Biology 1110-Chapter 21: The Evidence for Evolution

natural selection

Most evolutionary biologists would agree that the primary process responsible for evolution is

can be related to

Variations in the beak shape and size of Galapagos finches ______ their feeding habits.

are minimal, regardless of

cannot be related to

can be related to

medium ground

One of the most successful studies of evolution by natural selection is the one done by Peter and Rosemary Grant on the Galápagos islands; these scientists studied a bird with the common name  ______ ______finch.

very rare

Prior to 1850, the melanic form of the peppered moth in Europe was ______

predominant

common

very common

very rare

Mutation

Review the following list of processes that can alter the genetic make up of a population. Which one is considered by scientists to be primarily responsible for evolution?

Genetic drift

Immigration of new individuals in a population

Mutation

Natural selection

Differences in their feeding habits

Finches on the Galapagos islands exhibit remarkable variation in the shape of their beaks. What best explains this variation?

Differences in their breeding strategies

Differences in their predators

Differences in their feeding habits

Subtle differences in the climate of different Galapagos islands

Throughout Eurasia and North America

Where has industrial melanism been observed?

Throughout Eurasia and North America

On a few large islands (for example, Great Britain)

In several European countries only

natural selection

The observation that the relative frequencies of melanic to light peppered moths changes with the color of tree bark provides support for ______.

industrial selection

natural selection

human-induced selection

industrial pollution

how the parents are chosen (by humans or because of their reproductive success)

The primary difference between natural and artificial selection is ______.

that only natural selection can lead to evolutionary change

how the parents are chosen (by humans or because of their reproductive success)

how the seeds of a plant are spread (by humans or by natural means, such as animals, wind, etc.)

where the organisms are growing (in a farm versus a natural habitat)

has consistently led to a strong, predictable evolutionary response

In the laboratory setting, selection for a trait in fruit flies ______.

has had mixed responses (as predicted for some traits, but not for others)

has never achieved a consistent, predictable evolutionary response

has consistently led to a strong, predictable evolutionary response

industrial melanism

The phenomenon, where dark forms of moths become more prevalent than light forms in industrialized areas, is known as

evolutionary

In all cases when scientists have performed artificial selection experiments on fruit flies, a strong and predictable ______ response has been observed.

Relative Dating

Rocks are dated based on their position.

Dating is less accurate.

Absolute dating

Rocks are dated based on changes in their isotopic composition.

Dating is more accurate.

Through artificial selection

Most of the species that we use as food do not look like their ancestral species anymore. How have humans achieved that?

evolutionary

When fossils are arranged and compared according to their age, from oldest to youngest, successive ______ change becomes apparent.

intermediate

Even though there are gaps in the fossil record, some of the most direct evidence for evolution comes from ______ fossils that illustrate how certain major transformations in life forms occurred.

direct

What type of evidence for evolution is provided by fossils?

Indirect

Direct

Circumstantial

homologous structures

Even though they serve different functions, the forelimb of a frog and the forelimb of a bat share structural similarities and are derived from a common ancestor. This makes these forelimbs an example of ______

homologous structures

convergent structures

analogous structures

vestigial structures

Because natural selection can only work on the variation present in a population

Why is it that some organisms do not appear to be perfectly adapted to their environment?Why is it that some organisms do not appear to be perfectly adapted to their environment?

convergent evolution

When two species from different lineages independently evolve similar characteristics because they occupy similar environments, we observe

embryonic

Organisms that share a common ancestor often show similarities in their early ______ development before diverging into varied forms.

convergent

______ evolution happens when two species from different lineages independently evolve similar evolutionary adaptations because they occupy similar environments

placental

As a result of convergent evolution, many marsupial mammals of Australia look similar to ______ mammals found elsewhere and occupy a similar ecological niche.