Evolution

The graphs illustrate change in a lizard population over time. Which process most likely led to the change in the lizard population?

• natural selection for a trait that is beneficial to lizards

• natural selection acting against a trait that is beneficial to lizards

• artificial selection for a trait that is beneficial to lizards

• artificial selection against a trait that is beneficial to lizards

Lamarck and Darwin both agreed that organisms change over time and the process is linked to:

• Genetics

• Environmental conditions

• Use and disuse of a feature

• Natural selection

Tail length in mice varies within a population. Scientists observed change in the distribution of tail lengths in a mouse population over time. At the genetic level, what has most likely happened to the allele for the shortest tail lengths?

• The allele changed from being dominant to being recessive.

• The allele changed from being autosomal to being sex-linked.

• The allele for shorter tail length was less beneficial for the mice.

• The allele began to code for long tail lengths instead of the shorter ones.

In North America, the eastern spotted skunk mates in late winter, and the western spotted skunk mates in late summer. Even though their geographic ranges overlap, the species do not mate with each other. What most likely prevents these two species from interbreeding?

• gametic isolation

• behavioral isolation

• geographic isolation

• temporal isolation

A mutation occurs in the genes that code for coat color in deer. Which change will most likely result from this mutation?

• a change in the selection pressures acting on coat color

• a change in the coat-color genes of deer predator species

• an increase in coat-color diversity in the population

• a decrease in the number of genes for coat color in the population

The skeletons of mammalian forelimbs represent variations of a structure. An analysis of DNA from these organisms would indicate that _____________________.

• they have identical DNA

• their nucleotide sequences show many similarities

• they all have gill slits

• they all have the same number of chromosomes

Type of isolating mechanism: Species of birds have elaborate courtship dances, and females select the best dancers as mates.

• behavioral isolation

• geographical isolation

• temporal isolation

Type of isolating mechanism: Varieties of oak tree produce pollen during different seasons, so they can’t pollinate one another.

• behavioral isolation

• geographical isolation

• temporal isolation

Type of isolating mechanism: Herds of caribou misinterpret each other’s mating behavior, so they fight instead of mate

• behavioral isolation

• geographical isolation

• temporal isolation

Type of isolating mechanism: Populations of the same species of seal live on islands too far apart to swim between them for mating.

• behavioral isolation

• geographical isolation

• temporal isolation