Ch.22

A population of organisms will not evolve if _____. A) all individual variation is due only to environmental factors B) the environment is changing at a relatively slow rate C) the population size is large D) the population lives in a habitat without competing species present

A

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? 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

Given a population that contains genetic variation, what is the correct sequence of the following events under the influence of natural selection? 1. Well-adapted individuals leave more offspring than do poorly adapted individuals. 2. A change occurs in the environment. 3. Genetic frequencies within the population change. 4. Poorly adapted individuals have decreased survivorship. A) 2 → 4 → 1 → 3 B) 4 → 2 → 1 → 3 C) 4 → 2 → 3 → 1 D) 2 → 4 → 3 → 1

A

It has been observed that organisms on islands are different from, but closely related to, similar forms found on the nearest continent. This is taken as evidence that ____. A) island forms are descended from mainland forms B) common environments are inhabited by the same organisms C) island forms and mainland forms have identical gene pools D) the island forms and mainland forms are converging

A

Prior to the work of Lyell and Darwin, the prevailing belief was that Earth is _____. A) a few thousand years old, and populations are unchanging B) a few thousand years old, and populations gradually change C) millions of years old, and populations rapidly change D) millions of years old, and populations are unchanging

A

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? 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

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 _____. 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

Which of the following must exist in a population before natural selection can act upon that population? A) genetic variation among individuals B) variation among individuals caused by environmental factors C) sexual reproduction D) the population has predators

A

Catastrophism was Cuvier's attempt to explain the existence of _____. A) evolution B) the fossil record C) uniformitarianism D) the origin of new species

B

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

B

Which of the following represents an idea that Darwin learned from the writings of Thomas Malthus? A) Technological innovation in agricultural practices will permit exponential growth of the human population into the foreseeable future. B) Populations tend to increase at a faster rate than their food supply normally allows. C) Earth changed over the years through a series of catastrophic upheavals. D) The environment is responsible for natural selection.

B

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? 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.

C

Darwin and Wallace's theory of evolution by natural selection was revolutionary because it _____. A) was the first theory to refute the ideas of special creation B) proved that individuals acclimated to their environment over time C) dismissed the idea that species are constant and emphasized the importance of variation and change in populations D) was the first time a biologist had proposed that species changed through time

C

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? 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.

C

Parasitic species tend to have simple morphologies. Which of the following statements best explains this observation? A) Parasites are lower organisms, and this is why they have simple morphologies. B) Parasites do not live long enough to inherit acquired characteristics. C) Simple morphologies convey some advantage in most parasites. D) Parasites have not yet had time to progress, because they are young evolutionarily.

C

The cow Bos primigenius (which is bred for meat and milk) has a smaller brain and larger eyes than closely related wild species of ungulates. These traits most likely arose by _____. A) natural selection, because these traits evolved in the population over time B) natural selection, because these traits were not consciously selected by humans C) artificial selection, because changes in these traits co-occurred with human selection for high milk output and high muscle content D) artificial selection, because these animals differ from their close relatives and common ancestor

C

The role that humans play in artificial selection is to _____. A) determine who lives and who dies B) create genetic diversity C) choose which organisms reproduce D) perform artificial insemination

C

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

C

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. A) Condition 1 only B) Condition 2 only C) Conditions 1 and 2 D) Conditions 2 and 3

C

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 explanations best explains what happened? 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.

D

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? 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.

D

Darwin and Wallace were the first to propose _____. A) that evolution occurs B) a mechanism for how evolution occurs C) that Earth is older than a few thousand years D) natural selection as the mechanism of evolution

D

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

D

Of the following anatomical structures, which is homologous to the bones in the wing of a bird? A) bones in the hind limb of a kangaroo B) chitinous struts in the wing of a butterfly C) bony rays in the tail fin of a flying fish D) bones in the flipper of a whale

D

With what other idea of his time was Cuvier's theory of catastrophism most in conflict? A) the scala naturae B) the fixity of species C) island biogeography D) uniformitarianism

D