Transcript Evolution Review

Evolution Review
AP Biology
During a study session about evolution, one of
your fellow students remarks, "The giraffe
stretched its neck while reaching for higher
leaves; its offspring inherited longer necks as a
result." Which statement is most likely to be
helpful in correcting this student's misconception?
a. Characteristics acquired during an organism's
life are generally not passed on through genes.
b. Spontaneous mutations can result in the
appearance of new traits.
c. Only favorable adaptations have survival value.
d. Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual
disappearance.
e. Overproduction of offspring leads to a struggle
for survival.
In a hypothetical environment, fishes called pikecichlids are visual predators of algae-eating fish (i.e.,
they locate their prey by sight). If a population of
algae-eaters experiences predation pressure from
pike-cichlids, which of the following should least
likely be observed in the algae-eater population over
the course of many generations?
a. Selection for drab coloration of the algae-eaters
b. Selection for nocturnal algae-eaters (active only at
night)
c. Selection for larger female algae-eaters, bearing
broods composed of more, and larger, young
d. Selection for algae-eaters that become sexually
mature at smaller overall body sizes
e. Selection for algae-eaters that are faster swimmers
Of the following anatomical structures, which is
homologous to the wing of a bird?
a. Dorsal fin of a shark
b. Hindlimb of a kangaroo
c. Wing of a butterfly
d. Tail fin of a flying fish
e. Flipper of a cetacean
Which of the following statements most detracts
from the claim that the human appendix is a
completely vestigial organ?
a. The appendix can be surgically removed with
no immediate ill effects.
b. The appendix might have been larger in fossil
hominids.
c. The appendix has a substantial amount of
defensive lymphatic tissue.
d. Individuals with a larger-than-average
appendix leave fewer offspring than those with a
below-average-sized appendix.
e. In a million years, the human species might
completely lack an appendix
The upper forelimbs of humans and bats have fairly
similar skeletal structures, whereas the
corresponding bones in whales have very different
shapes and proportions. However, genetic data
suggest that all three kinds of organisms diverged
from a common ancestor at about the same time.
Which of the following is the most likely explanation
for these data?
a. Humans and bats evolved by natural selection, and
whales evolved by Lamarckian mechanisms.
b. Forelimb evolution was adaptive in people and
bats, but not in whales.
c. Natural selection in an aquatic environment
resulted in significant changes to whale forelimb
anatomy.
d. Genes mutate faster in whales than in humans or
bats.
e. Whales are not properly classified as mammals.
DNA sequences in many human genes are very
similar to the sequences of corresponding genes in
chimpanzees. The most likely explanation for this
result is that
a. humans and chimpanzees share a relatively
recent common ancestor.
b. humans evolved from chimpanzees.
c. chimpanzees evolved from humans.
d. convergent evolution led to the DNA
similarities.
e. humans and chimpanzees are not closely
related.
Which of these variables is likely to undergo the
largest change in value as the result of a mutation
that introduces a brand-new allele into a
population's gene pool at a locus that had
formerly been fixed?
a. Average heterozygosity
b. Nucleotide variability
c. Geographic variability
d. Average number of loci
Each of the following has a better chance of
influencing gene frequencies in small populations
than in large populations, but which one most
consistently requires a small population as a
precondition for its occurrence?
a. Mutation
b. Non-random mating
c. Genetic drift
d. Natural selection
e. Gene flow
Which is a true statement concerning genetic
variation?
a. It is created by the direct action of natural
selection.
b. It arises in response to changes in the
environment.
c. It must be present in a population before
natural selection can act upon the population.
d. It tends to be reduced by the processes involved
when diploid organisms produce gametes.
e. A population that has a higher average
heterozygosity has less genetic variation than one
with a larger average heterozygosity.
In a Hardy-Weinberg population with two alleles,
A and a, that are in equilibrium, the frequency of
allele a is 0.1. What is the percentage of the
population that is heterozygous for this allele?
a. 90
b. 81
c. 49
d. 18
e. 10
In the year 2500, five male space colonists and five
female space colonists (all unrelated to each other)
settle on an uninhabited Earthlike planet in the
Andromeda galaxy. The colonists and their
offspring randomly mate for generations. All ten
of the original colonists had free earlobes, and two
were heterozygous for that trait. The allele for free
earlobes is dominant to the allele for attached
earlobes.
If one assumes that Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
applies to the population of colonists on this
planet, about how many people will have attached
earlobes when the planet's population reaches
10,000?
a. 100 b. 400 c. 800 d. 1,000 e. 10,000
You are studying three populations of birds.
Population A has ten birds, of which one is brown
(a recessive trait) and nine are red. Population B
has 100 birds, of which ten are brown. Population
C has 30 birds, and three of them are brown.
In which population would it be least likely that
an accident would significantly alter the frequency
of the brown allele?
a. Population A.
b. Population B.
c. Population C.
d. They are all the same.
Over time, the movement of people on Earth has
steadily increased. This has altered the course of
human evolution by increasing
a. non-random mating.
b. geographic isolation.
c. genetic drift.
d. mutations.
e. gene flow.
Arrange the following from most general (i.e.,
most inclusive) to most specific (i.e., least
inclusive):
1. Natural selection
2. Microevolution
3. Intrasexual selection
4. Evolution
5. Sexual selection
a. 4, 1, 2, 3, 5
b. 4, 2, 1, 3, 5
c. 4, 2, 1, 5, 3
d. 1, 4, 2, 5, 3
e. 1, 2, 4, 5, 3
Adult male humans generally have deeper voices than
do adult female humans, as the direct result of higher
levels of testosterone causing growth of the larynx.
If the fossil records of apes and humans alike show a
trend toward decreasing larynx size in adult females,
and increasing larynx size in adult males, then
a. sexual dimorphism was developing over time in
these species.
b. intrasexual selection seems to have occurred.
c. the "good genes" hypothesis was refuted by these
data.
d. stabilizing selection was occurring in these species
concerning larynx size.
e. selection was acting more directly upon genotype
than upon phenotype.
Heterozygote advantage should be most closely
linked to which of the following?
a. sexual selection
b. stabilizing selection
c. random selection
d. directional selection
e. disruptive selection
In a very large population, a quantitative trait has
the following distribution pattern:
What is true of the trait whose frequency
distribution in a large population appears below?
It has probably undergone
a. directional selection.
b. stabilizing selection.
c. disruptive selection.
d. sexual selection.
e. random selection.
A proficient engineer can easily design skeletal structures
that are more functional than those currently found in the
forelimbs of such diverse mammals as horses, whales, and
bats. That the actual forelimbs of these mammals do not
seem to be optimally arranged is because
a. natural selection has not had sufficient time to create the
optimal design in each case, but will do so given enough
time.
b. natural selection operates in ways that are beyond the
capability of the human mind to comprehend.
c. in many cases, phenotype is not merely determined by
genotype, but by the environment as well.
d. though we may not consider the fit between the current
skeletal arrangements and their functions excellent, we
should not doubt that natural selection ultimately
produces the best design.
e. natural selection is generally limited to modifying
structures that were present in previous generations and
in previous species.
Several closely related frog species of the genus
Rana are found in the forests of the southeastern
United States. The species boundaries are
maintained by reproductive barriers. In each case,
match the various descriptions of frogs below with
the appropriate reproductive barrier listed.
Males of one species sing only when its predators
are absent; males of another species sing only
when its predators are present.
a. behavioral
b. gametic
c. habitat
d. temporal
e. mechanical
Several closely related frog species of the genus Rana
are found in the forests of the southeastern United
States. The species boundaries are maintained by
reproductive barriers. In each case, match the
various descriptions of frogs below with the
appropriate reproductive barrier listed.
One species mates at the season when daylight is
increasing from 13 hours to 13 hours, 15 minutes;
another species mates at the season when daylight is
increasing from 14 hours to 14 hours, 15 minutes.
a. behavioral
b. gametic
c. habitat
d. temporal
e. mechanical
A hybrid zone is properly defined as
a. an area where two closely related species'
ranges overlap.
b. an area where mating occurs between members
of two closely related species, producing viable
offspring.
c. a zone that features a gradual change in species
composition where two neighboring ecosystems
border each other.
d. a zone that includes the intermediate portion of
a cline.
e. an area where members of two closely related
species intermingle, but experience no gene flow.
According to the concept of punctuated
equilibrium, the "sudden" appearance of a new
species in the fossil record means that
a. the species is now extinct.
b. speciation occurred instantaneously.
c. speciation occurred in one generation.
d. speciation occurred rapidly in geologic time.
e. the species will consequently have a relatively
short existence, compared with other species.
Which of these five species is the
extant (i.e., not extinct) species that
is most closely related to species
X, and why is this so?
a. V; shared a common ancestor with X most
recently
b. W; shared a common ancestor with X most
recently
c. Y; arose in the same fashion (i.e., at the same
tempo) as X
d. Z; shared a common ancestor with X most
recently, and arose in the same fashion as X
In what way were conditions on the early Earth of
more than 3 billion years ago different from those
on today's Earth?
a. Only early Earth had water vapor in its
atmosphere.
b. Only early Earth was intensely bombarded by
large space debris.
c. Only early Earth had an oxidizing atmosphere.
d. Less ultraviolet radiation penetrated Earth's
early atmosphere.
e. Earth's early atmosphere had significant
quantities of ozone.
Which is a defining characteristic that all
protobionts had in common?
a. the ability to synthesize enzymes
b. a surrounding membrane or membrane-like
structure
c. RNA genes
d. a nucleus
e. the ability to replicate RNA
What probably accounts for the switch to DNAbased genetic systems during the evolution of life
on Earth?
a. DNA is chemically more stable and replicates
with fewer errors (mutations) than RNA.
b. Only DNA can replicate during cell division.
c. RNA is too involved with translation of proteins
and cannot provide multiple functions.
d. DNA forms the rod-shaped chromosomes
necessary for cell division.
e. Replication of RNA occurs too slowly.
If the half-life of carbon-14 is about 5,730 years,
then a fossil that has one-sixteenth the normal
proportion of carbon-14 to carbon-12 should be
about how many years old?
a. 1,400 b. 2,800 c. 11,200 d. 16,800 e. 22,400
What is thought to be the correct sequence of
these events, from earliest to most recent, in the
evolution of life on Earth?
1. origin of mitochondria
2. origin of multicellular eukaryotes
3. origin of chloroplasts
4. origin of cyanobacteria
5. origin of fungal-plant symbioses
a. 4, 3, 2, 1, 5
b. 4, 1, 2, 3, 5
c. 4, 1, 3, 2, 5
d. 4, 3, 1, 5, 2
e. 3, 4, 1, 2, 5
Which of these observations fails to support the
endosymbiotic theory for the origin of eukaryotic
cells?
a. the existence of structural and molecular
differences between the plasma membranes of
prokaryotes and the internal membranes of
mitochondria and chloroplasts
b. the existence of size differences between the
cytosolic ribosomes of eukaryotes and the
ribosomes within mitochondria and chloroplasts
c. the existence of size differences between some
prokaryotic cells and mitochondria
d. the existence of rRNA sequence differences
between the cytosolic ribosomes of eukaryotes and
the ribosomes within mitochondria and chloroplasts
A hypothetical mutation in a squirrel population
produces organisms with eight legs rather than
four. Further, these mutant squirrels survive,
successfully invade new habitats, and eventually
give rise to a new species. The initial event, giving
rise to extra legs, would be a good example of
a. punctuated equilibrium.
b. species selection.
c. habitat selection.
d. changes in homeotic genes.
e. allometry.
The existence of evolutionary trends, such as
increasing body sizes among horse species, is
evidence that
a. a larger volume-to-surface area ratio is
beneficial to all mammals.
b. an unseen guiding force is at work.
c. evolution always tends toward increased
complexity or increased size.
d. in particular environments, similar adaptations
can be beneficial in more than one species.
e. evolution generally progresses toward some
predetermined goal.
Fossil evidence indicates that several kinds of
flightless dinosaurs possessed feathers. If some of
these feather-bearing dinosaurs incubated clutches of
eggs in carefully constructed nests, this might be
evidence supporting the claim that
a. dinosaurs were as fully endothermal (warmblooded) as modern birds and mammals.
b. their feathers originally served as insulation, and
only later became flight surfaces.
c. the earliest reptiles could fly, and the feathers of
flightless dinosaurs were vestigial flight surfaces.
d. the feathers were plucked from the bodies of other
adults to provide nest-building materials.
e. all fossils with feathers are actually some kind of
bird.
Select the factor most likely to have caused the
animals and plants of India to differ greatly from
species in nearby Southeast Asia.
a. The species have become separated by
convergent evolution.
b. The climates of the two regions are similar.
c. India is in the process of separating from the
rest of Asia.
d. Life in India was wiped out by ancient volcanic
eruptions.
e. India was a separate continent until 55 million
years ago.
Which of these illustrates the correct
representation of the binomial scientific name for
the African lion?
a. Panthera leo
b. panthera leo
c. Panthera leo
d. Panthera Leo
e. Panthera leo
The common housefly belongs to all of the
following taxa. Assuming you had access to
textbooks or other scientific literature, knowing
which of the following should provide you with the
most specific information about the common
housefly?
a. order Diptera
b. family Muscidae
c. genus Musca
d. class Hexapoda
e. phylum Arthropoda
Which of the following pairs are the best examples
of homologous structures?
a. bat wing and human hand
b. owl wing and hornet wing
c. porcupine quill and cactus spine
d. bat forelimb and bird wing
e. Australian mole and North American mole
In angiosperm plants, flower morphology can be very
intricate. If a tree, such as a New Mexico locust, has
flowers that share many morphological intricacies
with flowers of the sweet pea vine, then the most
likely explanation for these floral similarities is the
same general explanation for the similarities between
the
a. dorsal fins of sharks and of dolphins.
b. reduced eyes of Australian moles and North
American moles.
c. scales on moth wings and the scales of fish skin.
d. cranial bones of humans and those of chimpanzees.
e. adaptations for flight in birds and adaptations for
flight in bats.
Which species are extinct?
a. A and E
b. A and B
c. C and D
d. D and E
A researcher compared the nucleotide
sequences of a homologous gene from
five different species of mammals
with the homologous human gene.
The sequence homology between each
species' version of the gene and the human gene is
presented as a percentage of similarity. What probably
explains the inclusion of rabbits in this research?
a. Their short generation time provides a ready source of
DNA.
b. They possess all of the shared derived characters as do
the other species listed.
c. They are the closest known relatives of rhesus monkeys.
d. They are the outgroup.
e. They are the most recent common ancestor of the
primates.
When it acts upon a gene, which of these processes
consequently makes that gene an accurate
molecular clock?
a. transcription
b. directional natural selection
c. mutation
d. proofreading
e. reverse transcription
The HIV genome's reliably high rate of change
permits it to serve as a molecular clock. Which of
these features is most responsible for this
genome's high rate of change?
a. the relatively low number of nucleotides in the
genome
b. the relatively small number of genes in the
genome
c. the genome's ability to insert itself into the
genome of the host
d. the lack of proofreading by the enzyme that
converts HIV's RNA genome into a DNA genome
The following questions refer
to the table below, which
compares the % sequence
homology of four different parts
(2 introns and 2 exons) of a gene that is found in five different
eukaryotic species. Each part is numbered to indicate its
distance from the promoter (e.g., Intron I is that closest to the
promoter). The data reported for Species A were obtained by
comparing DNA from one member of species A to another
member of Species A.
Which of these is the best explanation for the high degree of
sequence homology observed in Exon I among these five
species?
a. It is the most-upstream exon of this gene.
b. Due to alternative gene splicing, this exon is often treated as
an intron.
c. It codes for a polypeptide domain that has a crucial function.
d. These five species must actually constitute a single species.
e. This exon is rich in G-C base pairs; thus, is more stable.
The following questions refer
to the table below, which
compares the % sequence
homology of four different
Parts (2 introns and 2 exons) of a gene that is found in five
different eukaryotic species. Each part is numbered to
indicate its distance from the promoter (e.g., Intron I is that
closest to the promoter). The data reported for Species A
were obtained by comparing DNA from one member of
species A to another member of Species A.
Regarding these sequence homology data, the principle of
maximum parsimony would be applicable in
a. distinguishing introns from exons.
b. determining degree of sequence homology.
c. selecting appropriate genes for comparison among
species.
d. inferring evolutionary relatedness from the number of
sequence differences.
The following questions refer
to the table below, which
compares the % sequence
homology of four different parts
(2 introns and 2 exons) of a gene that is found in five
different eukaryotic species. Each part is numbered
to indicate its distance from the promoter (e.g., Intron
I is that closest to the promoter). The data reported
for Species A were obtained by comparing DNA from
one member of species A to another member of
Species A.
Which of these four gene parts should allow the
construction of the most accurate phylogenetic tree,
assuming that this is the only part of the gene that has
acted as a reliable molecular clock?
a. Intron I b. Exon I c. Intron VI d. Exon V
The following questions refer
to the table below, which
compares the % sequence
homology of four different parts
(2 introns and 2 exons) of a gene that is found in five different
eukaryotic species. Each part is numbered to indicate its
distance from the promoter (e.g., Intron I is that closest to the
promoter). The data reported for Species A were obtained by
comparing DNA from one member of species A to another
member of Species A.
Which of these is the best explanation for Intron I's relatively
high sequence homology among these five species?
a. It is the most-upstream of this gene's introns.
b. It was once an exon, but became intronic in the common
ancestor of these five species.
c. Due to alternative gene splicing, it is often treated as an exon
in these five species; as an exon, it codes for an important part of
a polypeptide.
d. It has a relatively high average rate of mutation.
an outcrop of sedimentary rock whose
strata are labeled A-D.
Which stratum should contain the greatest
proportion of extinct organisms?
an outcrop of sedimentary rock whose
strata are labeled A-D.
If "x" indicates the location of fossils of two
closely related species, then fossils of their mostrecent common ancestor are most likely to occur
in which stratum?
Blue light is that portion of the visible spectrum that
penetrates the deepest into bodies of water. Ultraviolet (UV)
light, though, can penetrate even deeper. A gene within a
population of marine fish that inhabits depths from 500 m
to 1,000 m has an allele for a
photopigment that is
sensitive to UV light,
and another allele for
a photopigment that is
sensitive to blue light.
Which graph below best
depicts the predicted
distribution of these
alleles if the fish that
carry these alleles prefer
to locate themselves where
they can see best?
When sufficient heat is applied, double-stranded
DNA denatures into two single-stranded molecules
as the heat breaks all of the hydrogen bonds. In an
experiment, molecules of single-stranded DNA
from species X are separately hybridized with
putatively homologous single-stranded DNA
molecules from five species (A-E). The hybridized
DNAs are then heated, and the temperature at
which complete denaturation occurs is recorded.
Based on the data below,
which species is probably
most closely related to
species X?
Typically, mutations that modify the active site of
an enzyme are more likely to be harmful than
mutations that affect other parts of the enzyme. A
hypothetical enzyme consists of four domains
(A—D), and the amino acid sequences of these
four domains have been determined in five related
species. Given the proportion of amino acid
homologies among the five species at each of the
four domains, which domain probably contains
the active site?
Which curve in the graph below best depicts the
way that mutation rate varies over time in a gene
that can serve as a reliable molecular clock?