Biology 11A Chapter 21 - Module Questions

Why is it that some organisms do not appear to be perfectly adapted to their environment?

Because natural selection can only work on the variation present in a population.

What type of evidence for evolution is provided by fossils?

Direct

True or false: Even though humans have used artificial selection for centuries, only animals have been significantly modified by our efforts.

False

Which of the following statements about marsupials in Australia is true?

For many types of placental mammals found throughout the world, there is a strikingly similar marsupial mammal in Australia.

How did Bernard Kettlewell test Tutt's hypothesis about peppered moths?

He released marked dark and light moths in polluted and unpolluted woods and determined their survival.

Which of the following best distinguishes vestigial from homologous structures?

Homologous structures are functional, while vestigial structures have no function.

Match the different types of anatomical evidence for evolution to an example.

Homology - Vertebrate forelimbs Vertebrate forelimbs Embryonic Development - Lanugo Vestigial Structures - human coccyx

Review the following list of processes that can alter the genetic make up of a population. Which one is considered by scientists to be primarily responsible for evolution?

Natural selection

The primary process responsible for evolution is _____ _____ .

Natural selection

What is the preferred food of the Galápagos medium ground finch?

Small, tender seeds

What types of species are most likely to be able to disperse to an island (choose all that apply)?

Species that fly Species that drift Species that float

In the laboratory setting, selection for a trait in fruit flies

has consistently lead to a strong, predictable evolutionary response

One of the best studied examples of evolutionary change is that of the _____ family. This family includes zebras and donkeys, among other animals.

horse

The primary difference between natural and artificial selection is

how the parents are chosen (by humans or because of their reproductive success)

Starting in 1850 when Europe become industrialized, the frequency of melanic forms of the peppered moth in populations ______ until they made up ______ of some population.

increased; almost 100%

The phenomenon, where dark forms of moths become more prevalent than light forms in industrialized areas, is known as _____ _____.

industiral melanism

In certain areas of the world, populations of moths have been shown to change over the years with dark forms becoming more abundant than light forms; this phenomenon is called

industrial melanism

Even though there are gaps in the fossil record, some of the most direct evidence for evolution comes from fossils called ______ fossils that illustrate how certain major transformations in life forms occurred. Select all that apply.

intermediate transitional

Which of the following are reasons why island trees belong to plant families that typically do not have tree members (for example the sunflower family)?

The tree niche is empty and so a flower can evolve through natural selection to be tree-like Tree seeds rarely make it to isolated islands

Today, fossils have been found that link

all major groups of vertebrates

Structures that have evolved separately but look very similar exhibit _____ evolution; in contrast, structures that evolved through modification from a common ancestral trait are _____ structures.

convergent homologous

Economically important organisms that have been modified significantly through artificial selection include

corn cattle pigs

Darwin noted that _____ communities are often missing plants and animals typically found on continents.

island

The observation that the relative frequencies of melanic to light peppered moths changes with the color of tree bark provides support for

natural selection

Varieties of which of the following organisms are the result of artificial selection?

pigeons corn dogs cats

As a result of convergent evolution, many marsupial mammals of Australia look similar to _____ mammals found elsewhere and occupy a similar ecological niche.

placental

Fast swimming marine predators such as dolphins, sharks, and tuna, have a body _____ shape that minimizes _____ in the water.

streamlined friction

Prior to 1850, the melanic form of the peppered moth in Europe was:

very rare

The evolution of members of the horse family is

well-documented by the fossil record.

The medium ground finch of the Galápagos islands feeds on small seeds, produced in abundance during _____ years.

wet, rainy

Which of the following is the most direct evidence for evolution?

Fossils

Some species, for example, frogs, are very sensitive to saltwater and therefore have almost no chance of island colonization. Why is saltwater so harmful to these animals?

It causes those animals to dehydrate.

Which of the following provide evidence that natural selection occurs in peppered moths?

Melanic moths become more abundant than light forms in polluted areas. Light moths become more abundant than melanic forms when clean air legislation is implemented.

Match the type of rock dating with its description. Instructions

Relative Dating - Rocks are dated based on their position Absolute dating - Rocks are dated based on changes in their isotopic composition

How has rock and fossil dating changed since Darwin's times?

Relative dating was used in the past; today we use absolute dating.

Which of the following is true about transitional fossils (choose all that apply)?

They illustrate how major transitions in life occurred. They help to fill in the gap in the fossil record between two separate groups.

How has the fossil record changed since Darwin?

Today the fossil record is far more complete.

How are traits produced by convergent evolution different from homologies?

Traits produced by convergent evolution have not evolved from a common ancestral trait, while homologies have.

True or false: Natural selection does not always produce perfectly working adaptations, because it can only work on the genetic variation present in a population.

True

In _____ selection, humans choose the parents of the next generation, while in _____ selection, organisms that survive and reproduce are those that pass their genes on.

artificial natural

The great variety of breeds of cats, dogs and other domestic animals have arisen through

artificial selection

One of the most important features of Galapagos finches is that the shape of their _____ is related to their _____ habits.

beak, bills eating, diet, feeding

Bernard Kettlewell tested Tutt's hypothesis on peppered moths by releasing _____ numbers of dark and light individuals into two sets of woods, and then recapturing and counting the dark and light individuals that _____ in each of the woods.

equal survive, remained

In all cases when scientists have performed artificial selection experiments on fruit flies, a strong and predictable _____ response has been observed.

evolutionary

Structures that are derived from a common ancestor but with different appearance and function are called _____ structures, while _____ structures refers to structures that have little or no function but were functional in an ancestor.

homologous vestigial

The forelimbs of vertebrates are an example of _____ structures, while the human appendix is an example of a _____ structure.

homologous vestigial

Galapagos finches with powerful thick beaks typically eat large

seeds

Fossils that contain characteristics of two separate groups of organisms are called _____ fossils.

transitional or intermediate