Evolution/ Ecology/ Genetics

Structures with the same parts have different functions; suggests that organisms share a common ancestry

• vestigial structures
• homologous structures
• adaptive radiation
• fossil

Examine the model of the carbon cycle. Carbon is transferred from one biotic component, the cow, to a second biotic component, the decomposers. Using the model, select the one method that carbon is NOT transferred from animals to decomposers.

• as carbon dioxide.

• as waste.

• in scraps of discarded food

• in dead carcasses

The graph shows the results of a famous biological experiment. In the experiment, Kettlewell believed that the peppered moth demonstrated how environmental pressures influence evolution. He studied two areas. Birmingham was a rural wood, with natural conditions. Dorset was an urban, industrial area. The moths use tree trunks to camouflage themselves against birds, which are their major predators. Natural gene variations produce a light form of the peppered moth, and a dark form, meaning that they are not equally visible.

Which of these statement is NOT supported by Kettlewell's data?

• Light moths had a survival advantage in forested Birmingham.

• Light moths had a survival disadvantage in industrial Dorset.

• Dark moths had a survival disadvantage in industrial Dorset.

• Dark moths had a survival disadvantage in forested Birmingham.

A scientist examines the embryos of a penguin, a duck, and a bat. She finds that the embryos of penguins and ducks develop in a similar way, whereas the embryos of a bat develop in a way that is different from penguins and ducks. Which statement BEST explains this observation?

• Bats experience more genetic mutations that do penguins and ducks and are likely to develop differently as a result of these random genetic changes.

• Penguin and duck embryos develop in a similar way since they both have similar ecological roles.

• Penguin and duck embryos develop in a more similar way due to the greater number of chromosomes present in these species.

• Penguins and ducks develop in a more similar way since their common ancestor is more recent than the common ancestor of penguins and bats or ducks and bats.

What law BEST explains why we would expect 75% of the offspring to have large teeth?

• Law of Segregation

• Law of Filial Generations

• Law of Dominance

• Law of Independent Assortment

Based on the data given, what is the BEST conclusion to be drawn?

• Over time, the amount of herbicide resistant plants increased due to an increase in farming.

• More weeds are killed today by herbicides than any other time in history.

• Herbicide is a natural mutagen, causing weeds to turn into super weeds.

• Over time, due to evolution by means of natural selection, resistant weeds survived, reproduced, and passed on their herbicide resistant genes.

Imagine a change in the iguana's habitat from dry land to aquatic. Based on the Generation I allelic frequencies, we can assume only a small percentage of iguanas had webbed feet and were able to survive. Over many generations, if their habitat remains aquatic, iguanas without webbed feet will disappear from this population.Predict what should happen to the allelic frequencies within the iguana population over time.

• A new species of iguana will evolve.

• The dominant and recessive alleles will eventually balance out.

• The dominant allele will eventually disappear from the gene pool.

• The recessive allele will begin to mask the effects of the dominant allele.

Consider this ecological pyramid found in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Ecological pyramids are diagrams that are used to show how much energy, the number of organisms, or how much biomass may be found at each trophic level of all the food webs of a community. Why are the autotrophs, in this case the algae, always placed at the base of the pyramid?

• Autotrophs are always the most numerous in any ecosystem.

• Autotrophs are the starting point of the carbon cycle in any ecosystem.

• Autotrophs are responsible for converting solar energy into usable chemical energy.

• Autotrophs work with saprophytes and detritivores to recycle energy into the food web.

Living things use many strategies for producing offspring, but most strategies fall neatly into the categories of either sexual or asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction involves a single parent. It results in offspring that are genetically identical to each other and to the parent. All prokaryotes and some eukaryotes reproduce this way. Sexual reproduction involves two parents. During sexual reproduction, parents produce reproductive cells, called gametes, that unite to form an offspring. Gametes are haploid cells. This means they contain only half the number of chromosomes found in other cells of the organism. The chromosomes sort randomly during the process of meiosis, each gamete receiving half the chromosomes from each parent. Gametes are united during the process of fertilization.

Either type of reproduction will result in the continuation of a species, but one method results in genetic variation as well. Which of these is NOT a reason why sexual reproduction better serves survival of the fittest and evolution of a species.

• Sexual reproduction increases the likelihood that a mutation might take place in an organism's DNA.

• Sexual reproduction may reduce the chances of inheriting a genetically inherited disease of condition.

• Random assortment of chromosomes increases genetic variation. An organisms may get traits that aid in survival.

• Genetic variation may aid in removing undesirable traits or weakness from a population and therefore aids in natural selection.

Consider the graphic of the divergence of one founder species into many additional bird species. This speciation resulted in

• convergent evolution that resulted in a variety of lineages.

• biodiversity due to anatomy and available food resources.

• the survival of mutated individuals within the original population.

• extinction of individuals in the population who died due to starvation.