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Multiple Choice Review – Evolution

1. There are approximately 8.7 million species living on Earth. What constitutes a single species?

a. Organisms that live in the same area and that compete with each other.

b. Organisms that have the same adaptations and that compete with each other.

c. Organisms that can produce viable offspring, whether or not they live in the same environment.

d. Organisms that have exactly the same alleles, and produce either viable or sterile offspring.

2. Traits which benefit an organism in its environment are referred to as adaptations. Which of the following is accurate regarding adaptations?

a. They are entirely the result of genetics.b. They are the result of genetics and environment.c. They can all change within a single organism’s lifetime.d. They occur only when a new species arises.

3. The theory of acquired characteristics can be attributed toa. Charles Darwinb. Jean-Baptiste Lamarckc. Gregor Mendeld. Both Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin

4. Which of the following is accurate regarding the impact of the environment upon the inheritance of traits?

a. Environmental factors can regulate the expression of traits.b. Environmental factors can change the inheritance of traits.c. Environmental factors cannot affect the expression of traits.d. The only factor that impacts traits or their expression are genes.

5. During Darwin’s travels and investigations while aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, he noted that there were distinct variations in the beaks of finches. What was his hypothesis regarding these differences?

a. The differences were due to changes in behaviors of the finches.b. The differences were because they arrived as separate species.c. The differences were the result of acquired characteristics, based on

each finch species food source.d. The differences were due to changes over time, based on each finch

species food source.

www.njctl.org PSI Biology Evolution

6. The images below represent the wing of a butterfly and the wing of a bird. How does these structures relate to one another?

a. They are analogous to one another.b. They are homologous to one another.c. They are vestigial to one another.d. The are identical to one another

7. Some organisms have structures or organs that seem to serve no useful purpose. For example, humans have a tailbone at the end of the spine that is of no apparent use. However, the tailbone of a possum, and some monkeys, is more fully structured and has a definite purpose. What conclusion is supported by this?

a. Possums and monkeys are more closely related to each other than to humans.

b. Possums, monkeys and humans have a common ancestor.c. Monkeys and humans do not share a common ancestor.d. These analogous structures do not support any evolutionary

relationship.

8. The image below represents one area of study within evolution. What is this area of study?

a. Vestigial structuresb. Comparative anatomyc. Comparative embryologyd. Comparative mutations


9. What is the connection between apoptosis and evolution?a. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, which allows for reabsorption of

structures not found in a fully developed organism, as well as the development of some traits and structures, revealed during evolutionary studies.

b. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, which results in the addition of structures that can sometimes be confusing during evolutionary studies.

c. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, which results in the death of an organism that is not viable within the environmental surroundings, leading to the loss of species.

d. Apoptosis is programmed cell death, which allows for mutations to be carried forward that may well results in a new species, discovered through evolutionary studies.

10. What characteristic of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) allows it to play a strong role in evolutionary studies?

a. The genetic code for ribosomal RNA contains numerous introns, therefore we can utilize alternative RNA splicing to track and study evolutionary relationships.

b. rRNA mutates frequently, therefore we can utilize these changes to track and study evolutionary relationships.

c. rRNA is found throughout the cell, therefore we can utilize its concentration within the cell to track and study evolutionary relationships.

d. rRNA mutates very rarely, therefore we can utilize its consistency to track and study evolutionary relationships.

11. What is meant by “molecular homology”?a. Studying relationships between organisms at the molecular level.b. Studying similarities between organisms in utero.c. Studying similarities in the functions of related structures between

species.d. Comparing and contrasting the functions of different enzymes within

a species.


There are two graphs shown below that represent some ways in which natural selection affects populations. Respond to the next three questions based upon these graphs.

Graph 1 Graph 2

12. There are snails that show variation in the color of their shells. Over time, those snails with very light shells and those with very dark shells become more numerous. Which of the graphs above reflect this type of selection process and what is this called?

a. Graph 1; directional selectionb. Graph 1; disruptive selectionc. Graph 2; directional selectiond. Graph 2; stabilizing selection

13. There are rabbits that show variations in size, from very small to large, when full grown. Over time, however, the population changes so that the variation in size becomes very minimal. Which graph reflects this change and what is this called?

a. Graph 1; directional selectionb. Graph 1; disruptive selectionc. Graph 2; directional selectiond. Graph 2; stabilizing selection


14. Which of the two graphs shown above, would most likely (given the proper circumstances) give rise to two different species over time, and why?

a. Graph 1, because once organisms differ greatly in one trait they are a new species.

b. Graph 2, because those with variations will have to become a new species

c. Graph 1, because there are two distinct separate groups with this traitd. Graph 2 because once a population has one variation of a trait,

mutations will cause a new species.

15. Below is a graph showing when mating activity occurs for both wood frogs and leopard frogs. This is an example of which type of reproductive isolation, that may lead to speciation?

http://ib-bioplans.wikispaces.com/Species+and+Speciation+(D2)?newwindow=true

a. temporalb. geographicc. mechanicald. behavioral

16. Bowerbirds (shown below) construct elaborate bowers and decorate them with different colors in order to woo females. The Satin bowerbird (left) builds a channel between upright sticks, and decorates with bright blue objects, while the MacGregor’s Bowerbird (right) builds a tall tower of

sticks and decorates with bits of charcoal. This is an example of which type of reproductive isolation, that may lead to speciation?

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_44



17. Suppose a river forms through a squirrel’s habitat separating the population. Because they cannot cross the river, they are reproductively isolated. This is an example of which isolating mechanism?


18. The study of population genetics refers to the examination of which of the following?

a. The occurrence of dominant and recessive genes in a variety of species.

b. The occurrence of mutations within one species throughout the world.

c. The frequency of alleles and how they change within a population over time.

d. The frequency of mutations when different species attempt to reproduce.

19. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium measures microevolution. What is microevolution?

a. How evolution is occurring on a small scale.b. How co-evolution between species is occurring.c. Which type of reproductive isolation is occurring.d. How many mutations are occurring on a small scale.

In a population of 16 pigs, 4 express the recessive phenotype of a black coat. The remaining 12 pigs are pink.

20. Using the population described above and the Hardy-Weinberg equation, what is the frequency of the recessive allele?

a. 0.75b. 0.125c. 0.25d. 0.50

21. Using the population described above and the Hardy-Weinberg equation, what is the frequency of the dominant allele?

a. 0.75b. 0.125c. 0.25d. 0.50


22. Using the population described above and the Hardy-Weinberg equation, what percentage of the population is heterozygous for coat color?

a. 75%b. 12.5%c. 25%d. 50%

23. What does the “q2” in the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium represent?a. The frequency of the recessive allele within the populationb. The frequency of the dominant allele within the populationc. The frequency of the heterozygous condition within the populationd. The frequency of the homozygous condition within the population

24. What does it mean if p and q change from generation to generation when we utilize the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium equation?

a. Evolution is occurringb. Evolution is not occurringc. Population is in Hardy Weinberg Equilibriumd. Population is going extinct

25. Using the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium equation, if p2 is 81% what are the percentage values of q2 and 2pq?

a. q2 = 1% and 2pq = 18%b. q2 = 9% and 2pq = 10%c. q2 = 10% and 2pq = 90%d. q2 = 0.1% and 2pq = 0.18%

26. Approximately what percentage of a population is heterozygous if 16% of the population is homozygous recessive?

a. 32%b. 4% c. 16%d. 48%

27. If the conditions under which Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium cannot be experienced in nature, then why is this equilibrium equation used in biology?

a. The Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium has been disproved because of this fact.

b. The Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium equation cannot be used outside of the lab because of this inability to meet the conditions in nature.

c. It is the comparison of values over time, using the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium equation, that allows us to study such microevolution

d. It is the comparison of values from the Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium equation and other associated equations that show us macroevolution.


28. Genetic drift is most likely under which conditions?a. very large populationsb. when a small group of individuals populate a new areac. when populations are stable with little migrationd. in population with low mutation rates

29. The bottleneck effect occurs when a very large proportion of a population is killed off suddenly. The population faces the risk of becoming extinct. Why is this?

a. With only a few individuals remaining, there is great genetic variation.b. With a large population remaining, there is great genetic variation.c. With only a few individuals remaining, there is little genetic variation.d. With a large population remaining, there is little genetic variation

30. When a population of animals, such as many of those kept in zoos today, experiences genetic drift, what may be the only source remaining for genetic variation?

a. In-breedingb. artificial selectionc. random mutationsd. forced mutations

31. Darwin’s finches originally occupied the South American mainland. When a group of these finches populated the Galapagos Islands, competition for food occurred between individuals in the population. Over time, the subgroups of these finches adapted to different food sources, resulting in a variety of finches with differing beak sizes and shapes. Which type of evolution is described within this example?

a. Stabilizing selectionb. Convergent evolutionc. Punctuated equilibriumd. Adaptive radiation

32. Quite often we see organisms that have similar characteristics, not because they have arisen from a common ancestor, but because they have adapted to similar environments. Which type of evolution is this?

a. Divergent evolutionb. Convergent evolutionc. Punctuated equilibriumd. Genetic drift


33. When an environment changes such that the extreme phenotypes, and therefore, genotypes, of a population are selected for, evolution occurs and new species may be formed. Which type of evolution is this?

a. Divergent evolutionb. Convergent evolutionc. Co-evolutiond. Adaptive radiation

34. Which of the following does not lead to a decrease in genetic variability? a. bottleneckb. founder effectc. small populationsd. large populations

35. When a species, either plant or animal, must rely upon random mutations to generate enough genetic variation to survive, what is the main drawback?

a. The rate of random mutations is typically high.b. The rate of random mutations of typically low.c. The rate of random mutations is higher in larger populations.d. The rate of random mutations is lower in larger populations.

36. What is a likely result if an endangered species, that has experienced genetic drift, is subject to a sudden and dramatic degradation of its habitat?

a. It may respond with increased mutations.b. It may reproduce with a similar species.c. It may become extinct.d. It may experience sudden explosive growth.

37. Vestigial structures can be described as:a. Structures that had a purpose in an ancestral organism, but not in the

evolved organism.b. Structures that never had a purpose in this or ancestral organisms.c. Structures that have atrophied in an individual because they have not

been used much in their lifetime.d. Structures that have grown larger in an organism due to overuse.

38. Biogeography is thea. Local geography where an organism livesb. Geographical distribution of a speciesc. Geographical distribution of a communityd. Local geography features in a given biome

39. Which of the following is an example of mechanical isolation between two closely related species?

a. Females responding to the song of the male of only one species.b. The same species of organism being separated by geography


c. Incompatibility in structure of the male and female sex organsd. Two species can mate but offspring is sterile

40. Evolution leads toa. Greater diversity in life on earthb. Limited diversity in life on earthc. More extinctions of organismsd. A larger total number of organisms on earth.


Answer Key

Question # Correct response Question # Correct response

1 C 21 D

2 B 22 D

3 B 23 D

4 A 24 A

5 D 25 A

6 A 26 D

7 B 27 C

8 C 28 B

9 A 29 C

10 D 30 C

11 A 31 D

12 B 32 B

13 D 33 A

14 C 34 D

15 A 35 B

16 D 36 C

17 B 37 A

18 C 38 B

19 A 39 C

20 D 40 A


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