Deck 4: Biodiversity and Evolution

Question 1

Amphibians are

A)frogs, toads, and salamanders.
B)fish, frogs, and salamanders.
C)salamanders, sea anemone, and frogs
D)clams, oysters, frogs, and toads.
E)none of these answers

Answer 1

frogs, toads, and salamanders.

Question 2

The larger wingspan could be called

A)an adaptive trait
B)genetic variability
C)a heritable trait
D)all of these answers
E)none of these answers

Answer 2

all of these answers

Question 3

Approximately what percentage of amphibian species is threatened with extinction and declining worldwide?

A)43%
B)33%
C)33%, 43%
D)80%
E)43%, 53%

Answer 3

33%, 43%

Question 4

The fossil record is incomplete because

A)Not all fossils have been found.
B)Some fossils have decomposed.
C)Some life forms left no fossils.
D)All of these answers.
E)None of these answers.

Question 5

A change in the genetic composition of a population is called

A)emigration
B)mutation
C)natural selection
D)evolution
E)genetic drift

Question 6

Deserts, tropical forests, prairie grasslands, and coniferous forests are all examples of

A)different species
B)ecosystems with the highest biodiversity
C)ecosystems with low genetic biodiversity
D)biomes
E)populations

Question 7

Which of the following are thought to be factors that are contributing to the decline in amphibian populations?

A)habitat loss and fragmentation
B)viral and fungal diseases and parasites
C)increase in UV radiation
D)prolonged drought
E)all of these answers

Question 8

Which of the following is/are thought to be in part responsible for the evolutionary success of humans?

A)Humans possess strong opposable thumbs.
B)Humans walk upright.
C)Humans have complex brains.
D)Humans are able to use tools.
E)All of these answers.

Question 9

The variety of genetic material within a species or population is called the

A)species diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)functional diversity
D)ecological diversity
E)molecular diversity

Question 10

Which of the following statements best describes insect species as a group?

A)They have backbones.
B)About two million species have been identified by scientists.
C)They are resistant to extinction.
D)They have skin or integument similar to mammals.
E)All of these answers.

Question 11

Which of the following is true with regard to mutations?

A)Mutations are always harmful.
B)Mutations always provide for beneficial changes in an organism's genetic makeup.
C)Mutations are chosen by the organism to improve their survival.
D)Natural selection determines the types of mutations that survive in a population.
E)All of these answers are true of mutations.

Question 12

Which of the following is true of a trait that creates a specific advantage for some organisms in the struggle to survive?

A)It enables individuals with the trait to leave more offspring than other members of the population leave.
B)It results in greater genetic diversity in the offspring of those organisms that possess it than in those that do not possess the trait.
C)It causes the ratio of male and female offspring produced to be equal.
D)It results in offspring that are genetically different than the parents.
E)It results in non-heritable traits being passed from parent to offspring.

Question 13

Genetic resistance to antibiotic drugs is an important example of

A)an adaptive trait in humans
B)natural selection
C)a beneficial mutation
D)a harmful mutation
E)evolution

Question 14

Evidence for the history of life comes from

A)DNA analysis
B)fossils
C)analysis of glacial ice core and rock samples
D)fossils and analysis of glacial ice core and rock samples
E)All of these answers

Question 15

It could be said that _____ favored the bee with the larger wingspan, and so the _____ evolved.

A)adaptation, bee
B)evolution, population
C)mutation, bee
D)natural selection, population
E)mutation, population

Question 16

Mutations

A)can occur in any cell
B)can result from radioactivity
C)can be the result of random, spontaneous changes in cells
D)can result in heritable traits
E)all of these answers

Question 17

Which of the following characteristics must be true in order for a trait to be impacted by the forces of natural selection and then play a role in the process of biological evolution?

A)The trait must be the result of environmental conditions.
B)The trait must be genetically based.
C)The trait must impact the social rank of its possessor.
D)The trait must be a physical characteristic of the organism.
E)The trait must be a behavioral characteristic of the organism.

Question 18

In a population of wild bees, a mutation resulted in slightly larger wingspan in some of the bees.
This larger wingspan made the bees more efficient in their flights to flowers to collect nectar.
Thus, these bees became more successful.
This trait was passed on to offspring, and eventually the larger wingspan variety of bee replaced their smaller-winged relatives completely.
Since the mutation produced a specific wing trait that was passed on, the mutation must have occurred

A)in wing cells
B)in reproductive cells
C)as a result of exposure to a chemical agent
D)all of these answers
E)none of these answers

Question 19

It can be said that amphibian populations are declining worldwide,

A)but only in areas that are greatly disturbed by human activities
B)in all areas except in protected wildlife preserves, where they are increasing somewhat
C)except in the Arctic where they are surviving okay
D)in all areas, even in protected wildlife preserves and parks
E)in all areas, except tropical rainforests where the very large populations can withstand some disturbance

Question 20

Biodiversity consists of

A)the variety of the Earth's species
B)the genes the Earth's species contain
C)the ecosystems in which the Earth's species live
D)the ecosystem processes of energy flow and nutrient cycling
E)all of these answers

Question 21

Approximately how long has there been life on planet Earth?

A)3.7 million years
B)37 million years
C)370 million years
D)3.7 billion years
E)37 billion years

Question 22

A 2,000 acre coniferous forest in British Columbia has 8 species of coniferous trees.
Over 100,000 individuals of each species have been counted by forest managers.A 2,300 acre temperate rain forest in the State of Washington has 12 species of trees, with about 75,000 to 80,000 individuals noted in each species.A similar sized tropical forest in Costa Rica is known to have over 5,000 species of trees.
a.Biologists have counted between 3 and 100 individuals within each species.A Sonoran desert area in Baja California has 150 species of cactus with a range of 5 to 200 individuals counted in each species.
Which forest or community has the greater species richness?

A)the coniferous forest in British Columbia
B)the Costa Rican tropical rain forest
C)the temperate rain forest in Washington State
D)the Southwestern desert
E)The species richness is the same in all of the communities.

Question 23

Geographic isolation may result from

A)a volcanic eruption
B)an earthquake
C)a mountain range
D)all of these answers
E)none of these answers

Question 24

Specialist species

A)are very adaptable
B)tolerate a wide range of environments
C)are more likely to become extinct
D)eat a wide variety of food
E)all of these answers

Question 25

Approximately how long have there been autotrophic producers on Earth?

A)1 million years
B)2 million years
C)1 billion years
D)2 billion years
E)3.7 billion years

Question 26

Which of the following organisms would best be described as a specialist species?

A)flies
B)cockroaches
C)white-tailed deer
D)panda bears
E)humans

Question 27

Which of the following is an essential characteristic of planet Earth that allows it to maintain an atmosphere?

A)temperature
B)presence of water
C)distance from the sun
D)size of the planet
E)elements that make up the Earth's crust

Question 28

If a catastrophic disease that afflicts one certain species of tree invaded these areas and eliminated that species, which forest or community would suffer the greatest harm?

A)the Sonoran cactus community
B)the British Columbia coniferous forest
C)the rain forest in Washington State
D)the tropical rain forest in Costa Rica
E)The two rain forests would suffer an equal amount of harm.

Question 29

A 2,000 acre coniferous forest in British Columbia has 8 species of coniferous trees.
Over 100,000 individuals of each species have been counted by forest managers.A 2,300 acre temperate rain forest in the State of Washington has 12 species of trees, with about 75,000 to 80,000 individuals noted in each species.A similar sized tropical forest in Costa Rica is known to have over 5,000 species of trees.
a.Biologists have counted between 3 and 100 individuals within each species.A Sonoran desert area in Baja California has 150 species of cactus with a range of 5 to 200 individuals counted in each species.
Which area has the greater species evenness?

A)the coniferous forest in British Columbia
B)the temperate rain forest in Washington State
C)the tropical forest in Costa Rica
D)The coniferous forest in British Columbia and the temperate rain forest in Washington State both exhibit species evenness higher than the other areas.
E)There is no way to determine or compare the species evenness in these areas.

Question 30

Which of the following statements is false?

A)Genetic diversity helps prevent a species from becoming extinct.
B)The phenomenon in which animals with favorable adaptation reproduce more rapidly is called differential reproduction.
C)Geographic isolation is a common mechanism contributing to speciation.
D)By definition, the fittest animals are the largest and strongest animals.
E)A change in environmental conditions can lead to adaptation only for traits already present in the gene pool of a population.

Question 31

The bird species known to forage in shrublands after they have experienced a wildfire are very different from the bird species that forage in shrublands that have not burned. a.In fact, the bird species foraging in burned shrublands are closely correlated with the age of the burn, or the number of years that have passed since the fire.
A Certain birds forage at one-year post fire, different birds forage at three-years post fire, and so on.These birds could be called

A)foundation species
B)keystone species
C)generalist species
D)indicator species
E)newly evolved species

Question 32

Which of the following is not true with regards to the concept of niches?

A)A niche is the place where an organism lives.
B)A niche is the general method by which an organism attains its energy.
C)A species that is able to survive in a great range of environmental conditions and utilize a wide variety of food resources is a generalist species.
D)The giant panda feeds almost exclusively on various types of bamboo. a.This being the case, these organisms are said to have a narrow specialized niche.
E)In a rapidly-changing environment it is a great benefit to have a wide niche.

Question 33

Approximately what portion of the Earth's atmosphere is composed of oxygen?

A)15%
B)21%
C)25%
D)52%
E)78%

Question 34

Which of the following is an essential characteristic that allows life to exist on planet Earth?

A)temperature
B)presence of water
C)distance from the sun
D)size of the planet
E)all of these answers

Question 35

An intertidal species of seastar helps to maintain the diversity of the intertidal region by controlling the mussel population. a.Without the seastar, the mussel population would crowd out other species and take over their territory.
The seastar could be called a(n)

A)indicator species
B)keystone species
C)foundation species
D)aggressive species
E)repressor species

Question 36

Which of the following best describes an organism's habitat?

A)the nutrient relationships with other species
B)the location where a species lives
C)the types of resource requirements
D)the range of tolerance to different physical and chemical conditions
E)the types of competitors

Question 37

An organism's niche is analogous to its

A)address
B)way of life
C)food source
D)trash dump
E)all of these answers

Question 38

How has the geological process of plate tectonics influenced the process of evolution over geologic time?

A)The changing location of the plates across the Earth's surface exposes organisms to differing concentrations of mutagens, thus increasing or decreasing the rate of evolution.
B)The rate of evolutionary change is directly proportional to the speed with which the Earth's tectonic plates are moving.
C)The changing location of the plates across the Earth's surface results in changing climatic environmental conditions for various communities and populations of organisms. a.This has driven evolutionary change.
D)The movement of the Earth's geologic plates is the source of energy that ultimately drives the process of evolution.
E)The movement of the Earth's geologic plates further away from the equator resulted in an increase in the gravitational forces on the planet. a.This allowed for the initial accumulation of the gases that form the Earth's atmosphere.

Question 39

The process by which members of isolated populations become so different in genetic makeup that they cannot produce live, fertile offspring if they are rejoined is best described as

A)geographic isolation
B)reproductive isolation
C)evolutionary isolation
D)endemic isolation
E)niche isolation

Question 40

Which of the following is not true of the process of biological extinction?

A)The extinction of an organism can be reversed if enough government funding is provided.
B)There has always been a certain low-level amount of ongoing background extinction occurring.
C)Completely natural processes can cause population extinctions.
D)Human activities have resulted in population extinctions.
E)Mutations are a necessary component that leads to the process of population extinctions.

Question 41

Mutations that occur in skin cells can be passed on to offspring.

Question 42

Cockroaches have a wide range of tolerance of environmental conditions.
a.They are known as a specialist species.

Question 43

When local environmental conditions change, background extinction can cause loss of species.

Question 44

Average annual net primary productivity (NPP) is thought to peak when an ecosystem contains about 10-40 producer species.

Question 45

Houseflies would probably adapt to an environmental change much more quickly than a human.

Question 46

Ice sheets in high latitudes are known to have advanced and retreated over much of the northern hemisphere throughout the Earth's long history.

Question 47

At this point in time, the fossil record represents about 10% of all species that have ever lived.

Question 48

The average temperature on the surface of the planet Mars is much warmer than on Earth.

Question 49

In speciation, two species interbreed to form one new species.

Question 50

A(n) ____________________ includes an organism's range of tolerance for physical and chemical conditions.

Question 51

Niches are only occupied by native species.

Question 52

The size of the planet has significant influences that impact life on the planet.

Question 53

The biological diversity of the Earth is only a function of the number of species on the Earth.

Question 54

If the concentration of atmospheric oxygen on Earth increased by less than 5%, the planet would likely ignite into a giant fireball

Question 55

Most of the historic evidence that supports the scientific theory of evolution comes from ____________________.

Question 56

Mutations must occur for biological evolution to happen.

Question 57

Biological evolution is the process by which the genetic composition of a(n) ____________________ changes over time.

Question 58

Extinction results in the permanent loss of genetic diversity.

Question 59

Living organisms in the biosphere help to influence the climate and the temperature of the planet.

Question 60

Geographic isolation and reproductive isolation can both lead to speciation.

Question 61

Mutations can occur in any cell type, however only those that occur in ____________________ are passed on to offspring, thus allowing for evolution.

Question 62

Cows that can produce larger amounts of milk are a result of ____________________.

Question 63

Match the type of diversity with the proper choice below.
Coastal states in the United States typically have more ecosystems than land-locked states.

A)functional diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)ecological diversity
D)species diversity

Question 64

____________________ is a significant rise in extinction rates above the background level.

Question 65

Typically speaking, organisms that are described as ____________________ tend to have broad niches.

Question 66

____________________ help to create habitats and ecosystems.

Question 67

If a species of frogs becomes threatened because they can only live in a narrow range of temperatures, they would be classified as a(n) ____________________.

Question 68

If the Earth's orbit were ____________________ in relation to the sun, it would be too hot for life to survive.

Question 69

For natural selection to occur, a trait must be ____________________.

Question 70

Match the type of diversity with the proper choice below.
Nutrients typically cycle much faster in tropical areas than in polar areas.

A)functional diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)ecological diversity
D)species diversity

Question 71

____________________ are random changes in the structure or number of DNA molecules in a cell.

Question 72

A practice that involves cutting off fins of a shark and then returning the shark to the ocean without the fins they need to survive is called ____________________.

Question 73

Match the type of diversity with the proper choice below.
Caribbean snails of the same population exhibit a variety of shell colors and banding patterns.

A)functional diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)ecological diversity
D)species diversity

Question 74

Match the type of diversity with the proper choice below.
Some tropical forests contain thousands of producer species.

A)functional diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)ecological diversity
D)species diversity

Question 75

Bacteria that can extract minerals from their underground ores are the result of ____________________.

Question 76

Genes mutate, ____________________ are selected, and populations____________________.

Question 77

Species that are found in only one area are called ____________________ and are especially vulnerable to extinction.

Question 78

____________________ occupy narrow niches.

Question 79

Current environmental conditions will dictate which traits are beneficial, and will ultimately drive evolution through the process of ____________________.

Question 80

Deserts, forests, and grasslands are all examples of ____________.