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WorksheetsBiology SB6 Test
Total questions: 30
Worksheet time: 1hrs 18mins
The MOST accurate way to determine the evolutionary relationship between two animals is through the examination of
common behaviors.
similar physical features.
DNA or protein sequences of shared genes.
fossilized ancestors that they may have in common.
According to Darwin's theory of evolution, which organisms are BEST able to survive in nature?
those with the best camouflage and coloration
organisms that possess the greatest number of mutations
those that possess characteristics acquired during their lifetime
organisms that possess overall characteristics best suited to their environment
The wing of a bird and the leg of a horse are very different looking structures. Although they look different, bird wings and horse legs are very similar in the arrangement of the bones that make up the limb. Which term is used by scientists to describe structures that look different on the outside but are actually similar in construction and develop from the same embryonic tissues?
common descent
analogous structures
vestigial structures
homologous structures
Which of these pairs of body structures BEST illustrates a homologous relationship?
the leg of a horse and the leg of a dog
the wing of a bat and the wing of a bird
the fin of a dolphin and the fin of a shark
the beak of a bird and the beak of a turtle
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?
Penguin and duck embryos develop in a similar way since they both have similar ecological roles.
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.
Penguin and duck embryos develop in a more similar way due to the greater number of chromosomes present in these species.
Bats experience more genetic mutations that do penguins and ducks and are likely to develop differently as a result of these random genetic changes.
Based on the molecular data, which species is most closely related to humans?
Lemur catta (lemur)
Hylobates lar (gibbon)
Gorilla gorilla (gorilla)
Macaca mulatta (Rhesus monkey)
The phylogenetic tree illustrates the relationship between humans and our closest living relatives. The tree was based on biochemical comparisons, including DNA and amino acid sequences. According to the biomolecular data, we COULD infer that
the four organisms do not have a common ancestor.
humans are more closely related to chimps than any other apes.
chimps are more closely related to gorillas than they are to humans.
there is no evidence if any relationship between the four branches on the tree.
What conclusion would be MOST appropriate about the genetic variation between humans and the three apes as illustrated by the phylogenetic tree?
Genetic variation between all four organisms is non-existent.
The genetic variation between all four organisms is about the same.
The genetic variation between humans and orangutans is the greatest.
Humans branched off from the other three animals due to great genetic variations.
New species develop when
diverging species no longer recognize one another as potential mates.
diverging species mate exclusively.
diverging species mate with multiple members of the other species.
diverging species recognize many potential mates among both species.
Consider the graphic of the divergence of one founder species into many additional bird species. This speciation resulted in
biodiversity due to anatomy and available food resources.
convergent evolution that resulted in a variety of lineages.
the survival of mutated individuals within the original population.
extinction of individuals in the population who died due to starvation.
Consider the graphic of the moths. Although not the peppered species, they are spotted and show variation in coloration. Note the ancestral moth species. Predict a situation where the ancestral species diverges into two additional species, now resulting in three, rather than one moth species in the area.
Mutations in the moth DNA resulted in variation. Overtime, those mutations were passed to offspring. Different species evolved over time.
The environment changed over time. Some moths were able to survive the changes; others were not. Eventually, the ancestral species became extinct and two surviving species replaced it.
Variation in the ancestral species existed. Depending on the habitat, certain coloration variations provided better camouflage to escape predation. Over time, different species evolved.
Variation in the ancestral species existed. Depending on the habitat, different food resources were available. The anatomy of the moths varied and some were able to eat the food available; other were not. Over time, different species evolved.
Which of these processes is a nearly universal energy-releasing metabolic process that indicates common ancestry for all life on earth?
Glycolysis
Photosynthesis
Chemosynthesis
Aerobic cellular respiration
Which of these cellular structures would be found in all living cells across all domains on earth and can indicate common ancestry?
Chloroplasts
Cilia
Mitochondria
Ribosomes
A model of the theory of endosymbiosis is shown here. It is an explanation for the presence of chloroplasts and mitochondria as organelles that might have had an origin as free-living prokaryotic cells at one time. Evaluate each statement below and select the ones that accurately describe how evolution and endosymbiosis gave rise to life on Earth as we know it today. Choose the three (3) that BEST apply.
Endosymbiosis provided a benefit for the engulfed prokaryote and the host cell that engulfed them.
The energy provided by the photosynthetic or aerobic bacteria allowed for greater success of the host cell.
Only cells that were able to perform endosymbiosis and become eukaryotic were provided a mechanism to survive.
Endosymbiosis was a directed process as eukaryotic cells needed additional organelles for energy and metabolism.
Cells that engulfed photosynthetic or aerobic bacteria had a survival advantage and we able to reproduce more successfully, leading to their evolution and proliferation.
A dog, a human, and an ant all use their legs for locomotion. Which statement(s) below accurately characterize the evolutionary relationship between these species? Select the three (3) that BEST apply.
Legs are homologous between the human and the dog, but vestigial in the ant.
Legs are homologous between the human and the dog, but analogous in the ant.
Humans and dogs have a more recent common ancestor than the dog and the ant.
The ant is the common ancestor for the human and the dog since it evolved walking legs earliest.
DNA sequence comparisons for the human and the dog will show greater homology than between the dog and the ant.
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, graphed here?
Dark moths had a survival disadvantage in industrial Dorset.
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 forested Birmingham.
Which situation is a good illustration of a biologically resistant species?
A mule, despite being the product of two different species (a horse and a donkey).
A staph bacteria in a hospital that is not killed by penicillin or several other antibiotics.
An alligator. Alligators still survive, despite being dated by fossils to the time of dinosaurs.
A species of African cichlid fish, which is thought to have rapidly evolved, along with 500 other similar species.
The foundation for biological evolution or descent through modification is
changes in gene frequency in a population occur from one generation to the next.
mutation, migration, genetic drift, and natural selection cause biological evolution.
all living things are made of one or more cells.
organisms adapt to changes in their environment.
DDT is a synthetic compound commonly used as an insecticide. It was used to control mosquito species that commonly spread diseases like malaria. The data show the percent resistance for three species of mosquitoes over three decades. What explains the trend seen in the data?
Genetic drift resulted in the random deaths of non-resistant insects, leaving only resistant mosquitoes to breed.
Artificial selection favored genotypes that were bred by humans to maintain the desired traits in the mosquito populations.
Gene flow between the three species increased the genetic diversity of the populations, resulting in more DDT-resistant species over time.
Natural selection favored resistant members of the species, which survived and reproduced at a greater frequency than non-resistant mosquitoes.
Florida orange growers often have hundreds of trees in their orchard, similar to those shown here. Florida temperatures can be mostly tropical or temperate. However, even areas of southern Florida can be exposed to freezing temperatures in the winter. Suppose that an extreme frost affected an area where the orange orchard is growing. Predict the impacts of this event on the orange trees. Select the three (3) that BEST apply.
The trees will undergo mutations that enable them to survive harsher and colder winters in the future.
This could result in a population bottleneck, where few trees survive, resulting in lowered genetic diversity.
The trees will undergo artificial selection which results in only trees that are better adapted to freezing temperatures.
Trees with the ability to survive the freezing temperatures will reproduce and create offspring with similar genetic makeup.
The trees in the orchard may all be of similar genetic origin, resulting in a common tolerance or susceptibility to the freezing weather.
Charles Darwin was credited for writing the biological theory of __________________. The organisms that were used for the basis of his studies were ___________________.
evolution by natural selection, sweet peas
inheritance by independent assortment, sweet peas
evolution by natural selection, Galapagos finches
inheritance by independent assortment, Galapagos finches
The idea that species evolve at a slow constant rate is called
gradualism
convergence
punctuated equilibrium
adaptive radiation
According to Darwin's theory of evolution, which organisms are BEST able to survive in nature?
those with the best camouflage and coloration
organisms that possess the greatest number of mutations
those that possess characteristics acquired during their lifetime
organisms that possess overall characteristics best suited to their environment
A mountain separates a population of mice into two distinct eastern and western populations. The eastern area is inhabited by owls, which hunt at night. No owls live in the western area. Over time, the eastern population of mice will MOST LIKELY
become more active at night.
remain identical with the western population.
change over time and become less active at night.
grow stronger claws and teeth to better fight the owls.
A population of large cats live in a mountainous region. A small portion of the population becomes separated and isolated from the main group for thousands of years. The two populations are now identified as two different species. Which statement BEST describes this relationship?
Differentiation occurred as the cats were separated.
The two species have adapted after years of competition.
Speciation occurred as the cats were separated.
The two species merged into a common ancestor.
A population of bacteria is treated with an antibiotic. Because of variation in the population of bacteria, what is a possible outcome of the treatment?
The population will increase rapidly.
All of the bacteria will be resistant to the antibiotic.
The population will be better able to obtain a food source.
Some of the bacteria may be resistant to the antibiotic and survive.
Farmer Fran sprays her sugarcane field with a highly effective pesticide called 'Bayou Bug Blast'. For five years the pesticide works without a hitch, effectively killing almost all of the bayou weevils trying to eat Farmer Fran's crop. However, during the 6th year, some of the crop takes a hit. During the 7th year, she loses half of her crop, and during the 8th year, she loses almost the entire cane field to bayou weevils, despite using twice the usual dose of Bayou Bug Blast. What happened?
The sugar cane became used to the pesticide, rendering it ineffective.
Bayou weevils over-populated, because Bayou Bug Blast killed all of the predatory insects.
A small population of weevils survived on other food sources and returned to the sugar cane field to feed.
The weaker weevils were killed, and Farmer Fran accidentally caused only pesticide-resistant weevils to survive.
Why are many bacterial infections more difficult to treat now than they were fifty years ago?
Because there are more types of bacteria now.
Because bacteria have evolved resistance to antibiotics.
Because bacteria reproduce at greater rates than in the past, since there are more people on earth.
Because treatment of virus infections consumes many antibiotics that were formerly used only for bacteria.
Some bed bugs had mutations in their genetic code which allowed them to survive the chemical pesticide and they produced chemically resistant offspring. How can this be explained?
mutations were planned out by the bugs
bed bugs chose other bugs to partner with who had the mutation
bed bugs chose other bugs to partner with who had no mutations
mutations involved the genetic variation of the bugs are random
Hunting reduced the population size of the northern elephant seal to as few as 20 individuals at the end of the 19th century. Their population has since rebounded to over 30,000, but they have much less genetic variation than a population of southern elephant seals that was not so intensely hunted. How is the lack of genetic variation related to the hunting episodes of the 1800's?
Genetic drift occurred: the few individuals left behind were the seals that passed on that specific gene pool.
Adaptation occurred: some seals were able to adapt to the hunting environment and they survived to pass on their genes.
During the 1800's some northern seals migrated and were able to survive. That gene pool is found in the current population.
Natural selection occurred: only the strongest northern elephant seals survived in the 1880's and that restricted gene pool exists today.
