Life 121: Exam 1
Adult male humans generally have deeper voices than do adult female humans, which is the direct result of higher levels of testosterone causing growth of the larynx. If the fossil records of apes and humans alike show a trend toward decreasing larynx size in adult females and increasing larynx size in adult males, then A) sexual dimorphism was developing over time in these species. B) intrasexual selection seems to have occurred. C) stabilizing selection was occurring in these species concerning larynx size. D) selection was acting more directly upon genotype than upon phenotype.
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 → 1 → 2 → 3 D) 4 → 2 → 3 → 1 E) 2 → 4 → 3 → 1
A
If Darwin had been aware of genes, and of their typical mode of transmission to subsequent generations, with which statement would he most likely have been in agreement? A) If natural selection can change one gene's frequency in a population over the course of generations, then, given enough time and enough genes, natural selection can cause sufficient genetic change to produce new species from old ones. B) If an individual's somatic cell genes change during its lifetime, making it more fit, then it will be able to pass these genes on to its offspring. C) If an individual acquires new genes by engulfing, or being infected by, another organism, then a new genetic species will be the result. D) A single mutation in a single gene in a single gamete will, if perpetuated, produce a new species within just two generations.
A
In a Hardy-Weinberg population with two alleles, A and a, that are in equilibrium, the frequency of the allele a is 0.3. What is the frequency of individuals that are homozygous for this allele? A) 0.09 B) 0.49 C) 0.9 D) 9.0 E) 49.0
A
Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) and one-seeded juniper (J. monosperma) have overlapping ranges. If pollen grains (which contain sperm cells) from one species are unable to germinate and make pollen tubes on female ovules (which contain egg cells) of the other species, then which of these terms are applicable? 1. sympatric species 2. prezygotic isolation 3. postzygotic isolation 4. allopatric species 5. habitat isolation 6. reduced hybrid fertility A) 1 and 2 B) 2 and 4 C) 1, 3, and 6 D) 2, 4, and 5 E) 1, 2, 5, and 6
A
The difference between geographic isolation and habitat differentiation is the A) relative locations of two populations as speciation occurs. B) speed (tempo) at which two populations undergo speciation. C) amount of genetic variation that occurs among two gene pools as speciation occurs. D) identity of the phylogenetic kingdom or domain in which these phenomena occur. E) the ploidy of the two populations as speciation occurs.
A
The most likely explanation for the high rate of sympatric speciation that apparently existed among the cichlids of Lake Victoria in the past is A) sexual selection. B) habitat differentiation. C) polyploidy. D) pollution. E) introduction of a new predator.
A
The restriction enzymes of bacteria protect the bacteria from successful attack by bacteriophages, whose genomes can be degraded by the restriction enzymes. The bacterial genomes are not vulnerable to these restriction enzymes because bacterial DNA is methylated. This situation selects for bacteriophages whose genomes are also methylated. As new strains of resistant bacteriophages become more prevalent, this in turn selects for bacteria whose genomes are not methylated and whose restriction enzymes instead degrade methylated DNA. The outcome of the conflict between bacteria and bacteriophage at any point in time results from A) frequency-dependent selection. B) evolutionary imbalance. C) heterozygote advantage. D) neutral variation. E) genetic variation being preserved by diploidy.
A
There are those who claim that the theory of evolution cannot be true because the apes, which are supposed to be closely related to humans, do not likewise share the same large brains, capacity for complicated speech, and tool-making capability. They reason that if these features are generally beneficial, then the apes should have evolved them as well. Which of these provides the best argument against this misconception? A) Advantageous alleles do not arise on demand. B) A population's evolution is limited by historical constraints. C) Adaptations are often compromises. D) Evolution can be influenced by environmental change.
A
Two species of frogs belonging to the same genus occasionally mate, but the offspring fail to develop and hatch. What is the mechanism for keeping the two frog species separate? A) the postzygotic barrier called hybrid inviability B) the postzygotic barrier called hybrid breakdown C) the prezygotic barrier called hybrid sterility D) gametic isolation
A
Whenever diploid populations are in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at a particular locus A) the allele's frequency should not change from one generation to the next, but its representation in homozygous and heterozygous genotypes may change. B) natural selection, gene flow, and genetic drift are acting equally to change an allele's frequency. C) this means that, at this locus, two alleles are present in equal proportions. D) the population itself is not evolving, but individuals within the population may be evolving.
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) Three of the responses are correct. E) Two of the responses are correct.
A
Which of these conditions should completely prevent the occurrence of natural selection in a population over time? A) All variation between individuals 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 where there are no competing species present.
A
Which of these should decline in hybrid zones where reinforcement is occurring? A) gene flow between distinct gene pools B) speciation C) the genetic distinctness of two gene pools D) mutation rate E) hybrid sterility
A
Which variable is likely to undergo the largest change in value resulting from a mutation that introduces a new allele into a population at a locus for which all individuals formerly had been fully homozygous? A) average heterozygosity B) nucleotide variability C) geographic variability D) average number of loci
A
A hybrid zone is properly defined as A) an area where two closely related species' ranges overlap. B) an area where mating occurs between members of two closely related species, producing viable offspring. C) a zone that features a gradual change in species composition where two neighboring ecosystems border each other. D) a zone that includes the intermediate portion of a cline. E) an area where members of two closely related species intermingle, but experience no gene flow.
B
Beetle pollinators of a particular plant are attracted to its flowers' bright orange color. The beetles not only pollinate the flowers, but they mate while inside of the flowers. A mutant version of the plant with red flowers becomes more common with the passage of time. A particular variant of the beetle prefers the red flowers to the orange flowers. Over time, these two beetle variants diverge from each other to such an extent that interbreeding is no longer possible. What kind of speciation has occurred in this example, and what has driven it? A) allopatric speciation; ecological isolation B) sympatric speciation; habitat differentiation C) allopatric speciation; behavioral isolation D) sympatric speciation; sexual selection E) sympatric speciation; allopolyploidy
B
Heterozygote advantage should be most closely linked to which of the following? A) sexual selection B) stabilizing selection C) random selection D) directional selection E) disruptive selection
B
In seedcracker finches from Cameroon, small- and large-billed birds specialize in cracking soft and hard seeds, respectively. If long-term climatic change resulted in all seeds becoming hard, what type of selection would then operate on the finch population? A) disruptive selection B) directional selection C) stabilizing selection D) No selection would operate because the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
B
In the formula for determining a population's genotype frequencies, the 2 in the term 2pq is necessary because A) the population is diploid. B) heterozygotes can come about in two ways. C) the population is doubling in number. D) heterozygotes have two alleles.
B
Rank the following from most general to most specific: 1. gametic isolation 2. reproductive isolating mechanism 3. sperm-egg incompatibility in sea urchins 4. prezygotic isolating mechanism A) 2, 3, 1, 4 B) 2, 4, 1, 3 C) 4, 1, 2, 3 D) 4, 2, 1, 3 E) 2, 1, 4, 3
B
Rank the following one-base-point mutations (from most likely to least likely) with respect to their likelihood of affecting the structure of the corresponding polypeptide: 1. insertion mutation deep within an intron 2. substitution mutation at the third position of an exonic codon 3. substitution mutation at the second position of an exonic codon 4. deletion mutation within the first exon of the gene A) 1, 2, 3, 4 B) 4, 3, 2, 1 C) 2, 1, 4, 3 D) 3, 1, 4, 2 E) 2, 3, 1, 4
B
Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) and one-seeded juniper (J. monosperma) have overlapping ranges. If pollen grains (which contain sperm cells) from one species are unable to germinate and make pollen tubes on female ovules (which contain egg cells) of the other species, then which of these terms is applicable? A) behavioral isolation B) mechanical isolation C) hybrid breakdown D) reduced hybrid viability
B
The most likely explanation for the recent decline in cichlid species diversity in Lake Victoria is A) reinforcement. B) fusion. C) stability. D) geographic isolation. E) polyploidy.
B
The origin of a new plant species by hybridization, coupled with accidents during cell division, is an example of A) allopatric speciation. B) sympatric speciation. C) autopolyploidy. D) habitat selection.
B
The same gene that causes various coat patterns in wild and domesticated cats also causes a cross-eyed condition in these cats, the cross-eyed condition being slightly maladaptive. In a hypothetical environment, the coat pattern that is associated with crossed eyes is highly adaptive, with the result that both the coat pattern and the cross-eyed condition increase in a feline population over time. Which statement is supported by these observations? A) Evolution is progressive and tends toward a more perfect population. B) Phenotype is often the result of compromise. C) Natural selection reduces the frequency of maladaptive genes in populations over the course of time. D) Polygenic inheritance is generally maladaptive, and should become less common in future generations. E) In all environments, coat pattern is a more important survival factor than is eye-muscle tone.
B
The various taxonomic levels (namely, genera, classes, etc.) of the hierarchical classification system differ from each other on the basis of A) how widely the organisms assigned to each are distributed throughout the environment. B) their inclusiveness. C) the relative genome sizes of the organisms assigned to each. D) morphological characters that are applicable to all organisms.
B
If, on average, 46% of the loci in a species' gene pool are heterozygous, then the average homozygosity of the species should be A) 23%. B) 46%. C) 54%. D) There is not enough information to say.
C
What is true of macroevolution? A) It is the same as microevolution, but includes the origin of new species. B) It is evolution above the species level. C) It is defined as the evolution of microscopic organisms into organisms that can be seen with the naked eye. D) It is defined as a change in allele or gene frequency over the course of many generations. E) It is the conceptual link between irritability and adaptation.
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. E) Earth is more than 10,000 years old.
B
Which of the following statements about species, as defined by the biological species concept, is (are) correct? I. Biological species are defined by reproductive isolation. II. Biological species are the models used for grouping extinct forms of life. III. The biological species is the largest unit of population in which successful interbreeding is possible. A) I and II B) I and III C) II and III D) I, II, and III
B
Which statement about the beak size of finches on the island of Daphne Major during prolonged drought is true? A) Each bird evolved a deeper, stronger beak as the drought persisted. B) Each bird's survival was strongly influenced by the depth and strength of its beak as the drought persisted. C) Each bird that survived the drought produced only offspring with deeper, stronger beaks than seen in the previous generation. D) The frequency of the strong-beak alleles increased in each bird as the drought persisted.
B
16) In a hypothetical environment, fishes called pike-cichlids are visual predators of algae-eating fish (in other words, they locate their prey by sight). If a population of algae-eaters experiences predation pressure from pike-cichlids, which of the following is least likely to be observed in the algae-eater population over the course of many generations? 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 E) selection for algae-eaters that are faster swimmers
C
A narrow hybrid zone separates the toad species Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata. What is true of those alleles that are unique to the parental species? A) Such alleles should be absent. B) Their allele frequency should be nearly the same as the allele frequencies in toad populations distant from the hybrid zone. C) The alleles' heterozygosity should be higher among the hybrid toads there. D) Their allele frequency on one edge of the hybrid zone should roughly equal their frequency on the opposite edge of the hybrid zone.
C
According to the concept of punctuated equilibrium, A) natural selection is unimportant as a mechanism of evolution. B) given enough time, most existing species will gradually give rise to new species. C) a new species accumulates most of its unique features as it comes into existence. D) evolution of new species features long periods during which changes are occurring, interspersed with short periods of equilibrium, or stasis. E) transitional fossils, intermediate between newer species and their parent species, should be abundant.
C
Although each of the following has a better chance of influencing gene frequencies in small populations than in large populations, which one most consistently requires a small population as a precondition for its occurrence? A) mutation B) nonrandom mating C) genetic drift D) natural selection E) gene flow
C
Arrange the following from most general (i.e., most inclusive) to most specific (i.e., least inclusive): 1. natural selection 2. microevolution 3. intrasexual selection 4. evolution 5. sexual selection A) 4, 1, 2, 3, 5 B) 4, 2, 1, 3, 5 C) 4, 2, 1, 5, 3 D) 1, 4, 2, 5, 3 E) 1, 2, 4, 5, 3
C
Evolution A) must happen, due to organisms' innate desire to survive. B) must happen whenever a population is not well adapted to its environment. C) can happen whenever any of the conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium are not met. D) requires the operation of natural selection. E) requires that populations become better suited to their environments.
C
Most Swiss starlings produce four to five eggs in each clutch. Starlings producing fewer, or more, than this have reduced fitness. Which of the following terms best describes this situation? A) artificial selection B) directional selection C) stabilizing selection D) disruptive selection E) sexual selection
C
The recessive allele that causes phenylketonuria (PKU) is harmful, except when an infant's diet has appropriate levels of the amino acid phenylalanine. What maintains the presence of this harmful allele in a population's gene pool? A) heterozygote advantage B) stabilizing selection C) diploidy D) balancing selection
C
The role that humans play in artificial selection is to A) determine who lives and who dies. B) create the genetic variants, which nature then selects. C) choose which organisms breed, and which do not. D) train organisms to breed more successfully. E) perform artificial insemination.
C
Theoretically, the production of sterile mules by interbreeding between female horses (mares) and male donkeys (jacks) should A) result in the extinction of one of the two parental species. B) cause convergent evolution. C) strengthen postzygotic barriers between horses and donkeys. D) weaken the intrinsic reproductive barriers between horses and donkeys. E) eventually result in the formation of a single species from the two parental species.
C
What does the biological species concept use as the primary criterion for determining species boundaries? A) geographic isolation B) niche differences C) gene flow D) morphological similarity E) molecular (DNA, RNA, protein) similarity
C
Which of Darwin's ideas had the strongest connection to Darwin having read Malthus's essay on human population growth? A) descent with modification B) variation among individuals in a population C) struggle for existence D) the ability of related species to be conceptualized in "tree thinking" E) that the ancestors of the Galápagos finches had come from the South American mainland
C
Which of the following is a true statement concerning genetic variation? A) It is created by the direct action of natural selection. B) It arises in response to changes in the environment. C) It must be present in a population before natural selection can act upon the population. D) It tends to be reduced by the processes involved when diploid organisms produce gametes. E) A population that has a higher average heterozygosity has less genetic variation than one with a lower average heterozygosity.
C
Which of the various species concepts distinguishes two species based on the degree of genetic exchange between their gene pools? A) phylogenetic B) ecological C) biological D) morphological
C
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium must occur in populations where A) an allele remains fixed. B) no genetic variation exists. C) natural selection is not operating. D) All three of the responses above are correct. E) Only two of the responses above are correct.
E
A biologist studied a population of squirrels for 15 years. During that time, the population was never fewer than 30 squirrels and never more than 45. Her data showed that over half of the squirrels born did not survive to reproduce, because of both competition for food and predation. In a single generation, 90% of the squirrels that were born lived to reproduce, and the population increased to 80. Which inference(s) about this population might be true? A) The amount of available food may have increased. B) The parental generation of squirrels developed better eyesight due to improved diet; the subsequent squirrel generation inherited better eyesight. C) The number of predators that prey upon squirrels may have decreased. D) A and C could be true. E) A, B, and C could be true.
D
A proficient engineer can easily design skeletal structures that are more functional than those currently found in the forelimbs of such diverse mammals as horses, whales, and bats. The actual forelimbs of these mammals do not seem to be optimally arranged because A) natural selection has not had sufficient time to create the optimal design in each case, but will do so given enough time. B) in many cases, phenotype is not merely determined by genotype, but by the environment as well. C) though we may not consider the fit between the current skeletal arrangements and their functions excellent, we should not doubt that natural selection ultimately produces the best design. D) natural selection is generally limited to modifying structures that were present in previous generations and in previous species.
D
According to the concept of punctuated equilibrium, the "sudden" appearance of a new species in the fossil record means that A) the species is now extinct. B) speciation occurred instantaneously. C) speciation occurred in one generation. D) speciation occurred rapidly in geologic time. E) the species will consequently have a relatively short existence, compared with other species.
D
Among known plant species, which of these have been the two most commonly occurring phenomena that have led to the origin of new species? 1. allopatric speciation 2. sympatric speciation 3. sexual selection 4. polyploidy A) 1 and 3 B) 1 and 4 C) 2 and 3 D) 2 and 4
D
Charles Darwin was the first person to propose A) that evolution occurs. B) a mechanism for how evolution occurs. C) that Earth is older than a few thousand years. D) a mechanism for evolution that was supported by evidence. E) that population growth can outpace the growth of food resources.
D
If organisms A, B, and C belong to the same class but to different orders and if organisms D, E, and F belong to the same order but to different families, which of the following pairs of organisms would be expected to show the greatest degree of structural homology?
E
DDT was once considered a "silver bullet" that would permanently eradicate insect pests. Today, instead, DDT is largely useless against many insects. Which of these would have been required for this pest eradication effort to be successful in the long run? A) Larger doses of DDT should have been applied. B) All habitats should have received applications of DDT at about the same time. C) The frequency of DDT application should have been higher. D) None of the individual insects should have possessed genomes that made them resistant to DDT. E) DDT application should have been continual.
D
Dog breeders maintain the purity of breeds by keeping dogs of different breeds apart when they are fertile. This kind of isolation is most similar to which of the following reproductive isolating mechanisms? A) reduced hybrid fertility B) hybrid breakdown C) mechanical isolation D) habitat isolation E) gametic isolation
D
During breeding season, one should expect female house finches to prefer to mate with males with the brightest red feathers. Which of the following terms are appropriately applied to this situation? A) sexual selection B) mate choice C) intersexual selection D) Three of the responses are correct. E) Two of the responses are correct.
D
If the original finches that had been blown over to the Galápagos from South America had already been genetically different from the parental population of South American finches, even before adapting to the Galápagos, this would have been an example of A) genetic drift. B) the bottleneck effect. C) the founder effect. D) genetic drift and the founder effect. E) all three of these.
D
In a Hardy-Weinberg population with two alleles, A and a, that are in equilibrium, the frequency of allele a is 0.1. What is the frequency of individuals with AA genotype? A) 0.20 B) 0.32 C) 0.42 D) 0.81 E) Genotype frequency cannot be determined from the information provided.
D
In peas, a gene controls flower color such that R = purple and r = white. In an isolated pea patch, there are 36 purple-flowering plants and 64 white-flowering plants. Assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what is the value of q for this population? A) 0.36 B) 0.64 C) 0.75 D) 0.80
D
In the formula for determining a population's genotype frequencies, the pq in the term 2pq is necessary because A) the population is diploid. B) heterozygotes can come about in two ways. C) the population is doubling in number. D) heterozygotes have two alleles.
D
In the wild, male house finches (Carpodus mexicanus) vary considerably in the amount of red pigmentation in their head and throat feathers, with colors ranging from pale yellow to bright red. These colors come from carotenoid pigments that are found in the birds' diets; no vertebrates are known to synthesize carotenoid pigments. Thus, the brighter red the male's feathers are, the more successful he has been at acquiring the red carotenoid pigment by his food-gathering efforts (all other factors being equal). During breeding season, one should expect female house finches to prefer to mate with males with the brightest red feathers. Which of the following is true of this situation? A) Alleles that promote more efficient acquisition of carotenoid-containing foods by males should increase over the course of generations. B) Alleles that promote more effective deposition of carotenoid pigments in the feathers of males should increase over the course of generations. C) There should be directional selection for bright red feathers in males. D) Three of the statements are correct. E) Two of the statements are correct.
D
Over time, the movement of people on Earth has steadily increased. This has altered the course of human evolution by increasing A) nonrandom mating. B) geographic isolation. C) genetic drift. D) gene flow.
D
Sexual dimorphism is most often a result of A) pansexual selection. B) stabilizing selection. C) intrasexual selection. D) intersexual selection. E) artificial selection.
D
The phenomenon of fusion is likely to occur when, after a period of geographic isolation, two populations meet again and A) their chromosomes are no longer homologous enough to permit meiosis. B) a constant number of viable, fertile hybrids is produced over the course of generations. C) the hybrid zone is inhospitable to hybrid survival. D) an increasing number of viable, fertile hybrids is produced over the course of generations. E) a decreasing number of viable, fertile hybrids is produced over the course of generations.
D
The restriction enzymes of bacteria protect the bacteria from successful attack by bacteriophages, whose genomes can be degraded by the restriction enzymes. The bacterial genomes are not vulnerable to these restriction enzymes because bacterial DNA is methylated. This situation selects for bacteriophages whose genomes are also methylated. As new strains of resistant bacteriophages become more prevalent, this in turn selects for bacteria whose genomes are not methylated and whose restriction enzymes instead degrade methylated DNA. Over the course of evolutionary time, what should occur? A) Methylated DNA should become fixed in the gene pools of bacterial species. B) Nonmethylated DNA should become fixed in the gene pools of bacteriophages. C) Methylated DNA should become fixed in the gene pools of bacteriophages. D) Methylated and nonmethylated strains should be maintained among both bacteria and bacteriophages, with ratios that vary over time. E) Both the first and second responses are correct.
D
There is still some controversy among biologists about whether Neanderthals should be placed within the same species as modern humans or into a separate species of their own. Most DNA sequence data analyzed so far indicate that there was probably little or no gene flow between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Which species concept is most applicable in this example? A) phylogenetic B) ecological C) morphological D) biological
D
In a Hardy-Weinberg population with two alleles, A and a, that are in equilibrium, the frequency of allele a is 0.2. What is the frequency of individuals that are heterozygous for this allele? A) 0.002 B) 0.020 C) 0.04 D) 0.16 E) 0.32
E
What is true of natural selection? A) Natural selection is a random process. B) Natural selection creates beneficial mutations. C) The only way to eliminate harmful mutations is through natural selection. D) Mutations occur at random; natural selection can preserve and distribute beneficial mutations. E) Mutations occur when directed by the good of the species; natural selection edits out harmful mutations and causes populations to adapt to the beneficial mutations.
D
What is true of the flightless cormorants of the Galápagos Islands? A) They are descendants of the same common ancestor that gave rise to the unique finches of these islands. B) They are close relatives of flightless cormorants from the Americas. C) If they are still able to breed successfully with flying cormorants, it would probably be with North American cormorants, rather than with South American cormorants. D) Flightless cormorants on one island have restricted gene flow with those on other islands, which could someday lead to a macroevolutionary event. E) Their DNA has low levels of sequence homology with the DNA of flying American cormorants.
D
Which of the following is most likely to produce an African butterfly species in the wild whose members have one of two strikingly different color patterns? A) artificial selection B) directional selection C) stabilizing selection D) disruptive selection E) sexual selection
D
Which of the following statements best summarizes evolution as it is viewed today? A) It represents the result of selection for acquired characteristics. B) It is synonymous with the process of gene flow. C) It is the descent of humans from the present-day great apes. D) It is the differential survival and reproduction of the most-fit phenotypes.
D
Which statement about variation is true? A) All phenotypic variation is the result of genotypic variation. B) All genetic variation produces phenotypic variation. C) All nucleotide variability results in neutral variation. D) All new alleles are the result of nucleotide variability. E) All geographic variation results from the existence of clines.
D
You are confronted with a box of preserved grasshoppers of various species that are new to science and have not been described. Your assignment is to separate them into species. There is no accompanying information as to where or when they were collected. Which species concept will you have to use? A) biological B) phylogenetic C) ecological D) morphological
D
Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) can interbreed to produce viable, fertile offspring. These species shared a common ancestor recently (in geologic time) and have a high degree of genetic similarity, although their anatomies vary widely. Judging from this evidence, which two species concepts are most likely to place dogs and wolves together into a single species? A) ecological and morphological B) ecological and phylogenetic C) morphological and phylogenetic D) biological and morphological E) biological and phylogenetic
E
In a hypothetical situation, a certain species of flea feeds only on pronghorn antelopes. In rangelands of the western United States, pronghorns and cattle often associate with one another. If some of these fleas develop a strong preference for cattle blood and mate only with other fleas that prefer cattle blood, then over time which of these should occur, if the host mammal can be considered as the fleas' habitat? 1. reproductive isolation 2. sympatric speciation 3. habitat isolation 4. prezygotic barriers A) 1 only B) 2 and 3 C) 1, 2, and 3 D) 2, 3, and 4 E) 1 through 4
E
In order for speciation to occur, what must be true? A) The number of chromosomes in the gene pool must change. B) Changes to centromere location or chromosome size must occur within the gene pool. C) Large numbers of genes that affect a single phenotypic trait must change. D) Large numbers of genes that affect numerous phenotypic traits must change. E) At least one gene, affecting at least one phenotypic trait, must change.
E
Natural selection is based on all of the following except A) genetic variation exists within populations. B) the best-adapted individuals tend to leave the most offspring. C) individuals who survive longer tend to leave more offspring than those who die young. D) populations tend to produce more individuals than the environment can support. E) individuals adapt to their environments, and thereby evolve.
E
Speciation A) occurs at such a slow pace that no one has ever observed the emergence of new species. B) occurs only by the accumulation of genetic change over vast expanses of time. C) must begin with the geographic isolation of a small, frontier population. D) and macroevolution are synonymous. E) can involve changes to a single gene.
E
The higher the proportion of loci that are "fixed" in a population, the lower is that population's A) nucleotide variability only. B) chromosome number only. C) average heterozygosity only. D) nucleotide variability, average heterozygosity, and chromosome number. E) nucleotide variability and average heterozygosity.
E
When imbalances occur in the sex ratio of sexual species that have two sexes (i.e., other than a 50:50 ratio), the members of the minority sex often receive a greater proportion of care and resources from parents than do the offspring of the majority sex. This is most clearly an example of A) sexual selection. B) disruptive selection. C) balancing selection. D) stabilizing selection. E) frequency-dependent selection.
E
Which of the following statements about speciation is correct? A) The goal of natural selection is speciation. B) When reunited, two allopatric populations will interbreed freely if speciation has occurred. C) Natural selection chooses the reproductive barriers for populations. D) It always takes millions of years for speciation to occur. E) Speciation is a basis for understanding macroevolution.
E
You sample a population of butterflies and find that 56% are heterozygous at a particular locus. What should be the frequency of the recessive allele in this population? A) 0.07 B) 0.08 C) 0.09 D) 0.70 E) Allele frequency cannot be determined from this information.
E
The legless condition that is observed in several groups of extant reptiles is the result of A) their common ancestor having been legless. B) a shared adaptation to an arboreal (living in trees) lifestyle. C) several instances of the legless condition arising independently of each other. D) individual lizards adapting to a fossorial (living in burrows) lifestyle during their lifetimes.
c