Evolution Test Review

Which of these is a factor in natural selection?

• Individuals of the same species compete with each other to survive

• All species are genetically diverse

• Individuals who are best suited to their environment produce more offspring

• All of these

The fossil record provides evidence that

• Fossils are impossible to date

• All species were formed at Earth's formation and have changed very little

• Fossilized species have no relation to modern species

• Older species gave rise to more recent species

Individuals who are more well adapted to surviving in their environment

• Decrease in the population over time

• Leave more offspring than those who are not well suited to their environment

• Leave fewer offspring than those who are not well suited to their environment

• All of these are correct

Fishermen begin to use nets that selectively catch only larger fish leaving smaller fish behind. What effect will this have on the fish population in the next 20 years?

• The average size of the fish will decrease significantly

• The average size of the fish will increase significantly

• The average size of the males will increase while the size of the females will decrease

• None of these

Rats have started to breed out of control taking over several ecosystems. In an effort to reduce the population of rats, a virus is introduced into their population. At first the virus reduces the rats numbers but over time their numbers increase again. What explains this?

• Young rats learned to avoid being infected

• The lifespan of the virus is too short to affect rats over a long period of time

• Natural selection favored rats who were resistant to the virus

• None of these

Two very similar lizard species are found living on opposite sides of a large canyon. Which of these statements best explains this?

• One lizard traveled across the canyon and started a new population on the other side

• One lizard traveled across the canyon and reproduced with a different population on the other side

• Members of the same lizard population were geographically seperated by the formation of the canyon

• None of these

A new species of bird was introduced to a shore where a population of red crabs lives. Over time, the thickness of the shells of red crabs in that area increases. What is the best explanation for this?

• Red crabs with thick shells attract more birds that eat them

• Red Crabs with thick shells grow in larger colonies than those with thinner shells

• Red Crabs with thick shells catch more food per day than those with thinner shells

• Red Crabs with thicker shells survive and reproduce more than those with thinner shells

Structures that are similar in different species because those species share a common ancestor are...

• Homologous

• Not homologous

• Not related

• Younger in origin

The process in which organism's who are more well suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce offspring is

• Natural selection

• Genetic principles

• Origin of species

• Trait mechanism

What are structures that have no apparent function and are remainders of an organism's evolutionary history?

• Not visible

• Young in origin

• Vestigial

• Useful to the organism