Quiz Questions Bio Exam II

Choose all that apply. For any two species living today, their evolutionary lineages can be traced back in time until the two lineages intersect. At that intersection (node) is the species that was A. the most recent common ancestral species of the two modern species. B. a common ancestral species. C. a group of organisms rather than a single individual. D. an advanced species. E. a primitive species

A, B, C

Male peacock spiders engage in an elaborate dance when females are nearby. They wave their first two pairs of legs in the air rhythmically while moving back & forth to attract the female's attention. Male peacock spiders also have brightly colored patches and patterns which make them quite beautiful and very noticeable to predators. Which of the following is true about male peacock spiders? Choose all that apply. A. Males with bright colors and good dancing skills will outcompete other males through intersexual selection. B. Males with drab colors and poor dancing skills will outcompete other males by being skilled fighters. C. Fitness in male peacock spiders is limited by available resources such as food and availability of nesting sites. D. It is likely that males with drab colors and poor dancing skills have fewer offspring compared to males with bright colors who are good dancers. E. Males with the brightest colors may be removed from the population before mating due to high visibility by predators

A, D, E

If there are 100 individuals in a population and 20 are homozygous for B, 60 are heterozygous, and 20 are homozygous for b, what is the allele frequency of B? A. 80% B. 40% C. Allele frequency cannot be calculated from this information. D. 20% E. 50%

E. 50%

Four genes (A, B, C, D) are in the same chromosome in the sequence D, A, B, C. The distance between A and B is 4 map units, between A and C is 6 map units, between B and C is 2 map units, and between B and D is 5 map units. The recombination frequency between genes C and D should be: A. 4% B. 2% C. 5% D. 6% E. 7%

E. 7%

Which of the following is NOT a condition of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? A. No mutation B. No migration C. Random mating D. No differences in the survival and reproductive success of individuals E. All of the conditions listed ARE conditions of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

E. All of the conditions listed ARE conditions of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

Which of the following lists the BEST reason or reasons to include a control treatment in an experiment? A. A control can provide a baseline condition so that a researcher can assess the effect of the experimental treatment B. A control can help the researcher assess whether the methods are working as expected C. A control can show the researcher whether the expected results of the un-manipulated situation are occurring in the experimental set up D. A control provides a set of results that contrasts the experimental treatment, making assessment of causal relationships easier E. All of the reasons in this list are reasons to include one or more control treatments in an experiment

E. All of the reasons in this list are reasons to include one or more control treatments in an experiment

Which of the following affects the rate of genetic drift? (The "rate" describes how long, on average, it will take for an allele to be lost or fixed). A. Genetic drift will be faster in large populations. B. Dominant alleles drift faster than recessive alleles. C. Codominant alleles drift more slowly because both phenotypes are expressed in all individuals. D. There is no variation in the rate of genetic drift - it always happens at the same rate. E. Genetic drift will be faster in small population

E. Genetic drift will be faster in small population

Red-green color blindness is a sex-linked recessive trait in humans. If a non-carrier female (homozygous for the nonmutant allele) mated with an affected man, what would be the expected outcome(s)? A. Half of the sons would be color blind, and none of the daughters would be color blind. B. None of the sons would be affected. C. Half the sons would be color blind. D. None of the daughters would be affected. E. None of the offspring (sons or daughters) would be color blind

E. None of the offspring (sons or daughters) would be color blind

An experiment includes three bird cages, each with 1 bird. One cage (A) is fed food which researchers spray with a medium (vegetable oil) containing vitamins. One cage (B) is fed the same food, but with no spray. The third cage (C) is fed with the same food which the researchers spray with the same medium (vegetable oil) as cage "A", but the medium (vegetable oil) has no vitamins in it. The researchers measured the level of orange color in the feathers of all the birds, using light-sensing equipment. Which of the following is NOT a valid description of this experiment? A. This experiment has 2 control treatments B. There are 3 treatments in this experiment C. The researchers are most likely interested in the effect of the vitamins on the coloration of the feathers D. This experiment can test the hypothesis that the vitamins are causing the bird feathers to be more orange E. There are 3 replicates of this experiment

E. There are 3 replicates of this experiment

Some phylogenies show a branch with sub-branches that look more like a pitchfork than a 2-way bifurcation. One common ancestor branches into 3 (or more) branches, all at the same node. This is called a polytomy. What might this imply about the phylogeny? A. The MRCA of the tips coming out of this polytomy is somewhere within one of the tips of the polytomy B. The species depicted by the tips of the branches of the polytomy are too different to determine phylogenetic relationships C. Speciation did not happen within this polytomy D. The 3 tips on the branches coming out of the polytomy do not share a common ancestor E. There is not enough data to determine which speciation event happened first, second, third, etc

E. There is not enough data to determine which speciation event happened first, second, third, etc

When one gene is able to modify the effect of a second gene, the phenomenon is known as: A. segregation B. independent assortment C. simple dominance D. recessiveness E. epistasis

E. epistasis

A phylogenetic tree is a: A. detailed timeline of a species' evolutionary history. B. factual representation of the evolutionary history of a species. C. guess about the evolutionary history of a species. D. none of these E. hypothesis about the evolutionary history of a species

E. hypothesis about the evolutionary history of a species

SNPs arise from: A. deletion B. point mutations C. duplication D. translocation E. inversion

B. point mutations

Before European settlement, it is estimated that there were more than 10,000 whooping cranes in North America. Whooping cranes are now an endangered species, and in 1941, the population only contained 15 individuals. Since then, the whooping crane population has rebounded considerably, now numbering over 400 individuals. Based on what you know about evolutionary processes, select all of the following statements that are true. A. The whooping crane population has less genetic variation now than it did in before European settlement. B. The whooping crane population underwent a population bottleneck in the 1940s. C. The whooping crane population likely has substantial genetic variation. D. Most new mutations in the whooping crane population are advantageous

A and B

Which of the following populations would you expect to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with respect to a gene, Floppy? Floppy has two alleles "F" and "f". Assume f(F) = p and f(f) = q. A. A population for which p=0.5, q = 0.5, and the frequency of the heterozygote is 0.5. B. A population of Canada geese which were blown to Hawaii from the mainland of North America 3 million years ago. C. A population for which p=0.5, and the frequency of the FF homozygote is 0.6. D. A population in which females whose fathers had long horns prefer to mate with males with long horns, while females whose fathers had short horns prefer to mate with males with short horns. E. A very large population of deer which all descended from a founder population of 10 deer, 100 years ago

A. A population for which p=0.5, q = 0.5, and the frequency of the heterozygote is 0.5

Which of the following statements about Vibrio fischeri is TRUE? (This question relates to the TED talk by Bonnie Bassler.) A. All of the answers are correct. B. V. fischeri cells can talk with one another using chemical molecules. C. It is capable of quorum sensing. D. It is bioluminescent when growing in dense cultures. E. It lives in a squid and protects the squid from predation at night

A. All of the answers are correct

Which of the statements below about Hymenoptera is NOT correct? A. In terms of genetic representation in the next generation, it is better for the workers to produce more offspring rather than help the mother produce more sisters. B. Group benefits come from living in and defending the nest. C. Degree of relatedness (r) is higher for sister-sister relationships (0.75) than for mother-daughter relationships (0.5). D. They exhibit care of the young with clear and consistent division of labor between reproducer (queen) and non-reproducers (workers). E. Sex determination includes diploid females (queen and workers) and haploid males (drones)

A. In terms of genetic representation in the next generation, it is better for the workers to produce more offspring rather than help the mother produce more sisters

Which of the following big sagebrush plants is the most fit, based only on the information presented? A. The individual that produces 3% more offspring each year than others in its population. B. All of these individuals are equally fit based on the information presented. C. The individual that produces 5% more distasteful chemicals, making it 2% less likely to be attacked by herbivores than others in its population. D. The individual that is the most resistant to disease organisms in the population. E. The individual that can survive with 10% less water than the others in its population

A. The individual that produces 3% more offspring each year than others in its population

During breeding season, female northern elephant seals pick areas of the beach that are relatively protected and do not experience very high or very low tides. These are some of the "best" places to have their young. These areas are also where they will mate before going back out into the sea to forage for the next eight months. How does this choice reflect sexual selection? A. These areas on the beach are more likely to be defended by larger and stronger males. B. Females found on these beaches are more likely to have offspring that will survive to reproduce. C. These areas on the beach are where closely related females will have their offspring. D. Pups born on these beaches are more likely to survive to reproduce

A. These areas on the beach are more likely to be defended by larger and stronger males

Genes on different chromosomes ____________ during meiosis. Genes that are very close together on the same chromosome are ____________. A. assort independently; linked B. assort independently; unrelated C. do not assort independently; unrelated D. do not assort independently; linked

A. assort independently; linked

In crosses involving linked genes, recombinant offspring result from: A. crossover. B. sex-linked inheritance. C. Mendelian segregation. D. Mendelian segregation and independent assortment of alleles. E. independent assortment of alleles.

A. crossover

A wild-type fruit fly: A. exhibits the most common phenotype in the population. B. expresses a large proportion of homozygous recessive alleles. C. exhibits a phenotype that marks it as a party animal. D. will most likely have white eyes. E. exhibits a mutant phenotype

A. exhibits the most common phenotype in the population

True or false: Saying that a SNP is associated with a disease means that if you possess that particular SNP, you will end up with that disease. A. false B. true

A. false

If two males compete directly with one another over access to a group of females, this is a form of ____________-sexual selection. A. intra B. inter

A. intra

Genetic drift is the ____________ in allele frequencies from generation to generation and is especially important in ____________ populations. A. random change; small B. none of these C. change due to selection; large D. change due to selection; small E. random change; large

A. random change; small

Choose all that apply. Which of the following conditions allows for natural selection to occur? A. reproductive success is equal among individuals in the population B. variation in phenotypes in a population C. variation in the population is heritable

B, C

Choose all that apply. A founder event: A. occurs whenever populations are isolated from one another. B. will often result in a population with less genetic variation than the original population. C. removes the effects of natural and sexual selection from a population. D. results in a population whose alleles will all go to fixation relatively rapidly. E. is a situation in which genetic drift has large effects on allele frequencies. F. occurs when a few individuals colonize a new area. G. is identical to a population bottleneck

B,E,F

A population is in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium with respect to a gene, "yellow," which has 2 alleles, y and Y. Green (coded for by Y, the wild type allele) is completely dominant. Yellow (coded for by y, the less frequent allele) is recessive. The frequency of the yy homozygote is 0.09. The frequency of the Y allele is ____; the frequency of the y allele is ____; the frequency of the YY homozygote is ___; the frequency of the Yy heterozygote is ___. A. 0.3, 0.7, 0.0, 0.91 B. 0.7, 0.3, 0.49, 0.42 C. 0.3, 0.3, 0.01, 0.01 D. It is impossible to determine this from the information in the question

B. 0.7, 0.3, 0.49, 0.42

What is the potential medical relevance of quorum sensing? (This question relates to the TED talk by Bonnie Bassler.) A. By making pro-quorum sensing molecules, it might be possible to improve communication between the beneficial bacteria that live in our bodies. B. Both of the other answers are potential medical applications of quorum sensing. C. By making anti-quorum sensing molecules, it might be possible to reduce or even eliminate the virulence of bacterial infections

B. Both of the other answers are potential medical applications of quorum sensing

An experiment includes three bird cages, each with 1 bird. One cage (A) is fed food which researchers spray with a medium (vegetable oil) containing vitamins. One cage (B) is fed the same food, but with no spray. The third cage (C) is fed with the same food which the researchers spray with the same medium (vegetable oil) as cage "A", but the medium (vegetable oil) has no vitamins in it. The researchers measured the level of orange color in the feathers of all the birds, using light-sensing equipment. What would make this experimental design better? A. Include a control that ensures that the vitamins, and not the spray medium is the cause of the predicted change in feather coloration B. Do it several more times, thereby accounting for the fact that, in biology, we never expect the outcome to be exactly the same in each run of the experiment C. Clearly explain that the vitamins are the dependent or measured variable, whereas the medium (vegetable oil) is the hypothesized cause of the bird heath D. Let the birds reproduce so that the heritability of the orange color can be established E. Include a control that offers a baseline condition against which to contrast the experimental treatment

B. Do it several more times, thereby accounting for the fact that, in biology, we never expect the outcome to be exactly the same in each run of the experiment

Sperm competition allows males to gauge the strength of an opponent while reducing the risk of serious injury A. True B. False

B. False

There is a fundamental asymmetry in the resources males and females need to reproduce. As a result of this, female fitness is usually limited by the number of mates. A. true B. False

B. False

Which of the following is are evolutionary causes (mechanisms)? That is, which processes can cause the allele frequencies in a population to change? A. Random assortment of alleles in meiosis I, genetic drift, random fertilization B. Genetic Drift, natural selection, sexual selection C. Inbreeding, sexual reproduction, random fertilization D. Segregation of maternal and paternal chromosomes in meiosis I, random fertilization, sexual selection E. Sexual reproduction, inbreeding, natural selection

B. Genetic Drift, natural selection, sexual selection

Which of the following types of inheritance violate Mendel's law of independent assortment? A. Sex linkage B. Linkage between alleles on the same chromosome C. Epistasis D. Codominance E. Mitochondrial inheritance

B. Linkage between alleles on the same chromosome

Please review lecture 10 before completing this question. In a population, a gene, Tough, has 2 alleles. "T" confers the dominant phenotype (tough), and individuals with the dominant phenotype produce, on average, 10 offspring. "t" confers the recessive phenotype (brittle), and individuals with the recessive phenotype produce, on average, 100 offspring. Given this: A. The RELATIVE fitness of individuals with the "Tt" phenotype is higher than that of individuals with the "tt" phenotype. B. The RELATIVE fitness of individuals with the "Tt" phenotype is 0.1, while the relative fitness of individuals with the "tt" phenotype is 1. C. The fitness of individuals with the heterozygote's phenotype is lower than that of individuals with the homozygote's phenotype. D. The RELATIVE fitness of individuals with the "TT" phenotype is 10, while the relative fitness of individuals with the "tt" phenotype is 100. E. The fitness of individuals with the "TT" phenotype is 1, while the fitness of individuals with the "tt" phenotype is 0.1

B. The RELATIVE fitness of individuals with the "Tt" phenotype is 0.1, while the relative fitness of individuals with the "tt" phenotype is 1

Pairing of homologous chromosomes at metaphase of meiosis I appears to be critical for proper alignment, crossing over, and subsequent separation. This pairing is facilitated by sharing of DNA sequence homology. If X and Y chromosomes are so different, how can they achieve the necessary pairing? A. They do not need to pair because they are not a homologous pair. B. They do share short homologies at their respective tips. C. They do not pair during meiosis I; they line up as individual replicated chromosomes during metaphase I, and sister chromatids separate during anaphase I. D. They use a unique sex-linked mechanism not present in other pairs

B. They do share short homologies at their respective tips

If an assumption for the Hardy-Weinberg equation is violated, what does this mean? A. This means an allele is fixed in the population. B. This means the allele frequencies or genotype frequencies are changing. C. This means that the population is adapted to its environment. D. This means that mutations are increasing in frequency in the population

B. This means the allele frequencies or genotype frequencies are changing

At the genetic level, biological evolution is: A. an increase in fitness over time. B. a change in allele frequencies over time. C. a population change over time. D. a change in fitness over time. E. natural selection

B. a change in allele frequencies over time

With stabilizing selection, you would predict the mean value of a trait to ____________ and the genetic variation in the trait value to _____________. A. increase; increase B. increase; stay the same C. increase; decrease D. stay the same; decrease E. stay the same; increase

D. stay the same; decrease

Male Australian bowerbirds build and decorate elaborate structures, called bowers, out of grasses and other vegetation. If we want to understand how this behavior promotes a male bowerbird's ability to survive and reproduce, we want to understand its: A. causation. B. adaptive function. C. development. D. genetic basis. E. evolutionary history

B. adaptive function

Genes a and b are located close together on the same chromosome. Allele A for long wings is completely dominant to allele a for short wings. Allele B for light body color is completely dominant to allele b for dark body color. A female fly is heterozygous for both genes such that alleles A and b are present on one homolog, whereas alleles a and B are present on the other homolog. If she is crossed with a male fly that is homozygous recessive for both genes, then the majority of their progeny would: A. look just like their mother. B. be short-winged and light body colored OR long-winged and dark body colored. C. be short-winged and light body colored OR long-winged and light body colored. D. be long-winged and light body colored OR short-winged and dark body colored. E. be long-winged and light body colored OR long-winged and dark body colored

B. be short-winged and light body colored OR long-winged and dark body colored

Phenotypes: A. are invariant (do not vary). B. can be influenced by environmental conditions. C. result solely from the actions of a single gene. D. only result from gene transcription. E. None of the answer options is correct

B. can be influenced by environmental conditions.

To conduct a phylogenetic analysis, we need an outgroup to: A. determine which characteristics to include in our analysis. B. determine which character states are ancestral and which are derived. C. decide which molecular data to use. D. decide which characters are analogous and which are homologous. E. All of the answer options are correct

B. determine which character states are ancestral and which are derived

True or false: Traits favored by sexual selection are always the same traits favored by natural selection. A. true B. false

B. false

As a biologist, you are researching a population of moles. In the course of your research, you identify a nearby population that occasionally comes into contact with your study population. What best describes the evolutionary process at work? A. artificial selection B. gene flow C. natural selection D. genetic drift E. mutation

B. gene flow

The phenotype of an individual often results from an interaction between: A. allele frequency and genotype. B. genotype and the environment. C. genotype and mutation rate. D. allele frequency and the environment. E. allele frequency and mutation rate

B. genotype and the environment

The non-adaptive mechanisms of evolutionary change are: A. mutation, sexual selection, and genetic drift. B. migration (gene flow), mutation, and genetic drift. C. mutation, genetic drift, and heterozygote advantage. D. migration (gene flow), sexual selection, and genetic drift. E. migration (gene flow), balancing selection, and genetic drift

B. migration (gene flow), mutation, and genetic drift.

In a phylogenetic tree, a node or branching point represents: A. the ancestral species from which all species in the phylogeny arose. B. the common ancestor from which the descendent species diverged. C. A node could be any of these, depending on the nature of the phylogenetic tree. D. the species in the fossil record from which the descendent species diverged. E. one of the descendent species in the phylogeny

B. the common ancestor from which the descendent species diverged.

Heritability refers to and is a measure of: A. the proportion of a trait that is determined by genes rather than by the environment. B. the proportion of total variation in a trait that is due to genetic differences among individuals within a population. C. the extent to which a trait exhibits regression toward the mean in a population. D. the norm of reaction of a trait. E. the extent to which a trait is passed from parent to offspring

B. the proportion of total variation in a trait that is due to genetic differences among individuals within a population

During meiosis in the male, sex chromosomes segregate to produce two types of sperm: X-bearing sperm and Y-bearing sperm. A. false B. true

B. true

All of the phenotypes listed below are determined at least partially by genotype. Which trait is most likely to be influenced by the environment as well? A. eye color B. weight C. None of the answer options is correct; all of the traits are exclusively determined by genotype. D. facial features E. finger length

B. weight

A population has a gene with 2 alleles, G and g. The frequency of the G allele is 0.8. The frequency of the g allele is 0.2. What is the frequency of the GG genotype? Assume the population is in Hardy - Weinberg Equilibrium with respect to the gene. A. 0.32 B. 0.04 C. 0.64 D. 0.45 E. It is impossible to determine this from the information in the question

C. 0.64

Which of the following mechanisms are causal explanations for bird song? A. Young males learned their song from their fathers. B. Songs are used by males to attract a mate. C. Air passing through a bird's specialized singing organ, the syrinx, vibrates the surrounding organs. D. The ritualization of the vocalization became species specific

C. Air passing through a bird's specialized singing organ, the syrinx, vibrates the surrounding organs

Sexual selection favors: A. traits that reduce an individual's survivorship. B. large males. C. All of these. D. traits that increase an individual's access to reproductive opportunities E. ornamentation such as bright feathers in male birds

C. All of these

Which of the following statements about evolution by natural selection is most accurate? A. Evolution by natural selection only occurs over millions of years, as shown by the fossil record. B. Evolution by natural selection matches organisms to their future environment. C. Evolution by natural selection depends upon unequal survival and reproduction of individuals expressing different traits.Evolution by natural selection works by the accumulation of acquired traits. D. Evolution by natural selection is defined as the formation of new species

C. Evolution by natural selection depends upon unequal survival and reproduction of individuals expressing different traits.Evolution by natural

Based on your Prediscussion reading, which of the following best describes the condition(s) required for natural selection to happen? A. Variation in non-coding DNA within a population is not all passed to the next generation due to random events B. Differential survival and organisms that all work for survival of their species C. Heritable variation exists in traits within a population; individuals with traits that work well in a given environment reproduce more than other individuals with different traits D. New mutations in a population and migration of variants from other populations change the phenotypic frequency within a population E. Survival of the species combined with heritability of traits

C. Heritable variation exists in traits within a population; individuals with traits that work well in a given environment reproduce more than other individuals with different traits

Is natural selection the same thing as evolution? A. Yes, they are the same because they both involve phenotypes and genotypes. B. No, they are not the same because natural selection has never been observed. C. No, they are not the same because natural selection is only one evolutionary process, whereas evolution refers to changes in allele frequencies in populations, which can be caused by several evolutionary processes. D. Yes, they are the same because they both change populations

C. No, they are not the same because natural selection is only one evolutionary process, whereas evolution refers to changes in allele frequencies in populations, which can be caused by several evolutionary processes

The human X chromosome carries approximately 1000 genes. The Y chromosome contains only about 50 genes. How can males survive with only these 50 genes on the Y chromosome? A. The genes on the X chromosome are not required for survival. B. In males, the missing genes are found on autosomal chromosomes. C. The Y is paired with a functional X chromosome, which has all the genes. D. Most of those 1000 genes on the X chromosome are only required by females

C. The Y is paired with a functional X chromosome, which has all the genes.

If a gene increases in frequency in a population, it likely has A. no impact on survival. B. a negative impact on survival. C. a positive impact on survival

C. a positive impact on survival

High levels of migration or gene flow ____________ genetic differences among populations. A. maintains B. increases C. decreases

C. decreases

Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) come up on a beach during breeding season. Males arrive first and establish a territory by posturing and fighting with other males. The posturing and fighting behaviors are probably the result of ____________. A. diversifying natural selection B. gene flow between two separate populations of elephant seals C. intrasexual selection D. genetic drift E. directional natural selection F. intersexual selection

C. intrasexual selection

In mammals with XY sex determination, males inherit their X chromosomes from their ____________ and transmit them to their ____________. A. fathers; sons B. mothers; both sons and daughters C. mothers; daughters D. fathers; daughters E. mothers; sons

C. mothers; daughters

Genetic drift has an especially significant effect in what kind of populations? A. populations that are migrating B. populations that are large C. populations that are small D. populations with high genetic variability E. populations that are subject to natural selection

C. populations that are small

In genetic mapping, a map unit is defined as: A. 1 micrometer. B. the distance between two genes. C. the distance between genes resulting in 1% recombinant offspring. D. the distance between genes resulting in 50% recombinant offspring. E. 1 millimeter

C. the distance between genes resulting in 1% recombinant offspring

Choose one single BEST answer to complete this sentence. The frequency of recombination during meiosis is a function of: A. the distance between genes: the closer the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them. B. whether or not the genes are sex-linked; Y chromosomes recombine much more frequently than do the autosomes. C. the distance between genes: the farther apart the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them. D. the alleles on the genes; recombination happens less frequently among recessive alleles. E. whether or not the genes are sex-linked; X chromosomes recombine much more frequently than do autosomes

C. the distance between genes: the farther apart the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them

Consider 2 individual fish in the same species. If fish X is more fit than fish Y, given the evolutionary meaning of "fitness", what does this mean? A. Fish X does a better job of contributing to the survival of the species B. Fish X is stronger C. Fish X is bigger D. Fish X has a greater ability to pass down its genetic material to the next generation E. All of the answers in this list are reasonable, given that fish X is more fit than fish Y

D. Fish X has a greater ability to pass down its genetic material to the next generation

If you are unsure of what an Ichthyosaur fossil looks like, look here: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/ichthyosauria.html. Imagine a scientist finds the fossils of an extinct Ichthyosaur and finds this morphological similarity of Ichthyosaurs and modern dolphins: bones indicating flippers and a tail for swimming. The scientist guesses that Ichthyosaurs may form a monophyletic group with the dolphins, based on this morphological similarity. What is one method or line of reasoning that scientists could NOT use when testing the hypothesis that dolphins and Ichthyosaurs form a monophyletic group? A. Use the principle of parsimony to decide which of several trees is most parsimonious B. Make sure that the flippers and tail in both Ichthyosaurs and dolphins are due to homology, rather than analogy C. See if the living sister group to dolphins is more closely related to dolphins than is the Ichthyosaur D. Take blood samples and use DNA evidence to determine a more complete phylogenetic tree E. Collect more data about the presence and absence of many more characters of both dolphins and ichthyosaur bones

D. Take blood samples and use DNA evidence to determine a more complete phylogenetic tree

Thomas Morgan found that when he crossed the F1 red-eyed heterozygote flies with each other, all the male progeny were white-eyed. What is the most likely explanation of this result? A. The gene responsible for eye color is on an autosome. B. Chemical factors secreted by males changed the color of the eye. C. Chemical factors secreted by males mutated the eye color gene. D. The gene responsible for eye color is on the X chromosome. E. The gene responsible for eye color is on the Y chromosome

D. The gene responsible for eye color is on the X chromosome

As a population geneticist, you find a species of snails with more genetic diversity than humans. What does this mean? A. The snails have more mutations occurring than humans. B. The snails have more DNA than humans. C. There is not enough information to answer the question. D. There is more variety in a gene pool of snails than a gene pool of humans. E. The snails have more genes on their chromosomes than humans

D. There is more variety in a gene pool of snails than a gene pool of humans.

What does the phrase "bacteria are multilingual" mean? (This question relates to the TED talk by Bonnie Bassler.) A. Vibrio fischeri collected in Hawaii use a different quorum sensing molecule than Vibrio fischeri collected in Japan. B. Bacteria produce only a single communication molecule, and that molecule is highly conserved C. Each individual bacterium makes a different signaling molecule, similar to the way different mammals make different scents. D. They make molecules that are specific to their own species that allow them to communicate with members of their own species, but also make a generic molecule that allows them to communicate with members of other bacterial species

D. They make molecules that are specific to their own species that allow them to communicate with members of their own species, but also make a generic molecule that allows them to communicate with members of other bacterial species

In New Mexico, large expanses of black lava create patches of unique habitat. If, in every generation, selection favors the darkest colored pocket mice in those habitats because they are best hidden from predators, this would be an example of: A. heterozygote advantage. B. disruptional selection. C. balancing selection. D. directional selection. E. stabilizing selection

D. directional selection

You are studying two traits in fruit flies: Eye color where there are two colors, brown and red, and wing shape where there are straight and curled phenotypes. You mate two flies that are heterozygous for the genes that control both of these traits and get the following phenotypes in the following ratio: 9 red and straight; 3 red and curled; 3 brown and straight; 1 brown and curled. Considering these traits, which alleles separated at which stages of meiosis? A. red segregated from brown in meiosis II, and straight segregated from curled in meiosis I B. red segregated from brown in meiosis II, and straight segregated from curled in meiosis II C. red segregated from brown in meiosis I, and straight segregated from curled in meiosis II D. red segregated from brown in meiosis I, and straight segregated from curled in meiosis I E. red segregated from straight in meiosis I, and brown segregated from curled in meiosis II

D. red segregated from brown in meiosis I, and straight segregated from curled in meiosis I

Both Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace acknowledged the influence of the economist Thomas Malthus in the development of their ideas about natural selection. Specifically, Malthus' ideas about geometric population growth implied that: A. organisms should have as many offspring as possible. B. only the largest and strongest individuals would survive. C. organisms should have a few, very fit offspring who can compete for scarce resources. D. resources in every generation would be limited, so individuals in every generation would have to compete for those resources. E. all of the answer options are correct

D. resources in every generation would be limited, so individuals in every generation would have to compete for those resources

You are out walking on the Diag on a blisteringly cold January morning in Ann Arbor. On your walk to class, you see 25 dead sparrows. As you observe these dead birds you notice that they have very small body size. You also notice that the living sparrows you passed on your walk were all considerably larger than those that had perished during the hard freeze that occurred the night before. Larger birds are better able to survive freezing temperatures. In this case, the freeze acted directly on _____________ and you would predict that the average body size of the sparrow population on campus would ___________ in the next generation. The evolutionary process responsible for the changes in body size is __________________. A. genotypes / decrease / genetic drift B. genotypes / increase / genetic drift C. genotypes / stay the same / selection D. genes / increase / mutation E. phenotypes / increase / selection F. genes / increase / genetic drift G. phenotypes / increase / genetic drift H. alleles / increase / selection I. phenotypes / increase / gene flow

E. phenotypes / increase / selection

Ferrets are unable to withstand long periods of cold weather and must hibernate throughout much of the winter. Hibernating sites are in short supply, and ferrets only survive if they can find holes in trees that fit their body size. Very small tree holes are in short supply because they are generally colonized by stinging wasps that chase away ferrets. Very large tree holes are in short supply because they are colonized by snakes that eat ferrets. The limiting supply of tree holes should act as A. balancing selection on ferret body size B. directional selection on ferret body size C. disruptive selection on ferret body size D. sexual selection on ferret body size E. stabilizing selection on ferret body size

E. stabilizing selection on ferret body size

Choose one single BEST answer to complete this sentence. The frequency of recombination during meiosis is a function of: A. whether or not the genes are sex-linked; X chromosomes recombine much more frequently than do autosomes. B. the distance between genes: the closer the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them. C. the alleles on the genes; recombination happens less frequently among recessive alleles. D. whether or not the genes are sex-linked; Y chromosomes recombine much more frequently than do the autosomes. E. the distance between genes: the farther apart the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them

E. the distance between genes: the farther apart the genes are, the more frequent the recombination between them

The phrase "Modern Synthesis" refers to: A. All of the answer options are correct. B. the synthesis of Darwin's ideas about evolution with Malthus' ideas about population growth. C. the synthesis of Darwin's ideas about natural selection and modern DNA sequencing technology. D. the synthesis of Darwin's and Wallace's independently developed ideas about natural selection and adaptation. E. the synthesis of Darwin's ideas about natural selection and Mendelian genetics

E. the synthesis of Darwin's ideas about natural selection and Mendelian genetics

Which of the following is a characteristic of the evolution of new species, that is, speciation? (Hint: Read sections 22.3.1 & 22.3.2 before answering this.) A. When speciation results in 2 or more new species, the new species evolve changes in traits differently from each other B. Mutation generates differences between two newly formed sister species C. When speciation results in 2 or more new species, the new species are subject to genetic drift and natural selection D. Speciation is shown by a node in a phylogenetic tree E. New species evolve from ancestral species F. All of these answers show characteristics of the evolution of new species, that is, speciation

F. All of these answers show characteristics of the evolution of new species, that is, speciation