0 of 35 Questions completed
Questions:
You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.
You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.
You must first complete the following:
Test complete. Results are being recorded.
0 of 35 Questions answered correctly
Your time:
Time has elapsed
You have reached 0 of 0 point(s), (0 )
Earned Point(s): 0 of 0 , (0 ) 0 Essay(s) Pending (Possible Point(s): 0 )
Question 1 of 35
Northern elephant seals were hunted by humans in the 1890s, reducing their population size to 20 individuals. Even though their population is now over 30,000, the seals still have reduced genetic variation. What’s the best explanation of this phenomenon?
Question 2 of 35
Certain cavefish and salamanders have non-functional eyes, which are remnants of the functional eyes of their ancestors. Such examples of “leftover” structures are referred to as:
Question 3 of 35
The first cells on Earth were likely to be:
Question 4 of 35
Which of the following is not a step in the formation of the first living cells?
Question 5 of 35
Three million years ago, populations of snapping shrimp were separated on either side of Central America when the Isthmus of Panama closed, creating a land bridge between North and South America. Researchers found that snapping shrimp on one side of the isthmus appeared nearly identical to those on the other side. It is believed that the separate populations were once members of the same population. When researchers put males and females from different sides of the isthmus together, they snapped at each other aggressively instead of mating.
Which of the following best describes what happened to the snapping shrimp as evidenced by the aggression observed?
Question 6 of 35
Three-spine sticklebacks were introduced to a lake in Switzerland over 150 years ago. Since that time, the fish have begun splitting into two separate types. One group lives in the main lake, and the other group lives in the streams that flow into it. The main lake dwellers are larger, with longer spines and tougher armor. Both types of fish breed in the same streams at the same time of the year, yet they are splitting into two genetically and physically different types.
How would evolutionary biologists classify this type of speciation?
Question 7 of 35
Which of the follow scenarios describes allopatric speciation?
Question 8 of 35
In the early 1900s, three species of wildflowers were introduced to the United States from Europe. When the species crossed with each other they often produced sterile hybrids. However, after about 50 years, two new varieties were growing, both able to reproduce their own kind but not able to reproduce with any of the original three species. After researching how this came to be, it was discovered that a mutation occurred that resulted in the parental plants producing gametes with two or more sets of chromosomes. When these gametes fused with other gametes the result was offspring with additional sets of chromosomes.
This type of speciation occurred due to:
Question 9 of 35
It is hypothesized that eukaryotic features evolved from prokaryotic cells when smaller prokaryotic cells, the precursors of mitochondria and plastids, began living within larger cells. This model is referred to as:
Question 10 of 35
In which nutrient cycle does bacteria play a key role in the conversion of an essential organic compound from its atmospheric form to a form usable by organisms?
Question 11 of 35
Male peacocks are famous for their colorful, showy tails, whereas female peahens are brown with no fancy tails. This is an example of sexual dimorphism, found in organisms with two different looks within the species. What mode of selection produces species exhibiting sexual dimorphism?
Question 12 of 35
Which of the following statements does not describe natural selection:
Question 13 of 35
Sickle Cell Disease is caused by having two alleles for Hemoglobin S. The Hemoglobin S allele results red blood cells that have a “sickle” shape. Individuals who have one Hemoglobin S allele and one Hemoglobin B allele are said to be “carriers”. Although they have the sickle cell trait, they do not have sickle cell disease. Carriers are resistant to malaria. The Hemoglobin S allele is found most frequently in individuals who have ancestry tracing to the parts of Africa where malaria was more common.
This type of evolutionary fitness is referred to as:
Question 14 of 35
White-tailed deer vary in color from reddish brown in the summer to grayish brown in the winter. However, one percent of the deer population exhibit a recessive genetic trait found in about one percent of all white-tailed deer called leucism. Leucistic white-tailed deer lack pigment over all or part of their bodies. They can have varying levels of white, from having white splotches, to being half brown and half white, to appearing nearly all white. Since a leucistic deer is not very well camouflaged, their chance of survival is very low. The color range of white-tailed deer can be graphed with the following results:
Which of the following statements best indentifies the type of selection resulting in the typical reddish brown to grayish brown coat of white-tailed deer?
Question 15 of 35
Questions 18–20
Mycosphaerella graminicola causes a disease known as speckled leaf spot on wheat. This disease has the potential to cause significant grain loss if the environmental conditions are favorable for their spread. Scientists determined the genetic structure of this pathogen in various geographic regions world-wide and found that all populations collected from different geographic locations had similar frequencies of common alleles except the populations collected from Australia and Mexico. Below are the results:
Locus Oregon Israel Denmark UK Uruguay Canada Mexico Australia
SS192A
0.15
0.02
0.22
0.16
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.77
SS192B
0.05
0.48
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
SS14
0.29
0.36
nd
0.21
0.22
0.53
0.00
0.26
SS2
0.53
0.50
0.39
0.48
0.50
nd
0.36
0.20
SL10
0.49
0.50
0.48
0.56
0.55
0.61
0.34
0.44
SL53
0.70
0.64
0.47
0.47
0.62
0.36
0.45
0.00
SS43
0.49
0.77
0.65
0.67
0.58
0.72
0.04
0.00
SL3
0.48
0.74
0.55
0.68
0.79
0.39
0.00
0.00
Average 0.40
0.50
0.43
0.40
0.44
0.37
0.15
0.19
nd = not detected
The Mexican population had significantly lower gene diversity, few alleles at each locus, and the gene frequencies were significantly different from populations at other locations. The Mexican population was sampled from a breeding nursery used to screen for resistance to this pathogen. The nursery is located far away from the wheat population area and has a limited potential for influx of natural inoculation, and was inoculated with a limited number of strains of the pathogen. This is an excellent example of:
Question 16 of 35
Mycosphaerella graminicola causes a disease known as speckled leaf spot on wheat. This disease has the potential to cause significant grain loss if the environmental conditions are favorable for their spread. Scientists determined the genetic structure of this pathogen in various geographic regions world-wide and found that all populations collected from different geographic locations had similar frequencies of common alleles except the populations collected from Australia and Mexico. Below are the results:
Locus Oregon Israel Denmark UK Uruguay Canada Mexico Australia
SS192A
0.15
0.02
0.22
0.16
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.77
SS192B
0.05
0.48
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
SS14
0.29
0.36
nd
0.21
0.22
0.53
0.00
0.26
SS2
0.53
0.50
0.39
0.48
0.50
nd
0.36
0.20
SL10
0.49
0.50
0.48
0.56
0.55
0.61
0.34
0.44
SL53
0.70
0.64
0.47
0.47
0.62
0.36
0.45
0.00
SS43
0.49
0.77
0.65
0.67
0.58
0.72
0.04
0.00
SL3
0.48
0.74
0.55
0.68
0.79
0.39
0.00
0.00
Average 0.40
0.50
0.43
0.40
0.44
0.37
0.15
0.19
nd = not detected
In Australia, only a relatively small number of individuals arrived on this continent with the introduction of modern agriculture, and therefore
Question 17 of 35
Mycosphaerella graminicola causes a disease known as speckled leaf spot on wheat. This disease has the potential to cause significant grain loss if the environmental conditions are favorable for their spread. Scientists determined the genetic structure of this pathogen in various geographic regions world-wide and found that all populations collected from different geographic locations had similar frequencies of common alleles except the populations collected from Australia and Mexico. Below are the results:
Locus Oregon Israel Denmark UK Uruguay Canada Mexico Australia
SS192A
0.15
0.02
0.22
0.16
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.77
SS192B
0.05
0.48
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
SS14
0.29
0.36
nd
0.21
0.22
0.53
0.00
0.26
SS2
0.53
0.50
0.39
0.48
0.50
nd
0.36
0.20
SL10
0.49
0.50
0.48
0.56
0.55
0.61
0.34
0.44
SL53
0.70
0.64
0.47
0.47
0.62
0.36
0.45
0.00
SS43
0.49
0.77
0.65
0.67
0.58
0.72
0.04
0.00
SL3
0.48
0.74
0.55
0.68
0.79
0.39
0.00
0.00
Average 0.40
0.50
0.43
0.40
0.44
0.37
0.15
0.19
nd = not detected
The geographic area with the highest level of gene diversity speckled leaf spot is likely to be the center of origin. Based on this data, that area would be
Question 18 of 35
A study published by a team led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revealed the movement of polar bears toward areas with more persistent sea ice. The researchers defined four general polar bear population clusters: Eastern Polar Basin, Western Polar Basin, Canadian Archipelago, and Southern Canada. By looking at the genes of the polar bears, they found that the polar bears have recently begun to move in a northward direction, from Southern Canada and Eastern Polar Basin into the Canadian Archipelago. The team of researchers hypothesized that the Canadian Archipelago will be a future refuge for polar bears if climate change continues to trend toward a warmer climate.
This movement of polar bear populations provides a prime example of
Question 19 of 35
Which of the following was not a large-scale process which influenced major evolutionary changes in life on Earth?
Question 20 of 35
Evidence from which of the following does not support evolution:
Question 21 of 35
The fossil record is a significant record of the history of life, but it is an incomplete record of evolutionary change. Many fossils have been destroyed by geologic processes and many are yet to be discovered. As a result, the known fossil record is biased in favor of species with certain characteristics. Which of the following is not a characteristic that would be included in the fossil record?
Question 22 of 35
Although the leaves of a pitcher plant, a Venus flytrap, and a cactus do not appear to be very similar, they are derived from a structure present in a common ancestor. This is an example of:
Question 23 of 35
Which example from the list below illustrates the two species that likely share the most recent common ancestor?
Question 24 of 35
Look at the four phylogenetic trees below. Which tree shows a different evolutionary history for taxa A–D than the other three trees?
Question 25 of 35
Based on this phylogenetic tree, which statement is not true?
Question 26 of 35
Which of the following lists the hierarchical classification system from most to least inclusive?
Question 27 of 35
When hybrids are less fit than members of their parent species, natural selection may strengthen prezygotic barriers, and therefore reduce the formation of unfit hybrids. Which of the following is an example of strengthening reproductive barriers during hybridization?
Question 28 of 35
Questions 32–33
Lidicker and McCollum (1997) examined genetic variation in two populations of sea otters in the eastern Pacific. Before fur hunting led to their near extinction, sea otters were distributed throughout the region. Along the central California coast, it is estimated that only one population of 50 or fewer individuals survived. Since this population was protected in 1911, it has grown to over 1500 otters. The population may have lost considerable genetic variation due to the extreme reduction in population size. A population from Alaska experienced a similar bottleneck around that time, but it was not as severe.
One way to look at genetic diversity is to study the allele and genotype frequencies of allozymes. Allozymes are enzymes that show different rates of movement in gel electrophoresis due to the presence of different alleles at a single locus, whereas F is the fast-moving allele, and S is the slow-moving allele. The table below shows the number of individuals with a given genotype for six variable (polymorphic) two-allele loci:
California
Alaska
Locus
Genotype
n n
EST
SS 37
3
SF 20
3
FF 7
2
ICD
SS 48
7
SF 4
2
FF 3
0
LA
SS 20
3
SF 11
2
FF 2
0
PAP
SS 16
1
SF 7
2
FF 10
2
ME
SS 16
1
SF 11
2
FF 5
1
NP
SS 17
3
SF 4
1
FF 5
0
We can use these data to calculate the allelic frequencies for a given locus, such as the ME locus in the California population. How many S alleles are there in the population?
Question 29 of 35
Lidicker and McCollum (1997) examined genetic variation in two populations of sea otters in the eastern Pacific. Before fur hunting led to their near extinction, sea otters were distributed throughout the region. Along the central California coast, it is estimated that only one population of 50 or fewer individuals survived. Since this population was protected in 1911, it has grown to over 1500 otters. The population may have lost considerable genetic variation due to the extreme reduction in population size. A population from Alaska experienced a similar bottleneck around that time, but it was not as severe.
One way to look at genetic diversity is to study the allele and genotype frequencies of allozymes. Allozymes are enzymes that show different rates of movement in gel electrophoresis due to the presence of different alleles at a single locus, whereas F is the fast-moving allele, and S is the slow-moving allele. The table below shows the number of individuals with a given genotype for six variable (polymorphic) two-allele loci:
California
Alaska
Locus
Genotype
n n
EST
SS 37
3
SF 20
3
FF 7
2
ICD
SS 48
7
SF 4
2
FF 3
0
LA
SS 20
3
SF 11
2
FF 2
0
PAP
SS 16
1
SF 7
2
FF 10
2
ME
SS 16
1
SF 11
2
FF 5
1
NP
SS 17
3
SF 4
1
FF 5
0
The number of S alleles in the California population at the EST locus is 94, and the number of F alleles is 34. If this population is in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, what would be the expected genotype frequencies for SF for the EST locus in the California population\(?\)
Question 30 of 35
Which of the following is not a correct condition for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium to be met:
Question 31 of 35
If you are ill with a bacterial infection and take antibiotics, the antibiotic will kill the harmful bacteria in your body. You will start feeling better and you may be tempted to stop taking the antibiotics before you finish the prescription. If you do stop taking the antibiotics, a small population of bacteria could survive. This small population of bacteria may have allele frequencies different from the bacteria that perished early in the antibiotic regimen. The remaining population can continue to live in your body and cause problems, but the population of bacteria will not be as genetically diverse.
This phenomenon is referred to as:
Question 32 of 35
Which of the following applies to biogeography?
Question 33 of 35
Differences in variation between populations living in separate locations is referred to as:
Question 34 of 35
What it the ultimate source of new alleles in a population?
Question 35 of 35
A mathematical model was run for a small population to see how the allele frequency would change over 50 generations. This model was run 10 times with each run shown by a line in the graph below. The changes in the allele frequency of this population were most likely the result of which of the following?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Current
Correct
Incorrect
