Question 1

The forces of evolution include:
A) gene flow, mutations, chromosomes, and genes.
B) mutations, genes, and genetic drift.
C) natural selection, gene flow, genetic drift, and mutations.
D) natural selection, genes, alleles, and chromosomes.

Accepted Answer

Natural selection, gene flow, genetic drift, and mutations are all recognized as major forces driving evolution. Natural selection is the process by which certain traits become more or less common in a population over time, based on their relative fitness. Gene flow occurs when organisms migrate or reproduce between populations, introducing new genetic material that can alter the gene pool. Genetic drift is the random fluctuation of trait frequencies in a small population, and mutations are sudden changes in genetic material that can introduce new variants into a population. Together, these four forces help shape the diversity of life on Earth. The other options are either incomplete or incorrect.

Question 2

Darwinian evolution proposes that:
A) species adapt and change over time based on the environment.
B) an individual can change within its own lifetime.
C) species adapt based on individual goals.
D) individuals determine their own biological adaptation.

Accepted Answer

Darwinian evolution proposes that species adapt and change over time based on the environment. This means that the characteristics of a species that are best suited to their environment are the ones that will be passed on to future generations through natural selection. It is not about individual goals or choices, but about the survival and reproduction of the species as a whole. There is no evidence to suggest that individuals can change within their own lifetime in a way that can be passed on to their offspring.

Question 3

Cuvier, Lamarck, and Erasmus Darwin all shared an idea of evolution; however, they all lacked:
A) the longevity necessary for evolution to take place.
B) a basic understanding of inheritance.
C) an understanding of variation.
D) a mechanism for evolution.

Accepted Answer

Cuvier, Lamarck, and Erasmus Darwin did recognize the idea of evolution, but they did not have a mechanism for how it occurred. It was not until Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection and Alfred Wallace's theory of survival of the fittest that a mechanism for evolution was proposed.

Question 4

James Hutton is associated with:
A) adaptation.
B) catastrophism.
C) uniformitarianism.
D) principles of heredity.

Accepted Answer

James Hutton is known for his theory of uniformitarianism, which suggests that geological processes we observe today have always operated in the same way and at the same rate throughout Earth's history, shaping the planet over long periods of time.

Question 5

Thomas Malthus's contribution to natural selection is:
A) the binomial taxonomic system of naming species.
B) the theory that the Earth's old age is based on geologic evidence resulting from cataclysmic events.
C) the theory that events like warfare, disease, and famine are necessary to control population size and thereby reduce the risk of depleting resources.
D) the theory that environmental resources are subject to population pressures.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Malthus proposed that population growth is potentially exponential while the growth of the food supply or other resources is linear, leading to competition and natural checks like famine and disease, which influenced Darwin's theory of natural selection.

Question 6

The English demographer whose work on population growth greatly influenced Darwin's thinking on population adaptation was:
A) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck.
B) Georges Cuvier.
C) Thomas Malthus.
D) Charles Lyell.

Accepted Answer

The English demographer who greatly influenced Darwin's thinking on population adaptation was Thomas Malthus. He argued that population growth was limited by resources, leading to a struggle for existence and resulting in the survival of the fittest. This idea later became one of the key components of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

Question 7

Adaptive radiation occurs when:
A) one species produces multiple closely related species.
B) several species adapt to one environment.
C) species radiate to different environments and adapt to the varying environments.
D) an individual adapts to varying environments.

Accepted Answer

Adaptive radiation is the process where one species evolves into multiple closely related species, each adapted to different environments or niches.

Question 8

Evolutionary synthesis is:
A) the concept of evolution and natural selection.
B) the melding of natural selection and Mendelian inheritance.
C) a combination of the inheritance of acquired characteristics and natural selection.
D) the theory of evolution and Linnaean taxonomy.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary synthesis, also known as neo-Darwinism, is the combination of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection and Gregor Mendel's theory of genetics and inheritance. This allowed scientists to understand how genetic variation within populations can drive evolution through natural selection.

Question 9

How did Lamarck contribute to the theory of evolution?
A) He discovered genetic mutation through experiments with pea plants.
B) He proposed the concept of natural selection after his voyage to the Galapagos Islands and his study of finches.
C) He did not but instead proposed an erroneous evolutionary mechanism known today as inheritance of acquired characteristics.
D) He did not but instead proposed a concept known today as gene flow.

Accepted Answer

Lamarck proposed the idea of the inheritance of acquired characteristics, which suggested that individuals could acquire traits during their lifetime and pass them onto their offspring. This idea was eventually disproven by the discovery of genetics and the understanding of how traits are passed down through genes. However, Lamarck did contribute to the development of evolutionary theory by proposing a mechanism for how species changed over time, even if his proposed mechanism was ultimately incorrect.

Question 10

Without the work of x-ray crystallographer _________, DNA might not have been discovered for some time longer.
A) James Watson
B) Francis Crick
C) Thomas Malthus
D) Rosalind Franklin

Accepted Answer

Rosalind Franklin's x-ray crystallography images of DNA played a crucial role in the discovery of the DNA double helix structure by Watson and Crick. Without her work, it may have taken longer for them to come to their groundbreaking conclusion.

Question 11

According to Darwin, natural selection operates at the level of:
A) individuals.
B) genes.
C) populations.
D) species.

Accepted Answer

Darwin proposed that natural selection operates at the level of individuals, with the traits that provide an advantage in survival and reproduction being selected for and passed on to future generations. While genes and populations are also important factors in evolution, they are both influenced by the success of individual organisms and their traits. Natural selection does not operate at the level of species.

Question 12

Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species (1859) was considered an important contribution to modern science because:
A) it coined the concept of evolution.
B) it synthesized information from diverse scientific fields in order to document evolutionary change.
C) it was immediately and widely accepted by the scientific community as the mechanism for evolutionary change.
D) it proposed the use of the scientific method for the first time.

Accepted Answer

While the concept of evolution had been proposed before Darwin, his book synthesized evidence from various scientific fields such as geology, biology, and paleontology to document how evolution occurred through natural selection. The book was not immediately accepted by the scientific community and even faced opposition and controversy. However, it remains widely recognized as one of the most significant contributions to modern science.

Question 13

How was Darwin influenced by Thomas Malthus's work on population growth?
A) Darwin was interested in Malthus's examination of population changes in pea plants.
B) Darwin was influenced by Malthus's work on demography and population responses to food availability.
C) Darwin liked the concept of Latin taxonomic classification as it pertained to human groups.
D) Darwin was greatly influenced by research on acquired characteristics.

Accepted Answer

Darwin was influenced by Malthus's work on demography and population responses to food availability. Specifically, Malthus's theory of population growth and competition for resources helped Darwin to develop his theory of natural selection, which involves competition for survival in a population with limited resources.

Question 14

The advantageous "attributes" to which Darwin refers are now known as:
A) traits.
B) genes.
C) alleles.
D) chromosomes.

Accepted Answer

Darwin's concept of "advantageous attributes" refers to traits, which are distinguishing characteristics or qualities of an organism that are typically determined by genes and can affect its survival and reproductive success. Alleles and chromosomes are more specific to genetic inheritance and do not encompass the broader concept of traits.

Question 15

The relevance of the theory of uniformitarianism is that:
A) it supports the theory of catastrophism.
B) it proves that changes to the Earth were caused by cataclysmic events like earthquakes and floods.
C) it proves that the Earth has a long history and supports the theory of natural selection.
D) it demonstrates that the Earth is 4.4 billion years old, based on geologic evidence from stratigraphic layers.

Accepted Answer

The theory of uniformitarianism states that geological processes that occurred in the past are still happening today, and that the Earth has had a long, slow evolutionary history. This supports the theory of natural selection, which explains how living organisms have also evolved slowly over time.

Question 16

Why is the work of Alfred Russell Wallace considered when discussing the theory of evolution?
A) He was an English naturalist who had arrived at many of the same conclusions as Darwin through his own research in the Amazon.
B) His work is not considered, as he was mistakenly credited with the theory of natural selection.
C) He was a British dog breeder who worked on artificial selection experiments in the same way Mendel worked on sweet peas to determine inheritance.
D) He was well known and gathered even more evidence to support evolution than Darwin, though from the Amazon rather than the Galapagos.

Accepted Answer

Alfred Russell Wallace was an English naturalist who independently arrived at the same conclusions about evolution through natural selection as Darwin did. His research in the Amazon provided an additional wealth of evidence to support the theory of evolution.

Question 17

Darwin drew on information from five scientific disciplines:
A) geology, physical anthropology, taxonomy and systematics, demography, and evolutionary biology.
B) geology, paleontology, taxonomy and systematics, geography, and evolutionary biology.
C) geology, paleontology, taxonomy and systematics, demography, and biology.
D) geology, paleontology, taxonomy and systematics, demography, and evolutionary biology.

Accepted Answer

Darwin drew on information from geology (to understand the Earth's history), paleontology (to study ancient life forms), taxonomy and systematics (to classify and identify organisms), demography (to study population dynamics), and evolutionary biology (to understand the mechanisms of evolution). Option D includes all of these disciplines.

Question 18

The English scientist who independently codiscovered the theory of natural selection was:
A) Charles Lyell.
B) Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck.
C) Alfred Russell Wallace.
D) Carolus Linnaeus.

Accepted Answer

While Charles Darwin is often credited as the sole discoverer of the theory of natural selection, Alfred Russell Wallace, an English scientist, independently developed and published the theory around the same time as Darwin.

Question 19

Uniformitarianism is the theory that:
A) the earth is very old, based on geologic evidence from stratigraphic layers in Scotland.
B) the natural processes operating today are the same as the natural processes that operated in the past.
C) the uniformity of species is derived from the common ancestor of all species.
D) processes such as earthquakes are evidence supporting catastrophism as proposed by Lamarck.

Accepted Answer

Uniformitarianism is the concept that the natural processes and laws that operate today have always operated in the same way throughout the history of the Earth. This principle governs much of the thinking and interpretation of geologic processes and events.

Question 20

A source of new genetic material to a population is:
A) natural selection.
B) mutation.
C) gene flow.
D) gene drift.

Accepted Answer

Mutations introduce new genetic material into a population by creating new alleles of genes. This can lead to genetic diversity and potentially advantageous traits that can be selected for by natural selection. Gene flow is the movement of genetic material between populations, gene drift refers to random and unpredictable changes in the frequency of alleles within a population. While natural selection can act on existing genetic variation in a population, it does not introduce new genetic material on its own.

Quiz 2: Evolution: Constructing a Fundamental Scientific Theory

The forces of evolution include:

Darwinian evolution proposes that:

Cuvier, Lamarck, and Erasmus Darwin all shared an idea of evolution; however, they all lacked:

James Hutton is associated with:

Thomas Malthus's contribution to natural selection is:

The English demographer whose work on population growth greatly influenced Darwin's thinking on population adaptation was:

Adaptive radiation occurs when:

Evolutionary synthesis is:

How did Lamarck contribute to the theory of evolution?

Without the work of x-ray crystallographer _________, DNA might not have been discovered for some time longer.

According to Darwin, natural selection operates at the level of:

Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species (1859) was considered an important contribution to modern science because:

How was Darwin influenced by Thomas Malthus's work on population growth?

The advantageous "attributes" to which Darwin refers are now known as:

The relevance of the theory of uniformitarianism is that:

Why is the work of Alfred Russell Wallace considered when discussing the theory of evolution?

Darwin drew on information from five scientific disciplines:

The English scientist who independently codiscovered the theory of natural selection was:

Uniformitarianism is the theory that:

A source of new genetic material to a population is: