Taxonomy is best defined as the science of -

• describing the regulation of genes.

• studying microscopic life forms.

• developing new species via genetic engineering.

• classifying organisms based on characteristics.

The American lobster is (Homarus americanus) is most closely related to which of the following organism?

• Cape Lobster (Homarinus capensis)

• Common Lobster (Homarus gammarus)

• Patagonian Lobster (Thymops bursteini)

• Scarlett Clawed Lobster (Nephropsis atlantica)

Which of the following organisms from the table would be the most closely related?

• Desert Iguana & Box Turtle

• Chuckwalla & Bush Anole

• Box Turtle & Bush Anole

• Desert Iguana & Chuchwalla

Populations tend to produce more offspring than can survive based on the resources available in the ecosystem. When this occurs, the organisms most likely to acquire resources and survive are those members of the population with the -

• most mutations.

• most competition.

• fewest strengths.

• best adaptations.

When a gene increases an organism's ability to survive, and this organism goes on to reproduce more offspring with the same gene, what will eventually increase?

• the carrying capacity of the population

• the number of genes in the offspring

• the frequency of the gene in the population

• the number of mutations in the organism

Natural selection is the process that increases the frequency of beneficial alleles in a -

• tissue.

• cell.

• organism.

• population.

A plant population lives in a climate where rainfall is common. Over time, the entire plant population has become well adapted to these conditions. Which of the following would be the greatest threat to the entire population's survival?

• mutations producing new alleles

• a short period of increased rainfall

• a period of drought

• reduce numbers of herbivores

According to the diagram, which of the following pairs of insect groups likely share the most homologies?

• aphids and bees

• moths and mosquitos

• bees and wasps

• wasps and beetles

Based on the diagram, which pair of organisms most likely share the most recent common ancestor?

• wolf and bison

• wolf and horse

• bison and horse

• cannot be determined

The forelimbs of humans, birds, and porpoises have a wide variety of functions. WHich biological process is believed to have created the diversity of functions seen in these species?

• respiration

• natural selection

• biomagnification

• evolution