Molecular Evidence In Support Of Natural Selection Includes

Question: Darwin noticed that many organisms seemed well suited to

Answer: surviving in the environments in which they lived.

Question: On the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin observed

Answer: species similar to mainland South American species.

Question: James Hutton's and Charles Lyell's work suggests that

Answer: Earth is several million years old.

Question: In an experiment, suppose the wings of fruit flies were clipped short for fifty generations. The fifty-first generation emerged with normal-length wings. This observation would tend to disprove the idea that evolution is based on

Answer: inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Question: Based on the adaptations Charles Darwin observed in finches and tortoises in the Galapagos he wondered

Answer: if species living on different islands had once been members of the same species.

Question: When a farmer breeds only his or her livestock, the process involved is

Answer: artificial selection.

Question: According to Darwin's theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment. Their survival is due to the

Answer: possession of inherited adaptations that maximize fitness.

Question: Charles Darwin called the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment

Answer: fitness.

Question: Which of the following ideas is supported by Darwin's observation of local variation among tortoises in the Galapagos Islands?

Answer: Adaptation

Question: In the 1800's, Charles Lyell emphasized that

Answer: past geological events must be explained in terms of process observable today.

Question: Lamarck's ideas about evolution include the concept that differences among traits of organisms arise as a result of

Answer: the actions of organisms as they use or fail to use body structures.

Question: The economist Thomas Malthus suggested that

Answer: without certain checks on population size, there would be insufficient food for the growing population.

Question: When a dairy farmer chooses to breed the cows that give the most milk in the herd, the farmers are following the principle of

Answer: artificial selection.

Question: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection explains each of the following EXCEPT how

Answer: traits are passed from parent to offspring.

Question: Biogeography is the study of

Answer: where species and their ancestors live.

Question: The number and location of bones of many fossil vertebrates are similar to those in living vertebrates. This is evidence in support of which of the following concepts?

Answer: Common descent

Question: Each of the following is a condition necessary for natural selection to occur EXCEPT

Answer: population size is very large

Question: Which statement about the members of a population that live long enough to reproduce is consistent with the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Answer: They are the ones that are best adapted to survive in their environment.

Question: The principle of common descent helps explain why

Answer: birds and reptiles share a number of inherited characteristics.

Question: Darwin's concept of natural selection was NOT influenced by

Answer: the work of Gregor Mendel.

Question: Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record as

Answer: useful support for his theory.

Question: Modern sea star larvae resemble some primitive vertebrate larvae. This similarity may suggest that primitive vertebrates

Answer: share a common ancestor with sea stars.

Question: Molecular evidence in support of natural selection includes

Answer: the nearly universal genetic code.

Question: Which characteristic of Galapagos finches helped the Grants show the result of natural selection?

Answer: The size and shape of their beaks.

Question: In humans, the pelvis and femur, or thigh bone, are involved in walking. In whales, the pelvis and femur shown in Figure 16-1 are

Answer: vestigial structures.

Question: Similar patterns of embryological development in different but related organisms are responsible for the formation of

Answer: homologous structures.

Question: What principle does the Grants' investigation of finch adaptation in the Galapagos Islands best support?

Answer: Natural selection

Question: The species of finches that Charles Darwin found on different Galapagos Islands varied in certain adaptations. One of the most significant was

Answer: shape of beaks.

Question: Charles Darwin noted that members of a population are identical.

Answer: Falsevary

Question: Evidence that the surface of a mountain was once under the sea includes the presence of marine fossils on the mountain.

Answer: TRUE

Question: James Hutton and Charles Lyell held similar views about Earth's age. Both thought that Earth was more than a few thousand years old.

Answer: TRUE

Question: After his voyage on the Beagle, Charles Darwin wondered whether similar species from the Galapagos Islands could once have been members of the same species.

Answer: TRUE

Question: The discovery of a dinosaur fossil with wings and feathers connects birds to their ancient ancestors.

Answer: TRUE

Question: The wings of birds and the flippers of dolphins are vestigial structures.

Answer: False homologous structures

Question: In their studies of Galapagos finches, the Grants studied the molecular characteristics of finches from different islands.

Answer: Falseanatomical

Question: According to Lamarck, evolution resulted from the inheritance of __________________ traits.

Answer: acquired

Question: Geologists use ________________ to determine a rock layer's absolute age.

Answer: radioactivity

Question: ___________ proteins, such as cytochrome c, are found in all types of cells from one-celled yeasts to multicellular kangaroos.

Answer: Homologous

Question: In studying Galapagos finches, the Grants found that _______________ can take place frequently and over relatively short periods of time.

Answer: natural selection

Question: The geologist ____________ proposed that past changes in Earth must be explained in terms of events and processes observable today.

Answer: Lyell

Question: Although his idea was incorrect, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was one of the first to propose a scientific explanation for __________.

Answer: evolution

Question: What was the scientific value of the specimens that Charles Darwin brought back to England?

Answer: They could support his theory of evolution.

Question: How does artificial selection differ from natural selection?

Answer: In natural selection the environment influences fitness. In artificial selection, fitness is influenced by farmers/breeders.

Question: What does the continued presence of vestigial structures like the whale pelvis and femur shown in Figure 16-1 suggest about the effect vestigial structures have on fitness?

Answer: It suggests that vestigial structures do not have a great impact on fitness.

Question: What can be concluded from the similarity in the Hox genes that control limb development in many types of organisms?

Answer: These many types of organisms come from a common ancestor.

Question: What is the principle of common descent?

Answer: All species, living and extinct, are descended from ancient common ancestors.

Question: Scientists have never seen the ancient horses shown in Figure 16-2. What do you think was the main type of evidence scientists used to prepare these diagrams?

Answer: Used fossils of ancient horses and compared them with modern horses.

Question: According to Figure 16-2, how did overall body size of the horse change during its evolution?

Answer: It gradually grew larger.

Question: In Figure 16-2, how does the size of the head change as the horse evolves?

Answer: The head gradually gets larger and grows longer.

Question: According to Figure 16-2, how did the number of toes of Mesohippus compare with that of Equus, the modern horse?

Answer: The number of toes decreased from 3 to 1.