DC Biology Chapter 19 Descent with Modification

Which of the following statements best describes theories?

• They are nearly the same things as hypotheses.
• They are supported by, and make sense of, many observations.
• They cannot be tested because the described events occurred only once.
• They are predictions of future events.

Catastrophism, meaning the regular occurrence of geological or meteorological disturbances (catastrophes), was Cuvier's attempt to explain the existence of

• evolution.
• the fossil record.
• uniformitarianism.
• the origin of new species.
• natural selection.

With what other idea of his time was Cuvier's theory of catastrophism most in conflict?

• gradualism
• the fixity of species
• island biogeography
• uniformitarianism
• the scala naturae

What was the prevailing belief prior to the time of Lyell and Darwin?

• Earth is a few thousand years old, and populations are unchanging.
• Earth is a few thousand years old, and populations gradually change.
• Earth is millions of years old, and populations rapidly change.
• Earth is millions of years old, and populations are unchanging.
• Earth is millions of years old, and populations gradually change.

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?

• Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes.
• Spontaneous mutations can result in the appearance of new traits.
• Only favorable adaptations have survival value.
• Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual disappearance.
• If the giraffes did not have to compete with each other, longer necks would not have been passed on to the next generation.

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Which of the following is the most accurate summary of Cuvier's consideration of fossils found in the vicinity of Paris?

• extinction of species yes; evolution of new species yes
• extinction of species no; evolution of new species yes
• extinction of species yes; evolution of new species no
• extinction of species no; evolution of new species yes

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Charles Darwin was the first person to propose

• that evolution occurs.
• a mechanism for how evolution occurs.
• that Earth is older than a few thousand years.
• a mechanism for evolution that was supported by evidence.
• that population growth can outpace the growth of food resources.

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Which of these conditions should completely prevent the occurrence of natural selection in a population over time?

• All variation between individuals is due only to environmental factors.
• The environment is changing at a relatively slow rate.
• The population size is large.
• The population lives in a habitat where there are no competing species present.

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Natural selection is based on all of the following except

• genetic variation exists within populations.
• the best-adapted individuals tend to leave the most offspring.
• individuals who survive longer tend to leave more offspring than those who die young.
• populations tend to produce more individuals than the environment can support.
• individuals adapt to their environments and, thereby, evolve.

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A biologist studied a population of squirrels for 15 years. During that time, the population was never fewer than 30 squirrels and never more than 45. Her data showed that over half of the squirrels born did not survive to reproduce, because of both competition for food and predation. In a single generation, 90% of the squirrels that were born lived to reproduce, and the population increased to 80. Which inference(s) about this population might be true?

• The amount of available food may have increased.
• The parental generation of squirrels developed better eyesight due to improved diet; the subsequent squirrel generation inherited better eyesight.
• The squirrels of subsequent generations should show greater levels of genetic variation than previous generations, because squirrels that would not have survived in the past will now survive.
• Three of the statements above are correct.
• Two of the statements above are correct.

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