then undergo chromosome doubling, which results in the creation of a third species of plant that is unable to reproduce with either of the two original species 
E)  three species that evolve from a common ancestral species due to reproductive isolation and adaptation to different habitats Sympatric speciation refers to populations that develop into two or more new species without prior geographic isolation. Hybridization followed by polyploidy in plants is an excellent example of this type of speciation mechanism. 
A)  two populations of salamanders that live on isolated islands and eventually become separate species, unable to interbreed 
B)  different breeds of dogs that live in different areas of the world but are able to produce fertile offspring 
C)  a horse and a donkey that may interbreed to produce a mule that is sterile and unable to reproduce 
D)  two related plant species living in the same area that hybridize, then undergo chromosome doubling, which results in the creation of a third species of plant that is unable to reproduce with either of the two original species 
E)  three species that evolve from a common ancestral species due to reproductive isolation and adaptation to different habitats Sympatric speciation refers to populations that develop into two or more new species without prior geographic isolation. Hybridization followed by polyploidy in plants is an excellent example of this type of speciation mechanism.

Question 6

The fossils of a new species of reptile are found in deposits dating to the Permian period. Later, scientists discover that fossils of the species changed somewhat over time and can be found in deposits dating from the Permian period all the way up to the Cretaceous period. The fossils vary from one continent to another, but many seemingly intermediate forms are found, and the fossils are spread over most continents. The scientists' observations most strongly support which evolutionary models)?

Accepted Answer

A)  allopatric speciation 
B)  punctuated evolution 
C)  adaptive radiation 
D)  both allopatric speciation and adaptive radiation 
E)  gradualistic evolution The observations that the fossils are found on most continents and that they have changed over long periods of time suggest the gradualistic model of evolution. The spread of the fossils over multiple continents also suggests that speciation occurred in the Permian period, when the continents were joined together, and that a slow, gradual evolution occurred while the continents separated, throughout the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. The observation that many intermediate forms are found suggests that all of the fossils belong to the same species because significant amounts of interbreeding between populations probably occurred. 
A)  allopatric speciation 
B)  punctuated evolution 
C)  adaptive radiation 
D)  both allopatric speciation and adaptive radiation 
E)  gradualistic evolution The observations that the fossils are found on most continents and that they have changed over long periods of time suggest the gradualistic model of evolution. The spread of the fossils over multiple continents also suggests that speciation occurred in the Permian period, when the continents were joined together, and that a slow, gradual evolution occurred while the continents separated, throughout the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. The observation that many intermediate forms are found suggests that all of the fossils belong to the same species because significant amounts of interbreeding between populations probably occurred.

Question 7

Homologous structures

Accepted Answer

A)  have identical functions. 
B)  have fully divergent functions. 
C)  are also called analogous structures. 
D)  are shared by organisms of the same genus. 
E)  are often shared by organisms in the same line of descent. Homologous structures are those that are shared by organisms found in the same line of descent. Over the course of speciation, the structures may or may not have attained different functions, but they still have evolved from the same original structure. 
A)  have identical functions. 
B)  have fully divergent functions. 
C)  are also called analogous structures. 
D)  are shared by organisms of the same genus. 
E)  are often shared by organisms in the same line of descent. Homologous structures are those that are shared by organisms found in the same line of descent. Over the course of speciation, the structures may or may not have attained different functions, but they still have evolved from the same original structure.

Question 8

Allopatric speciation is compatible with both the gradualistic and punctuated equilibrium models of evolution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Similarity due to convergent evolution is called

Accepted Answer

A)  analogy. 
B)  homology. 
C)  taxonomy. 
D)  phylogeny. 
E)  cladistics. Similarity due to convergent evolution is called analogy. Analogous structures have the same function in different organisms and groups of organisms, and they often arise as a result of adaptation to the same type of environment. 
A)  analogy. 
B)  homology. 
C)  taxonomy. 
D)  phylogeny. 
E)  cladistics. Similarity due to convergent evolution is called analogy. Analogous structures have the same function in different organisms and groups of organisms, and they often arise as a result of adaptation to the same type of environment.

Question 10

A zygote fails to undergo mitosis because of a mismatch in the number of chromosomes. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  hybrid sterility. 
B)  zygote mortality. 
C)  prezygotic isolation. 
D)  temporal isolation. 
E)  allopatric speciation. In this case, mating occurs but fails after the zygote dies due to the inability to complete mitosis. Thus, this is an example of zygote mortality. 
A)  hybrid sterility. 
B)  zygote mortality. 
C)  prezygotic isolation. 
D)  temporal isolation. 
E)  allopatric speciation. In this case, mating occurs but fails after the zygote dies due to the inability to complete mitosis. Thus, this is an example of zygote mortality.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a prezygotic isolating mechanism for two species found in the same geographical location?

Accepted Answer

A)  The two species occupy different habitats. 
B)  The two species are active during different parts of the day. 
C)  The two species mate during different times of the year. 
D)  The two species have incompatible genitalia. 
E)  The two species can mate, but the offspring are sterile. The instance where the two species are capable of mating but produce sterile offspring is an example of a postzygotic isolating mechanism because the event that prevents the two species from interbreeding occurs when the offspring are unable to reproduce. 
A)  The two species occupy different habitats. 
B)  The two species are active during different parts of the day. 
C)  The two species mate during different times of the year. 
D)  The two species have incompatible genitalia. 
E)  The two species can mate, but the offspring are sterile. The instance where the two species are capable of mating but produce sterile offspring is an example of a postzygotic isolating mechanism because the event that prevents the two species from interbreeding occurs when the offspring are unable to reproduce.

Question 12

The presence of which feature is the first step to being classified in domain Eukarya?

Accepted Answer

A)  membrane-bound nucleus 
B)  ribosomes 
C)  cell wall 
D)  chloroplast 
E)  mitochondria Eukaryotic organisms are classified as such due to the presence of a membrane-bound nucleus. Most of the other features listed here can be found in members of domain Bacteria and domain Archaea as well as domain Eukarya. However, mitochondria and chloroplasts are not traits shared by the prokaryotic domains. 
A)  membrane-bound nucleus 
B)  ribosomes 
C)  cell wall 
D)  chloroplast 
E)  mitochondria Eukaryotic organisms are classified as such due to the presence of a membrane-bound nucleus. Most of the other features listed here can be found in members of domain Bacteria and domain Archaea as well as domain Eukarya. However, mitochondria and chloroplasts are not traits shared by the prokaryotic domains.

Question 13

Shared derived traits

Accepted Answer

A)  are shared only by common ancestors. 
B)  are shared by all organisms on the cladogram. 
C)  are found within members of the outgroup. 
D)  are homologies found only in certain members of the ingroup. 
E)  are homologies found between the ingroup and the outgroup. Shared derived traits are homologies that are shared only by certain species within the ingroup. They are found only within members of the ingroup that share a common lineage. Species that arose earlier may not possess the shared derived trait but are nonetheless part of the same clade. Shared derived traits are used to determine which members of the clade belong on the same branch of the cladogram. 
A)  are shared only by common ancestors. 
B)  are shared by all organisms on the cladogram. 
C)  are found within members of the outgroup. 
D)  are homologies found only in certain members of the ingroup. 
E)  are homologies found between the ingroup and the outgroup. Shared derived traits are homologies that are shared only by certain species within the ingroup. They are found only within members of the ingroup that share a common lineage. Species that arose earlier may not possess the shared derived trait but are nonetheless part of the same clade. Shared derived traits are used to determine which members of the clade belong on the same branch of the cladogram.

Question 14

The term parsimony implies that

Accepted Answer

A)  the three-domain system is superior to the five-kingdom system of classification. 
B)  molecular data are more accurate in implying evolutionary relationships than homology. 
C)  the fewer assumptions that are made, the more probable the conclusion. 
D)  smaller clades are more accurate than larger clades. 
E)  shared derived traits shared by fewer organisms are more correct than those shared by more organisms. The principle of parsimony only implies that a conclusion is more likely correct when fewer assumptions are made. Larger, more complex clades may be constructed when fewer assumptions are made, and by the principle of parsimony, these clades are more likely to be correct than those constructed using more assumptions. 
A)  the three-domain system is superior to the five-kingdom system of classification. 
B)  molecular data are more accurate in implying evolutionary relationships than homology. 
C)  the fewer assumptions that are made, the more probable the conclusion. 
D)  smaller clades are more accurate than larger clades. 
E)  shared derived traits shared by fewer organisms are more correct than those shared by more organisms. The principle of parsimony only implies that a conclusion is more likely correct when fewer assumptions are made. Larger, more complex clades may be constructed when fewer assumptions are made, and by the principle of parsimony, these clades are more likely to be correct than those constructed using more assumptions.

Question 15

In the figure shown here, which of the following organisms would have the same shared derived trait?

Accepted Answer

A)  W, Y, and Z 
B)  W, X, Y, and Z 
C)  V, W, X, and Y 
D)  X, Y, and Z 
E)  U, V, W, and Z A shared derived trait can be found in all organisms descending from a common ancestor that are found on the same branch of the clade. 
A)  W, Y, and Z 
B)  W, X, Y, and Z 
C)  V, W, X, and Y 
D)  X, Y, and Z 
E)  U, V, W, and Z A shared derived trait can be found in all organisms descending from a common ancestor that are found on the same branch of the clade.

Question 16

Which event was not involved in the Permian mass extinction?

Accepted Answer

A)  dramatic environmental change 
B)  shifting wind patterns 
C)  shifting ocean currents 
D)  a decrease in the amount of shallow marine habitat 
E)  a large meteor impact We know that 250 million years ago, at the time of the Permian mass extinction, all of Earth's continents came together to form one supercontinent called Pangaea Fig. 16.14a). The result was dramatic environmental change through the shifting of wind patterns and ocean currents and, most importantly, a decline in the amount of available shallow marine habitat. It was at the end of the Mesozoic era that a meteor crashed into Earth. This type of event has been proposed as a primary cause of the Cretaceous extinction. 
A)  dramatic environmental change 
B)  shifting wind patterns 
C)  shifting ocean currents 
D)  a decrease in the amount of shallow marine habitat 
E)  a large meteor impact We know that 250 million years ago, at the time of the Permian mass extinction, all of Earth's continents came together to form one supercontinent called Pangaea Fig. 16.14a). The result was dramatic environmental change through the shifting of wind patterns and ocean currents and, most importantly, a decline in the amount of available shallow marine habitat. It was at the end of the Mesozoic era that a meteor crashed into Earth. This type of event has been proposed as a primary cause of the Cretaceous extinction.

Question 17

Evolutionary relationships between organisms are determined by

Accepted Answer

A)  molecular evidence and anatomical homologies. 
B)  molecular evidence, anatomical homologies, and fossil records. 
C)  molecular evidence, anatomical analogies, and fossil records. 
D)  molecular evidence and fossil records. 
E)  molecular evidence, anatomical homologies, anatomical analogies, and fossil records. Anatomical analogies are not useful in determining evolutionary relationships because they are the result of convergent evolution. In convergent evolution, distantly related organisms may develop similar adaptations to the same environment, but this does not imply an evolutionary relationship between the two organisms. 
A)  molecular evidence and anatomical homologies. 
B)  molecular evidence, anatomical homologies, and fossil records. 
C)  molecular evidence, anatomical analogies, and fossil records. 
D)  molecular evidence and fossil records. 
E)  molecular evidence, anatomical homologies, anatomical analogies, and fossil records. Anatomical analogies are not useful in determining evolutionary relationships because they are the result of convergent evolution. In convergent evolution, distantly related organisms may develop similar adaptations to the same environment, but this does not imply an evolutionary relationship between the two organisms.

Question 18

Which of the following correctly shows a possible order of events resulting in allopatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

A)  postzygotic reproductive isolation - geographic isolation - natural selection 
B)  geographic isolation - prezygotic reproductive isolation - genetic drift 
C)  geographic isolation - natural selection - prezygotic reproductive isolation 
D)  natural selection - postzygotic reproductive isolation - geographic isolation 
E)  natural selection - prezygotic reproductive isolation - postzygotic reproductive isolation In allopatric speciation, two populations of the same species are separated geographically, preventing them from interbreeding with each other. Over time, the species gradually change, and prezygotic and postzygotic isolating mechanisms develop, preventing the two populations from reproducing if the populations ever come into contact again. 
A)  postzygotic reproductive isolation - geographic isolation - natural selection 
B)  geographic isolation - prezygotic reproductive isolation - genetic drift 
C)  geographic isolation - natural selection - prezygotic reproductive isolation 
D)  natural selection - postzygotic reproductive isolation - geographic isolation 
E)  natural selection - prezygotic reproductive isolation - postzygotic reproductive isolation In allopatric speciation, two populations of the same species are separated geographically, preventing them from interbreeding with each other. Over time, the species gradually change, and prezygotic and postzygotic isolating mechanisms develop, preventing the two populations from reproducing if the populations ever come into contact again.

Question 19

Cladograms show the sequence of evolution of the characters in a clade.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

In the figure shown here, the letter W represents which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  the common ancestor for Y and Z 
B)  the common ancestor for U 
C)  the ancestor for Z 
D)  the common ancestor for X and Y 
E)  the common ancestor for X, Y, and Z Descendents of a common ancestor are shown on branches of the cladogram originating from the common ancestor. 
A)  the common ancestor for Y and Z 
B)  the common ancestor for U 
C)  the ancestor for Z 
D)  the common ancestor for X and Y 
E)  the common ancestor for X, Y, and Z Descendents of a common ancestor are shown on branches of the cladogram originating from the common ancestor.

Exam 16: Evolution on a Large Scale

The ribosomal RNA rRNA) genes of different organisms are often compared as a means to classify them because rRNA genes evolve much more slowly than other genes.

The pollen, or sperm, from a red maple tree is unable to fertilize the eggs from a sugar maple tree. This is an example of what type of isolating mechanism?

Use of chemical signals in mate recognition is a type of postzygotic isolating mechanism.

In the three-domain system of classification

Which of the following is an example of sympatric speciation?

Homologous structures

Allopatric speciation is compatible with both the gradualistic and punctuated equilibrium models of evolution.

Similarity due to convergent evolution is called

A zygote fails to undergo mitosis because of a mismatch in the number of chromosomes. This is an example of

Which of the following is not a prezygotic isolating mechanism for two species found in the same geographical location?

The presence of which feature is the first step to being classified in domain Eukarya?

Shared derived traits

The term parsimony implies that

In the figure shown here, which of the following organisms would have the same shared derived trait?

Which event was not involved in the Permian mass extinction?

Evolutionary relationships between organisms are determined by

Which of the following correctly shows a possible order of events resulting in allopatric speciation?

Cladograms show the sequence of evolution of the characters in a clade.

In the figure shown here, the letter W represents which of the following?

A View of Life

The Chemical Basis of Life

The Organic Molecules of Life

Inside the Cell

The Dynamic Cell

Energy for Life

Energy for Cells

Cellular Reproduction

Meiosis and the Genetic Basis of Sexual Reproduction

Patterns of Inheritance

DNA Biology and Technology

Biotechnology and Genomics

Genetic Counseling

Darwin and Evolution

Evolution on a Small Scale

The Microorganisms: Viruses, Bacteria, and Protists

The Plants and Fungi

The Animals

Plant Anatomy and Growth

Plant Responses and Reproduction

Being Organized and Steady

The Transport Systems

The Maintenance Systems

Digestion and Human Nutrition

Defenses Against Disease

The Control Systems

Sensory Input and Motor Output

Reproduction and Embryonic Development

Ecology of Populations

Communities and Ecosystems

Human Impact on the Biosphere

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