Evolution Quiz 1 A
Natural selection
A change in the allele frequency of a population due to individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.
Sexual Selection
A change in the allele frequency of a population due to individuals with certain inherited characteristics are more likely than other individuals to obtain mates.
Population
A group of organisms living in the same habitat that belong to the same species.
species
A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
can mate with one another and produce fertile offspring
A species is a group of similar organisms that a. can mate with one another and produce fertile offspring. b. can live together on an island. c. can migrate to an island from the mainland. d. all have exactly the same traits.
fossil
A trace of an ancient organism that has been preserved in rock
adaptation
A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce is called a(an) a. variation b. adaptation c. speciation d. allele
Which type of fossil dating gives and estimated date?
Absolute dating
the inheritance of adaptations that maximize fitness
According to Darwin's theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment. Their survival is due to the a. possession of adaptations developed through use. b. the inheritance of adaptations that maximize fitness. c. lack of competition within the species. d. choices made by plant and animal breeders.
ancestors
According to the theory of evolution, all organisms alive today evolved from earlier organisms called a. fossils b. ancestors c. embryos d. populations
Fossil Record
All the fossils throughout the history of the Earth that are used as evidence of evolution.
Common Ancestor
An ancestral species from which later species evolved
evolution
Change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms.
reproduction
Charles Darwin realized that the measure of success for an organism was not only a long period of survival but also successful a. speciation b. reproduction c. selection d. gene flow
Extinct
Describes a species that no longer has any living members.
Relative Dating
Determining whether an object or event is older or younger than other objects or events
variation
Difference among members of a species.
variations
Differences between members of the same speicies are called a. predators b. selections c. traits d. variations
artificial selection
Domesticated rats, the variety you can purchase at a pet store, come in a wide range of color and coat patterns. Many of these coat variations are rarely, if ever, seen in nature. Their presence in the pet store is the result of A. natural selection B. artificial selection C. geographic distribution D. sexual selection
Gene Pool
For an event to be considered an instance of evolution, changes have to occur in the __________________ of a population.
artificial selection
For centuries, dog breeders have chosen to breed particular dogs to pass on, or even enhance, desirable traits. This is an example of A. sexual selection B. artificial selection C. speciation D. natural selection
absolute dating
How do scientists determine the actual estimated age of fossils? a. relative dating. b. absolute dating. c. sedimentary dating. d. mold and cast dating.
Which type of fossil dating can only tell us if a fossil is older or younger than another fossil?
Relative dating
evoloved from a common ancestor
Scientists in the field of embryology study organisms during their early stages of development. The similarities in embryos is evidence that the organisms a. are not related. b. evolved from different ancestors. c. have exactly the same DNA. d. evolved from a common ancestor.
evolution
The gradual change in a species over time is called. a. mutation b. evolution c. migration d. variation
Habitat
The place where a population lives.
It will not survive to reproduce
What is most likely to happen to a species that is not suited to its environment? a.It will survive and produce many offspring b.it will get bored and leave c.it will not survive to reproduce d.it will change all its previous behaviors
can no longer interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Two populations of similar organisms will be considered separate species when they A. occupy different niches B. become extinct C. look different D. can no longer interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Molecular Clock
Uses mutation rates in DNA to estimate the time that two species have been evolving independently.
spines, thick stems to store water
What are some examples of adaptations that plants have for life in a desert?
wide leaves, fast growing stems
What are some examples of adaptations that plants have for life in a tropical rainforest?
Imprints, molds, casts, trace fossils, preserved remains,
What is an example of a fossil?
stone tools and weapons, pottery, jewelry, buttons, metal tools and weapons
What is an example of an artifact?
artifacts are made by humans and fossils are the remains of ancient living things
What is the difference between an artifact and a fossil?
Mutation
change in a DNA sequence that affects genetic information; ultimate source of genetic variation
Helpful traits accumulate among surviving members of the species
How does natural selection lead to evolution? a. Stronger offspring kill weaker members of the species. b. Helpful traits accumulate among surviving members of the species. c. Overproduction provides food for stronger members of the species. d. Environmental changes kill weaker members of the species.
whether the mutation makes some lizards more fit for their environment than other lizards
If a mutation introduces a new skin color in a lizard population, which factor might determine whether the frequency of the new allele will increase? a. how many other alleles are present b. whether the mutation makes some lizards more fit for their environment than other lizards c. how many phenotypes the population has d. whether the mutation was caused by nature or by human intervention
gene frequency
In order for evolution to occur the population's __________________ must change.
suitability for its environment
In the phrase "Survival of the Fittest" the term "Fittest" refers to the organism's A. suitability for its environment B. brain size C. physical strength and speed D. number of genes
Adaptation
Inherited characteristic of a species that develops over time in response to an environmental factor, enabling the species to survive.
Gene flow
Movement of alleles into or out of a population due to the migration of individuals to or from the population
It is not inherited through genes
People have gotten used to living in all kinds of climates. Why isn't this an example of an adaptation?
Absolute Dating
Process used to date materials (fossils) by measuring the amount of radioactive materials present.
Genetic Drift
The change in gene frequencies of a population due to random events like habitat destruction that cause populations to become very small
natural selection
The change in gene frequencies of a population due to survival of the fittest
Biogeography
The study of where organisms live now and where they and their ancestors lived in the past
over many generations bacteria that are naturally resitant to antibiotics have become more numerous
The use of antibiotics over the last sixty-five years has resulted in a drastic increase in populations of bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics. The most probable cause of this change in bacterial populations is that A. over many generations bacteria that are naturally resistant to antiobiotics have become more numerous. B. genetic engineering has released "super bugs" that cannot be killed by antibiotics. C. the bacteria needed to develop resistance to antibiotics in order to survive.
Genetic Variation
The variety of different types of genes in a species or population.
only traits that are controlled by genes can be acted on by natural selection
What is the role of genes in evolution? a. Only genes can be acted on by natural selection. b. Parents with recessive genes die from overproduction. c. The genes of most surviving parents have only dominant alleles. d. Only traits that are controlled by genes can be acted on by natural selection.
a population
What is the smallest unit that can evolve?
members of the population that have the best adaptations survive best and produce the most offspring
What is ultimately responsible for the evolution of new adaptations in a species?
aquatic (ocean)
What kind of habitat did the fossils in this picture live in?
Each is adapted for a different food source
What might be a good reason that each of these birds have different beak types?
the water dried up or was covered by sediment
What occured to the habitat between layers 5 and 7?
artificial selection
When a dairy farmer chooses to breed the cows that give the most milk in the herd, the farmers are following the principle of a. acquired characteristics. b. descent with modification. c. artificial selection. d. natural selection.
4
Which fossil is the oldest?
1
Which fossil is the youngest?
a. differential reproductive success based on inherited characteristics
Which of the following best defines natural selection? a. differential reproductive success based on inherited characteristics b. inheritance of acquired characteristics change in response to need c. a process of constant improvement, leading eventually to perfection
Charles Darwin
Which scientists is given credit for the theory of evolution?
Homologous Structures
Which term refers to similar structures that related species have inherited from a common ancestor? a. DNA sequences b. Vestigial Structures c. Homologous Structures d. Embryology
natural selection
Which term refers to the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce? a. natural selection b. overproduction c. competition d. variation
Their adaptations are still useful in their current habitat.
Why haven't horseshoe crabs evolved many new adaptations in the last 445 million years?
If a population is 100% the same, the processes that cause evolution would have no effect.
Why is genetic variation important in the process of evolution?
It shows that living things today are similar to things that lived in the past
Why is the fossil record evidence of evolution?
It would not help them camouflage or would not help them survive.
Why wouldn't brown fur be considered an adaptation for life in the snowy arctic?
Speciation
is the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise.