ap classroom

Which of the following is closest to the frequency of the MC1RD��1�� allele in the Tule Mountain population?

0.03

Which of the following best predicts how phylogenetic relationships might be revised if transposon 1 was not found in chimpanzees?

Chimpanzees would be more closely related to humans than to bonobos.

Which of the following data could best support the claim that species B arose from a speciation event in Lake I?

DNA analysis shows fewer differences between species A and species B in Lake II than between species B and the populations in Lake IIII.

Which of the following best describes the processes occurring between the mouse populations and their environments?

Dark color is selected for in mice from the West, Mid, and East populations.

Which of the following best explains how the ecological conditions are likely to be different in the two models?

In model A the ecological conditions change gradually over a long period of time; in model B the ecological conditions remain unchanged for long periods of time and then change drastically.

Which of the following experiments would specifically determine which gene is responsible for ceftazidime-avibactam sensitivity in P. aeruginosa ?

Perform gene knockout (targeted mutation) of either the hmgAℎ���, galU����, or mexXY����� gene on separate cultures of the wild-type P. aeruginosa. For each individual mutant, determine whether or not ceftazidime-avibactam resistance has occurred.

Which of the following mechanisms could most likely account for the origin of species BB in Lake II?

Sympatric speciation

Based on the data in Table 1, which of the following best describes the relationship between the MC1R��1� gene and coat color in the Carrizozo, New Mexico, rock pocket mouse population? Responses

The MC1RD��1�� allele is not responsible for dark coat color in the Carrizozo population, so the dark coat color is likely a result of convergent evolution.

The island was surveyed again in 2015, and scientists determined that the giant kangaroo rats originally in population A are now to be considered as a new species. Which of the following best explains the mechanism that caused this speciation event in the giant kangaroo rats of population A? Responses

The animals in population A were reproductively isolated from those in populations B, C, and D.

Which of the following best explains why the population is not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

The presence of MC1Rd��1�� alleles in the East lava flow population is an indication of gene flow from mice populations living on light granite rocks.

Many scientists claim that the synthesis of the first organic molecules from inorganic precursors was possible because of the highly reducing atmosphere found on primitive Earth. Which of the following is an appropriate null hypothesis that could be used when investigating the claim?

The synthesis of organic molecules from inorganic molecules is possible under current atmospheric oxygen levels as well as those found on primitive Earth.

In addition to the ABOABO blood groups, humans have an MNMN blood type system in which the M� and N� alleles are codominant to one another. A group of scientists found that in one population the frequency of the M� allele was 0.82, and the frequency of the N� allele was 0.18. Assuming that the population is in Hardy‑Weinberg equilibrium, which of the following is the expected frequency of individuals with the genotype MN��?

0.295

Which of the following best explains the relationship between coat color and predation rate in the rock pocket mouse population on the lava flow rocks with respect to the different coat color phenotypes?

A dark coat color provides camouflage to mice on the lava flow rocks; therefore, mice with dark coats have a lower predation rate in that habitat.

A scientist wishes to provide experimental evidence to support the model shown in Figure 1 by demonstrating the ability to synthesize an RNARNA molecule. Which of the following is an alternative hypothesis that can be tested to support the RNARNA World Hypothesis?

A mixture of ribonucleotides such as adenine and uracil will spontaneously form single-stranded chains of RNA

One of the oldest known mammalian fossils belongs to a small furry species, Hadrocodium wui, that lived 195 million years ago. For the following 100 million years, only a small number of groups of mammalian fossils are found in the fossil record. By 65 million years ago, the nonavian dinosaurs were extinct. By 55 million years ago, there were 130 mammal genera, including 4,000 different species that occupied a wide variety of habitats. Which of the following best describes the cause of the rapid increase in the number of mammalian species between 65 and 55 million years ago?

After the dinosaur extinction, many ecological niches became available, leading to the adaptive radiation of mammals.

Catalase is a protein enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)(H2O2) into water and oxygen gas in the cells of many living organisms. Students used an online database, which used the structure of catalase from different species, to generate the phylogenetic tree shown in Figure 1. Which of the following student claims is best supported by the data provided?

Cattle and sheep are separated by only one node, and they are separated from the other organisms by more than one node.

Based on the information provided in the figure, which of the following best describes how membrane-bound organelles provided unique evolutionary advantages to the last eukaryotic common ancestor?

Cells with mitochondria were able to utilize metabolic energy more efficiently.

Paleoclimatic analysis has generated a claim that there is a possible correlation between an extinction event around 29 million years ago that allowed grasslands to become abundant and the adaptive radiation of several groups of butterflies. Which of the following proposes the best alternative hypothesis for the claim?

Climate analysis conducted by sampling pollen preserved in amber shows an increase in grass pollen 29 million years ago, which indicates there was an increase in grasslands that correlates to an increase in butterfly speciation during the same time period.

Of the following, which is the best next step for the researchers to best determine the long-term effectiveness of these insecticides with regards to the development of resistance?

Continue treating the three insect populations with the same insecticides and determine whether their efficiencies decline significantly after several generations.

Based on the phylogenetic relationships shown in Figure 1, which of the following best explains the similarities exhibited by whales, bony fishes, and cartilaginous fishes?

Convergent evolution, because these organisms do not share a recent common ancestor.

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium that can infect a wide range of host species, including humans. S. aureus has a particular protein that binds with hemoglobin from the host organism. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein used to transport oxygen in the blood. Since iron is important for growth, S. aureus have evolved the ability to absorb the iron from the host's hemoglobin. Different S. aureus strains preferentially infect different hosts and have different amino acid sequences at their hemoglobin-binding domains (Table 1; letters indicate different amino acids). In an experiment, different S. aureus strains were mixed with hemoglobin from macaque monkeys and their binding ability was measured (Figure 1). The differences in amino acid sequences contributed to the differential binding abilities observed.

Culture S. aureus bacteria with hemoglobin from a novel host species as the only source of iron for many generations, then compare protein structure from bacteria in this culture with bacteria from the original culture.

Some researchers claim that the decrease in plant species richness of this woodlot is unrelated to human activities over the last forty years. Which of the following would be an appropriate alternative hypothesis? Responses

During the last few decades, tall buildings have been built around the woodlot, and species 3, 4, and 5 are shade‑intolerant plants

Finch beak depth was measured before and after a severe drought in 1977. The averaged results are shown in Figure 1. After the drought, there were fewer seeds available for the finches to eat and the seeds that did remain were larger and harder to crack open. Researchers claim that when large, hard seeds are the predominate food source, the average beak depth of these finches tends to increase in subsequent generations. Using the evidence provided, which of the following best justifies the researchers' claim?

Finch beak depth increased as a consequence of selective pressure after the drought because the remaining seeds were larger and harder.

If geologic events lead to a series of new mountain ranges that divide the plateau into several discrete valleys, which of the following best describes how the L. clathratus population would be affected?

Geographic isolation will create separate gene pools, leading to speciation over time.

Low doses of antibiotics are often added to livestock feed to increase production. Studies have shown that bacterial populations constantly exposed to the sublethal doses can evolve resistance to the antibiotics. A research group claimed that when a population of bacteria are constantly exposed to sublethal doses of streptomycin, their fitness declines due to the increased energy requirements for survival in the presence of the antibiotic. For subsequent studies, the researchers wish to determine whether adding a low, sublethal dose of an additional antibiotic causes further decline in the fitness of the bacteria. Which of the following best represents the next step the researchers should take with respect to experimental design?

Group 1: low dose of streptomycin ++ no dose of additional antibioticGroup 2: low dose of streptomycin ++ low dose of additional antibiotic

The peppered moth, Biston betularia was generally white in color with black speckles. Over time a more solid black moth became the more common variety. Which of the following best explains the relationship between wing pigmentation and the coloration of a moth's surroundings?

If the surroundings of the peppered moth became darker, those backgrounds conferred a selective advantage to a black variety, as described by natural selection.

Rock pocket mice live in the deserts of the American southwest. Ancestral pocket mice all had light-colored coats that blended in with the region's rocks and sandy soil, keeping the mice hidden from predatory owls. About 1.7 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions spewed out wide trails of black lava into the middle of rock pocket mouse territory. Currently there are two color morphs of rock pocket mice: light-colored mice that are typically found in habitats with sandy soil, and dark-colored mice that are typically found in habitats with dark-colored lava rocks. Which of the following best justifies the claim that alleles that may be adaptive in one type of environment can be deleterious in another because of different selective pressures?

Light-colored mice are significantly more susceptible to predation by owls in habitats with lava rocks than in habitats with sandy soil.

Mollusk fossils were excavated and collected from a coastal cliff. Scientists studying the fossils observed patterns of changing shell shape in the mollusks. The scientists identified a period of stability or stasis, followed by rapid change, and then stasis again with regard to shell shape. Which of the following statements best predicts the result of a comparison between the fossils found before and after the period of rapid change?

Most of the species found in the first static period will be absent in the second static period.

Students created a model showing one possible mechanism for speciation in which a geographic barrier separated one large population into two smaller populations, A and B. Over time, populations A and B developed into two distinct species. The model is shown in Figure 1. Which of the following best describes what occurred during the periods indicated by the arrows?

Natural selection acted on variation that was present in both populations A and B, and the lack of gene flow eventually led to the formation of two new species.

Because cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, experienced a bottleneck event about ten thousand years ago, living cheetahs exhibit very little genetic variation compared to other living species of large cats. Which of the following principles best justifies a claim that cheetahs, compared to other large cats, have a relatively low resilience to environmental perturbations? Responses

Populations with little genetic diversity are less likely to contain individuals that can withstand different selective pressures.

A scientist is attempting to provide support for the hypothesis that RNARNA was the first genetic material. Which of the following would be a workable alternate hypothesis?

RNA can be observed to self-replicate without the assistance of proteins, while DNA always requires protein-based enzymes to replicate.

In a particular region, a species of lizard lives in the lowlands. Even though there are numerous mountains in the region, the climate on the mountains is too cold for the lizards to survive. Scientists are concerned that the lowlands will become much warmer by the end of the twenty-first century and will become unsuitable for this lowland lizard species. Which of the following best predicts the impact on the lizard species if there is a gradual increase in the average temperatures found in both the lowlands and mountains in this region?

Some lizards will migrate to new habitats in the mountains and become isolated, leading to allopatric speciation.

**amino acid differences of a conserved protein compared with a fifth fossil specimen Which of the specimens indicated in the table is the oldest?

Specimen 4

Commercial bananas are grown as a monoculture, with all banana plants cloned from one original banana plant. The commercial strains of bananas are seedless, so each new banana plant has to be manually planted from a cutting of an existing banana root. In the 1950s, the Gros Michel banana strain, the dominant export banana at that time, was destroyed by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum. A new Fusarium resistant variety, the Cavendish banana, was developed and is currently the banana strain grown for export. Recently, a Fusarium strain that successfully attacks the Cavendish strain has been documented. Which of the following best provides reasoning supporting a method that would help protect commercial banana crops from infection by pathogenic organisms such as Fusarium fungi?

The commercial banana strains should not be grown in monocultures, since many pathogenic organisms are able to evolve rapidly in response to a single selective pressure. The commercial banana strains should not be grown in monocultures, since many pathogenic organisms are able to evolve rapidly in response to a single selective pressure.

Female European corn borer moths (Ostrinia nubilalis) produce the sex pheromone 11−11−tetradecenyl acetate (11−TDA11−TDA), which attracts males of their species. 11−TDA11−TDA can be produced in two forms, EE and ZZ, each with a different three-dimensional shape. Researchers have discovered two different strains of the European corn borer moth living in the same area. Females of the EE strain produce primarily the EE form of 11−TDA11−TDA and females of the ZZ strain produce primarily the ZZ form of 11−TDA11−TDA. Males of both strains are more attracted to the form of 11−TDA11−TDA produced by the females of the same strain. Which of the following best predicts a long-term effect of the differences between the EE and ZZ strains?

The difference between the forms of the sex pheromone 11−TDA11−TDA produced by EE and ZZ strains will act as a prezygotic reproductive barrier leading to sympatric speciation.

The researchers built an enclosure to prevent migration into and out of the O'Neill rock pocket mouse population for a period of two years. Which of the following best predicts the effect of the enclosure on the O'Neill population?

The frequency of the MC1RD��1�� allele will decline due to natural selection.

A small number of lizards from a mainland population have been deposited on four isolated islands because of the effects of a rare strong storm. Which of the following best predicts the outcome of these lizards reproducing for many generations on the islands?

The isolation prevents gene flow; thus, the lizards on different islands experience prezygotic isolation.

Some plant species flower in response to increasing daily temperatures in the spring. Many of these species rely on pollinators that migrate based on changes in day length and the position of the Sun. The current global warming trend is placing new selective pressures on the species involved in these relationships. Which of the following best explains the impact of these new selective pressures on the organisms involved? Responses

The plant species will flower earlier in the spring in response to rising temperatures before the arrival of the pollinators, so seeds will not be produced.

Dr. Robert Hazen has worked to develop a hypothesis that explains the origin of life on Earth. His work has focused on hydrothermal vents, which are cracks in the ocean floor. Water heated by molten rock beneath the crust escapes from these vents at very high temperatures, producing hot, high‑pressure environments at the vents on the ocean floor. In order to provide evidence that these vents may be areas where life originated, which of the following states a null hypothesis Hazen might have used to begin his research?

The temperatures and pressures found in hydrothermal vents resemble conditions described in currently accepted origins of life hypotheses.

Scientists want to determine whether the rapid economic growth in China between 1950 and 2000 caused a mass extinction of animal species during that time period. A mass extinction event is considered to occur when the rate of species extinction far exceeds the background extinction rate. The scientists collected data on the number of extinctions of selected vertebrate species in China between 1950 and 2000, as shown in Table 1. Extinction rates were ascertained by measuring the average percent of species lost (PSL)(PSL). Which of the following is the null hypothesis most relevant for evaluating the data in Table 1 ?

There is no significant difference between the extinction rate of animals between 1950 and 2000 in China and the background extinction rate.

Which organism would the researchers most likely predict to be the most distantly related to eukaryotes?

organism I

Scientists claim that some of the populations in Marion County are at an increased risk of decline or extinction. Based on the data in table 1, which of the following best provides evidence to support this claim?

the M4M4 and M5M5 populations have the lowest genetic diversity of all populations.