Midterm Review 2024

Examine the diagram below. According to the theory represented by the diagram, the first organisms to inhabit Earth were [CHOICE 1].

• photosynthetic eukaryotes

• heterotrophic eukaryotes

• photosynthetic prokaryotes

Examine the figures below and answer the question that follows. What evidence is supported by the figures of homologous structures?

• A. A horse and a bird once shared a common ancestor.

• B. Whales and cats have the same function for the limbs shown above.

• C. Anatomically, all of the structures above show similarities.

• D. Anatomically, none of the structures above show similarities.

• E. Humans and cats have never shared a common ancestor.

Evolutionary biologists say that similarities between different species are evidence of which of the following?

• A. organs shrinking and losing their function

• B. formation of the first cell in an organic soup

• C. the presence of a common ancestor in a species

• D. the concept that life comes only from life

Examine the cladogram below. Which of the following is true about the cladogram?

• Bonobos are more closely related to orangutans than chimpanzees.

• Gorillas do not share any characteristics with bonobos.

• Gorillas are more closely related to orangutans than bonobos.

• Chimpanzees do not share any characteristics with gibbons.

What inference can be made about bonobos using your answer from Part A?

• Bonobos have developed to be smaller than chimpanzees.

• Gibbons have developed characteristics not found in bonobos.

• Bonobos do not share any evolutionary relationships with the organisms shown in the cladogram.

• Gorillas and bonobos do not share a common ancestor.

Which of the following explains why antibiotic resistance of certain bacteria is a strong example of natural selection?

• It shows how a population of organisms can simply grow parts as they become necessary when the environmental factors change.

• It shows that some creatures have the ability to make intentional changes to their genome in order to better survive harsh conditions.

• It shows how organisms mutate in order to survive when demands are increased and food is not readily available for consumption.

• It shows how less suitable traits are reduced in a population, while more suitable traits survive and thrive in a population.

Which of the following is supported by the data?

• The best beak size for survival is approximately 9-10 mm.

• The best beak size for survival is 7.8 mm.

• Beak size does not have an impact on the population of these finches.

• Smaller beaks contribute to higher population numbers.

Based on the answer to Part A, which inference can be made? Food supplies on Daphne Island ________.

• require small beaks to catch insects in small places

• are varied, requiring medium-sized beaks to accommodate eating multiple sources

• are made up of mostly large seeds, requiring very large and strong breaks

• do not play a role in the type of beak successful finches have

A population change in white (fur) mice has occurred over a period of time. Many decades passed in order for the phenotype (brown fur) to become the genetic makeup of the population. Which statements explain possible reasons for why this change occurred? [Select THREE choices]

• A. A single mutation quickly resulted in the loss of the white-colored population.

• B. Predators could easily see the white mice, so that population was less fit to survive in the environment.

• C. Sexual reproduction led to an increase in the color variety of mice over the period of time.

• D. Darker mice were more fit to survive in the environment, so less were killed by predators and more were able to pass the dark genes to their offspring.

• E. The original population of mice contained enough genetic variation to allow natural selection to occur over time.

Genetic variation describes naturally occurring genetic differences among individuals of the same species. This variation permits flexibility and survival of a population in the face of changing environmental circumstances. Also, there can be random fluctuations in the number of alleles in a population creating a change in the relative allele frequency known as ____________.

• A.

  population bottleneck

• B.

  genetic drift

• C.

  nonrandom mating

• D.

  speciation