Question 1

What is the study of life as revealed by fossils?

Accepted Answer

Paleontology is the study of life as revealed by fossils, including the structures and behaviors of ancient organisms. Genetics, classification, history, and geology may all contribute to paleontological research, but they are not the primary focus of the field.

Question 2

Biogeography is the geographic distribution of organisms.

Accepted Answer

Biogeography is indeed the geographic distribution of organisms.

Question 3

Darwin cited embryology as supporting evidence for the theory of evolution.

Accepted Answer

Darwin observed that embryos of different species had similar structures and developmental processes, suggesting a common ancestry and supporting the idea of evolution.

Question 4

Who proposed that many plants and animals have become extinct through time and that fossils differ through time?

Accepted Answer

Georges Cuvier proposed that many plants and animals have become extinct through time and that fossils differ through time.

Question 5

Whether a mutation is harmful or beneficial can only be judged in respect to the conditions in which the organism lives.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The impact of a mutation on an organism's fitness can only be determined in relation to the environment in which it lives. What may be beneficial in one environment may be harmful in another.

Question 6

Which term best indicates changes such as the origin of new species?

Accepted Answer

Macroevolution is the term that best indicates changes such as the origin of new species. It refers to large-scale evolutionary patterns and processes that occur over long periods of time, including the emergence of new species through mechanisms such as speciation, hybridization, and adaptive radiation.

Question 7

In a pea plant, R is the dominant allele and represents a red flower, and r is the recessive allele and represents a white flower. An organism that inherits the pair Rr will have which color flower?

Accepted Answer

R is the dominant allele and when paired with the recessive r allele, the dominant trait will be expressed. Therefore, an organism with the genotype Rr will have red flowers.

Question 8

What is the most important aspect of Mendel's genetic studies?

Accepted Answer

Mendel's most important insight was that genes controlling traits do not blend during inheritance but are transmitted as discrete entities. This is the principle of segregation, which states that each individual receives one allele from each parent for each trait, and these alleles segregate during gamete formation. This concept revolutionized the understanding of inheritance and provided the foundation for modern genetics.

Question 9

All mutations are either harmful or beneficial.

Accepted Answer

Mutations can also be neutral, meaning they have no effect on an organism's survival or reproduction.

Question 10

Darwin and _____ presented the idea of natural selection simultaneously in 1859 to the Linnaean Society in London.

Accepted Answer

Alfred Russel Wallace presented his ideas on natural selection in a letter to Charles Darwin in 1858, and Darwin published his own ideas in "On the Origin of Species" in 1859. The two men presented their ideas together at a meeting of the Linnaean Society in London later that same year. Lamarck, Malthus, Mendel, and Linnaeus all made significant contributions to biology, but they did not present the idea of natural selection simultaneously with Darwin.

Question 11

Convergent evolution refers to similar characteristics that arise in closely related organisms.

Accepted Answer

Convergent evolution refers to the process where organisms not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

Question 12

The father of modern genetics is Alfred Wallace.

Accepted Answer

The father of modern genetics is Gregor Mendel, who is known for his work on inheritance in pea plants in the mid-1800s. Alfred Wallace is known for his independent development of the theory of evolution through natural selection, which he presented jointly with Charles Darwin.

Question 13

Cladistics and cladograms work well for constructing relationships among fossil organisms.

Accepted Answer

Cladistics and cladograms are not well-suited for constructing relationships among fossil organisms because fossils often lack the detailed morphological data necessary for cladistic analysis.

Question 14

Homologous structures probably indicate descent with modifications from a common ancestor.

Accepted Answer

Homologous structures are anatomical similarities observed in different organisms that indicate a shared ancestry. These structures may have different functions in different organisms but possess a similar underlying anatomy. This suggests that they were inherited from a common ancestor and modified overtime through evolutionary processes.

Question 15

_____ is a special type of natural selection in which males compete for mates or females select mates based on such traits.

Accepted Answer

Sexual selection is a type of natural selection in which individuals with certain desirable traits are more likely to successfully reproduce due to competition for mates or female choice. This may lead to the evolution of exaggerated and elaborate traits in males, such as colorful plumage or large antlers, that are attractive to potential mates. Ultimately, sexual selection can lead to the evolution of traits that enhance an individual's ability to mate and reproduce, even if they do not necessarily contribute to survival.

Question 16

The science of genetics was developed based on experimental studies using fruit flies.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The science of genetics was developed based...

Question 17

Whose original concept of inheritance did Lysenko's ideas reflect?

Accepted Answer

Lysenko's ideas reflected the concept of inheritance proposed by Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, which involved the transmission of acquired characteristics to offspring. This was in contrast to the concept of inheritance proposed by Charles Darwin, which involved the passing down of traits through genetic material from generation to generation.

Question 18

Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics was based on ____.

Accepted Answer

Lamarck's theory was based on his observations and interpretations of organisms and their adaptations to their environment. He proposed that organisms could pass on traits acquired during their lifetime to their offspring, which was not supported by later scientific discoveries such as the discovery of DNA and genes.

Question 19

Genes are the pair of controlling factors in alleles, and both have equal dominance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Genes are the pair of controlling factors...

Question 20

A species is ____ isolated from other species.

Accepted Answer

Reproductive isolation refers to the inability of two populations to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. This is the key factor in the formation of new species, as it allows for genetic divergence over time. Physically and genetically isolated populations can also lead to speciation, but reproductive isolation is the most important aspect. Mental and emotional isolation are not relevant factors in the process of speciation.

Quiz 18: Organic Evolution--The Theory and Its Supporting Evidence