TOPIC 14 DAY 1 EARLY IDEAS ABOUT EVOLUTION

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?

• If the giraffes did not have to compete with each other, longer necks would not have been passed on to the next generation.

• Disuse of an organ may lead to its eventual disappearance.

• Characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes.

• Spontaneous mutations can result in the appearance of new traits.

Answer explanation

Remember that two bodybuilders cannot have a child with big muscles. The characteristics acquired during an organism's life are generally not passed on through genes.

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Darwin's finches originally inhabited the South American mainland. When a group of these finches colonized the Galapagos Islands, competition for food occurred among individuals in the population. Over time, the subgroups of these finches adapted to different food sources, resulting in a variety of finches with different beak sizes and shapes.

Which type of evolution is described in this example?

• Coevolution

• Convergent evolution

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Adaptive radiation (divergent evolution)

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Often, we see organisms with similar characteristics, not because they share a common ancestor, but because they have adapted to similar environments or functions.

What type of evolution is this?

• Divergent evolution

• Convergent evolution

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Coevolution

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Some scientists suggest that the mass extinction of dinosaurs was caused by sudden global weather changes resulting from the impact of an asteroid on Earth. This event likely promoted the evolution of new animal species. Which concept is best supported by these ideas?

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Coevolution

• Gradualism

• Convergent evolution

In the diagram, B, C, and D represent organisms that exist in the present time and show a striking similarity to each other in their bone structure. What does letter A most likely represent in this diagram?

• Convergent evolution

• A common ancestor

• An acquired characteristic

• Coevolution

Some scientists suggest that the evolution of new species comes about from the slow accumulation of changes over a long period of time.

Which concept is best supported by these ideas?

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Coevolution

• Gradualism

• Convergent evolution