Biology Unit 9 Test Review - Evolution

A bird species with all white feathers that was bred in captivity at the Central Florida Zoo produced offspring that have light blue feathers with dark linear designs. This mutation of feather color is most likely a -

• natural process that produces genetic diversity

• response to an increase in available sunlight

• variation that occurred due to extreme temperature changes

• result of decreased pigment in response to the food the birds received

Recombination of genetic material often in new varieties of plants. When can genetically altered traits be passed on to future generations?

• when modified DNA is present in germ cells

• when genetically manipulated DNA is in somatic cells

• when environment conditions favor the expression of new genes

• when a plant completes its entire life cycle in one growing season

Two species of sunflowers grow on either side of a mountain. For a while, the two sunflower populations evolve separately. With the climatic changes, an animal population crosses from one side of the mountain chain to the other, bringing some sunflower pollen with it. This movement is called -

• gene flow

• genetic drift

• mutation

• artificial selection

The land tortoise has a large, rounded shell and strong, stump-like legs that allow it to be successful on land. What structural adaptations does a sea turtle possess that make it successful in a marine ecosystem?

• thicker, more rounded shell, and shorter legs

• flattened shell and flipper-like legs

• flexible shell and long claws on feet

• absence of a shell and non-retractable legs.

A male firefly tries to mate with a female firefly, but she does not recognize his ritual dance and is not interested. What is the term for this?

• geographical isolation

• behavioral isolation

• inherited variation

• sympatric speciation

Geographical isolation as a barrier for groups of organisms is determined by -

• the ability of organisms to move freely

• the fitness of the organism in its new environment

• the success of the population to compete for resources

• the size of the new habitats

What genetic change allow organisms to survive natural selection in their environments?

• adaptations

• acquired traits

• analogies

• learned behaviors

Which of the following best describes the possible result of natural selection?

• changes in the acquired characteristics of a species

• unfavorable changes in a population

• immediate changes in an individual in a population

• changes in the inherited characteristics of a population

Some organisms, such as frogs and fish, produce an abundance of offspring. One possible explanation for this is -

• their offspring hibernate in a safe place until they reach adulthood

• they have developed the ability to reproduce every few days

• they lay eggs only in underground areas to prevent access of their offspring to predators

• to ensure the survival of a larger number of their offspring

Which of the following is an example of a heritable characteristic possessed by an animal that will improve its reproductive potential and survivability in its environment?

• position of geese flying in V formation

• color and shape camouflage of preying mantis

• muscle atrophy in aging dogs

• male dominance in a pack of wolves