Deck 12: Adaptation and Species

Question 1

Two populations of lizards live in the same area.Which of the following evidence would convince you that they are two distinct species?

A)Individuals in one population display a different color pattern than individuals in the second population.
B)Individuals in one population are noticeably larger than individuals in the second population.
C)The two populations are not capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.
D)The two populations are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile hybrid offspring.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following organisms would best be identified as a species using the biological species concept?

A)a population of mice living on a mountaintop where the nearest population of mice is 50 miles away
B)a bacteria found living in the human gut with thousands of other bacteria
C)dinosaurs identified by morphologically similar fossil remains located in a single valley in South America
D)a rare plant living in a remote location in Peru that reproduces asexually

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following examples does NOT illustrate a difference in fitness that would lead to evolution by natural selection?

A)Male peacocks with larger,more colorful tails are more frequently chosen as mates.
B)Moths with coloration that allows them to blend in with the bark of spruce trees are more difficult for predators to find.
C)Wolves who are more successful hunting in packs find mates more frequently.
D)A female panda living in a zoo in China is impregnated more frequently than a female panda living in a zoo in the United States.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

When a brightly colored guppy population is placed in an area containing many predators,the population changes in only a few generations to one containing only guppies with drab,dull colors that blend into their environment.This is an example of how natural selection can

A)force new color mutations to occur.
B)convert a dominant allele into a recessive allele.
C)improve the match between guppies and their environment.
D)change the color preferences of female guppies.

Question 5

Which of the following correctly indicates a relationship between the morphological species concept and the biological species concept?

A)Organisms that reproduce asexually cannot be defined as a species based on morphology.
B)Organisms capable of interbreeding always have the same physical traits.
C)Organisms capable of interbreeding might have different physical traits.
D)The morphological and biological species concepts are always in agreement.

Question 6

Adaptive evolution

A)is large-scale movement of a single species over a new geographic area.
B)occurs when a more adapted species causes the extinction of a less adapted one.
C)is the process by which natural selection improves the match between an organism and its environment over time.
D)is an increase in the adaptiveness of many species that have already evolved.

Question 7

Every year,environmental signals in Africa cause flycatchers to return to the Netherlands to breed.When they arrive,they depend on freshly hatched caterpillars for food.Global climate change has caused the caterpillars to hatch earlier in the Netherlands,but the environmental cues in Africa remain the same.Now,when the flycatchers return to the Netherlands the caterpillars are no longer available as a food source.Which of the following is most likely to happen to this species of flycatcher?

A)Flycatchers may learn that caterpillars are hatching earlier and will begin flying to the Netherlands earlier.
B)Flycatchers will adapt to environmental change if alleles that aid flycatchers in utilizing other food sources (besides caterpillars)are present.
C)Flycatchers will not adapt to environmental change because bird species are unable to utilize new food sources.
D)Flycatchers will remain in the Netherlands instead of returning to Africa.

Question 8

Speciation

A)can result from geographic isolation.
B)occurs in the absence of genetic divergence.
C)occurs only in species living on remote islands.
D)reduces variation.

Question 9

Using reproductive isolation as a method of defining a species is NOT useful for

A)species whose ranges overlap.
B)species that cannot produce hybrids.
C)organisms known only from fossils.
D)organisms that reproduce sexually.

Question 10

The red-breasted nuthatch and the white-breasted nuthatch are similar in appearance and,in many regions of the United States,their ranges overlap.The two organisms do not interbreed.Based on this information,red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches are

A)different species.
B)different populations of the same species.
C)hybrids.
D)polyploids.

Question 11

Bacteria reproduce asexually,so scientists classify them based on

A)the morphological species concept.
B)reproductive isolation.
C)the biological species concept.
D)the idea that they are all strains of the same species.

Question 12

A lizard is attacked by a bird.The lizard escapes and survives without his hind legs.Fortunately for this lizard,the loss of his hind limbs allows him to live within a smaller crevice than other lizards of the same species so he experiences less competition.Which of the following is true for this lizard?

A)The loss of his legs provided an advantage within his environment.
B)The loss of his hind legs would be considered an adaptive trait.
C)A lack of hind limbs should become more common in this population.
D)This lizard will be unable to reproduce.

Question 13

Adaptive evolution allows species to

A)reduce mutation rate.
B)decrease genetic variation.
C)adjust to environmental changes.
D)hybridize.

Question 14

Populations within a species are connected by

A)gene flow.
B)speciation.
C)continental drift.
D)genetic drift.

Question 15

Some species of orchids attract wasps to assist them in reproduction by producing flowers that look like female wasps.The flowers fool male wasps into attempting to mate with them.As a result,the wasp is covered with pollen that it takes with it to the next flower it attempts to mate with.This example shows adaptive evolution by

A)the orchids.
B)the wasps.
C)all flowering plants.
D)ancestral wasps.

Question 16

The fossils of two adult birds are found in a nest containing several fossilized eggs.Physically,the bird fossils look very different.What are scientists most likely to use to classify these species?

A)the biological species concept
B)the DNA-based species concept
C)the morphological species concept
D)the evidence of reproduction concept

Question 17

The formation of a new species

A)can occur any time genetic divergence occurs.
B)can only occur when two populations are geographically isolated.
C)can only occur when two populations are sympatric.
D)is a process that stopped occurring thousands of years ago.

Question 18

The faster a cheetah can run,the more likely it is to capture its prey.Cheetahs with longer legs are able to run faster than those with shorter legs.Although the existing cheetah population shows a variety of leg lengths,cheetah legs are not continuing to increase in length from one generation to the next.Which of the following is a possible explanation?

A)The genes that are involved in cheetah leg length do not undergo mutation.
B)Cheetahs with long legs are reproductively isolated from cheetahs with short legs.
C)Natural selection does not act on traits involved in predation.
D)Longer cheetah leg bones are more likely to break.

Question 19

Which of the following must occur for one species to split into two or more species?

A)The species must move into a new habitat.
B)DNA sequences of genes must accumulate differences.
C)Morphological changes must be obvious within the population.
D)One species must undergo geographic isolation.

Question 20

Individuals of the same species generally

A)experience prezygotic barriers to reproduction.
B)do not interbreed extensively.
C)share many common physical and behavioral characteristics.
D)vary only very slightly in appearance.

Question 21

Genetic adaptations in two closely related species living within the same territory indicates that

A)gene flow is extensive between the two species.
B)geographic isolation is required for evolution.
C)allopatric speciation has occurred.
D)sympatric speciation has occurred.

Question 22

Which of the following does NOT provide an example of geographic isolation?

A)Two populations live in two valleys on opposite sides of a mountain range.
B)Two populations live on different mountains with a valley between them.
C)Two populations live on opposite sides of a river.
D)Two populations live in different parts of a small lake.

Question 23

Although populations of North American apple maggot flies are not geographically isolated,they appear to be in the process of diverging into two new species.Which of the following could be causing speciation between two populations in the lack of geographic isolation?

A)feeding on two different types of food
B)producing fertile hybrids
C)laying their eggs in the same location
D)increased gene flow between them

Question 24

For which of the following would a mountain range most likely represent a geographic barrier that would block gene flow?

A)birds
B)deer
C)mice
D)butterflies

Question 25

Geographic isolation limits the ________ between populations of a species.

A)genetic differences
B)adaptation
C)directional selection
D)gene flow

Question 26

For two populations to accumulate enough genetic differences to cause speciation,the factors that promote these differences

A)must operate in populations that are not physically separated.
B)must have a greater effect than does the amount of ongoing gene flow.
C)need to be combined with the forces of genetic drift.
D)should include polyploidy.

Question 27

Which of the following would NOT be expected after a population undergoes geographic isolation?

A)a decrease in gene flow
B)an increase in gene flow
C)allopatric speciation
D)formation of adaptive traits

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT an example of speciation?

A)two populations of sea urchins in the same territory,which are physically unable to mate
B)two populations of small rodents that look similar but have genetic differences
C)two populations of morphologically distinct lizards that lack differences in DNA sequences
D)two populations of butterflies that live in the same area but breed in different seasons

Question 29

Which of the following is an example of a postzygotic barrier?

A)The gametes cannot join.
B)The zygote fails to develop.
C)The breeding seasons are different.
D)The courtship behaviors are different.

Question 30

Some freshwater snail eggs are accidentally introduced into a new habitat that is geographically isolated from the original population.Which of the following must occur before these snails are described as two separate species?

A)gene flow
B)sympatric speciation
C)adaptation
D)genetic divergence

Question 31

Two species live in the same area but breed in different parts of their habitat.These species are

A)geographically isolated.
B)ecologically isolated.
C)artificially isolated.
D)likely to produce hybrids.

Question 32

Sympatric speciation

A)occurs only in plants.
B)is impossible,because the populations of a species must be isolated from one another for speciation to occur.
C)is always a result of polyploidy.
D)occurs when a new species emerges from a population in the absence of a geographical barrier.

Question 33

In general,geographical isolation occurs when

A)populations migrate to new environments.
B)gene flow is reduced by more than 75 percent due to climate change.
C)mutations overcome genetic drift across physical barriers.
D)populations are separated by a distance that is great enough to limit gene flow.

Question 34

A rainforest is a highly complex habitat with organisms living at various levels in the trees,on the ground,and underground.Is it possible to consider two populations of insects living in the same tree to be geographically isolated?

A)No,because if they are in the same tree,they are in the same geographic area.
B)No,because if they are in the same square acre,they cannot be considered geographically isolated.
C)Yes,because insects only undergo allopatric speciation,and there are many species of insects.
D)Yes,because there are so many habitats in one tree that the populations may never interact.

Question 35

The two squirrel species shown in the figure arose from the same ancestor.The Kaibab squirrel lives on the north rim of the Grand Canyon and Abert's squirrel lives on the south rim.Which is the most likely explanation for their speciation?

A)The population of ancestral squirrel occupied only one of the rims of the Grand Canyon.As the population grew,some members of the population crossed the Grand Canyon to form a new population.
B)The population of the ancestral squirrel was split by the formation of the Grand Canyon.Since the habitats were different on each rim,the populations evolved differently and became reproductively isolated.
C)When the Grand Canyon formed,competition for food and shelter became fierce.The two species arose through sympatric speciation as some individuals gathered food on the north rim rather than on the south rim.
D)The ancestral squirrel was actually a hybrid of two squirrel species.When the populations were separated and could no longer mate,the characteristics of the two species became more obvious.

Question 36

Two birds that are very similar in morphology and live in the same forest exhibit different courtship behaviors.Which of the following describes the relationship of these birds?

A)These birds are the same species because they share morphology.
B)Mating would be prevented because these birds would not respond to each other's behaviors.
C)Allopatric speciation is occurring between these birds.
D)Coevolution is causing these birds to have similar morphology.

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of a prezygotic barrier that can isolate two species living in the same geographic area?

A)The members of two populations of birds living in neighboring forests freely interbreed.
B)One species of cichlid has the same mating behavior as another cichlid species in the same lake.
C)The gametes of one species of orchid in a rainforest are unable to fuse with the gametes of another species of orchid in the same rainforest.
D)Two species of wildflowers mate and produce a hybrid that is capable of successfully breeding with either species.

Question 38

How does geographic isolation lead to speciation?

A)Geographic isolation allows mechanisms of evolution to cause genetic divergence.
B)Populations that are geographically isolated develop reproductive barriers.
C)The habitats for geographically isolated species are always different and this leads to morphological differences.
D)Geographic isolation does not lead to speciation.

Question 39

A large population of animals is split in two by a physical barrier.Over time,the genetic makeup of the two resulting populations becomes more and more different until each population becomes a separate species.This is an example of

A)sympatric speciation.
B)allopatric speciation.
C)genetic drift.
D)natural selection.

Question 40

Before the cultivation of the apple tree,apple maggot flies laid their eggs exclusively on the fruit of Hawthorne trees.As apple orchards became more prominent,apple maggot flies began to lay their eggs on both the fruit of the Hawthorne tree and the fruit of cultivated apple trees.Now,apple maggot flies that live on apple trees mate and lay their eggs at different times of the year than apple maggot flies that live on Hawthorne trees.Is this an example of reproductive isolation?

A)Yes;these two fly populations exhibit a postzygotic barrier that prevents hybrid individuals from developing properly.
B)No;although these two fly populations do not mate in nature,they can be forced to mate in a laboratory because their DNA sequences are still the same.
C)No;this is an example of speciation rather than reproductive isolation.
D)Yes;these two fly populations exhibit a behavioral prezygotic barrier that prevents their gametes from encountering each other.

Question 41

Two biologists discover two populations of toads living in the same area.Morphologically,these two populations are different.The toads in one population have much wider heads and darker coloration than the second population.One of the biologists suggests names for the two new species.The second biologist questions whether the two populations are separate species.Why is the second biologist hesitant to declare these populations are two species?

Question 42

The great diversity of life on Earth is caused by the formation of new species in a process known as ________.

Question 43

Close ecological interactions between two different species may lead to

A)allopatric speciation.
B)sympatric speciation.
C)coevolution.
D)geographic isolation.

Question 44

Convergent evolution involves unrelated,or distantly related,organisms developing similar traits.How is coevolution similar to convergent evolution?

A)Coevolution also involves changes in unrelated,or distant,organisms.
B)Coevolution,like convergent evolution,often occurs in geographic isolation.
C)Coevolution is a process that occurs when food sources change.
D)Coevolution also leads to similar traits developing in two species.

Question 45

Two species evolving together in response to interactions between the two species is referred to as ________.

Question 46

This figure shows two squirrels that represent two separate species.Explain how the geographic barrier between these two populations led to the formation of two distinct species.

Question 47

Which of the following statements gives an example of coevolution?

A)Two unrelated species form at the same time after ancestral species populate a newly formed volcanic island.
B)Two closely related mice species on different mountaintops in the southwest United States both adapt the same trait because food sources are similar.
C)An ant species and a plant species both develop adaptations in response to changes in the other species.
D)A wild cat species and a wild dog species both have similar bacteria living in their guts,which allow them to produce vitamin K.

Question 48

Which of the following statements best explains the role of coevolution in speciation?

A)Coevolution leads to two species that are perfectly adapted to exist together.
B)Coevolution may lead to benefits for both of the species involved.
C)Coevolution only occurs in species like corals and sea urchins that live in marine environments.
D)Coevolution always benefits one species and harms another species.

Question 49

There is color variation in a population of insects living within an area.Some individuals are solid black and other individuals are gray with green spots.Individuals who are solid black do not blend into the environment,and they tend to be eaten by predators.Explain how differences in survival rates will lead to more individuals in the population being gray with green spots.

Question 50

________ speciation can occur when populations of a species are separated by a physical barrier,thereby becoming geographically isolated and subsequently reproductively isolated from one another.

Question 51

If two populations of beetles living in isolated areas are physically different but genetically similar,would they be considered one species or two? Explain your answer.

Question 52

The rough-skinned newt produces one of the most potent toxins on the planet.Scientists in Oregon have found that as newts evolve to produce a more deadly toxin,their primary predator,the garter snake,evolves ways to resist the toxin.This is an example of

A)ecological trade-offs in the evolution of the newt.
B)an adaptation of the newt to living in aquatic environments.
C)reproductive isolation in a population of garter snakes.
D)coevolution of predator and prey.

Question 53

Explain how a change in the depth,either a lengthening or shortening,of flowers that contain nectar eaten by a particular species of hummingbird would potentially lead to a change in the hummingbird.

Question 54

How does coevolution lead to speciation?

A)Coevolution is the mechanism that allows allopatric speciation to occur.
B)Coevolution causes the extinction of species that have limited genetic diversity.
C)The adaptations that occur during coevolution are passed on to other species.
D)An adaptation in one organism drives adaptation in a second organism.

Question 55

Individual organisms with inherited characteristics that enable them to survive and reproduce are said to have greater ________ fitness than individuals who fail to survive and reproduce.

Question 56

In many predator-prey relationships,evolutionary change in the prey will result in evolutionary change in the predator,a phenomenon known as

A)polyploidy.
B)allopatrism.
C)coevolution.
D)sympatric speciation.

Question 57

Choose two different reproductive barriers that lead to sympatric speciation and explain how they work.

Question 58

Two species live near each other but do not respond to each other's courtship displays.This is an example of ________ isolation,a type of prezygotic barrier.

Question 59

Based on the ________ species concept,organisms that breed asexually are most likely classified as species.

Question 60

Which of the following is most likely an example of coevolution?

A)The color of a rodent's hair changes to better match a new environment.
B)A parasitic worm develops a new mechanism to attach to the gut lining of an organism that has a special adaptation designed to shed parasitic worms.
C)Two different species of plants produce flowers that are the same color,which attracts honeybees.
D)Two unrelated rodent species on different continents develop flaps of skin between their front legs and bodies that allow them to glide between trees.

Question 61

Match each numbered statement to one of terms listed below.
a.coevolution
b.biological species concept
c.morphological species concept
d.speciation
e.morphology
f.adaptation
process of evolution through natural selection

Question 62

Match each numbered statement to one of terms listed below.
a.coevolution
b.biological species concept
c.morphological species concept
d.speciation
e.morphology
f.adaptation
process by which one species splits to form two species or more

Question 63

Match each numbered statement to one of terms listed below.
a.coevolution
b.biological species concept
c.morphological species concept
d.speciation
e.morphology
f.adaptation
an organism's physical characteristics

Question 64

Match each numbered statement to one of terms listed below.
a.coevolution
b.biological species concept
c.morphological species concept
d.speciation
e.morphology
f.adaptation
evolution in one species that leads to reciprocal adaptation in another species