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Bio Test Revison Flash Cards Ai > B4 - Natural Selection and Evolution > Flashcards

B4 - Natural Selection and Evolution Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is natural selection?

A

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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2
Q

True or False: Natural selection is a random process.

A

False

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3
Q

Fill in the blank: Natural selection acts on _____, not on individuals.

A

populations

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4
Q

What is the main mechanism of evolution according to Darwin?

A

Natural selection

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5
Q

Which of the following is a key component of natural selection: A) Variation, B) Inheritance, C) Differential survival, D) All of the above?

A

D) All of the above

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6
Q

What does ‘survival of the fittest’ refer to?

A

The idea that individuals that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

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7
Q

True or False: Natural selection can lead to the evolution of new species.

A

True

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8
Q

What role does genetic variation play in natural selection?

A

It provides the raw material for adaptation and evolution.

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9
Q

What is adaptation?

A

A trait that increases an organism’s fitness in a particular environment.

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10
Q

Fill in the blank: Natural selection results in _____ over time.

A

evolution

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11
Q

What is fitness in the context of natural selection?

A

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

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12
Q

True or False: All variations in a population are beneficial.

A

False

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13
Q

What is the difference between natural selection and artificial selection?

A

Natural selection occurs naturally, while artificial selection is human-directed breeding.

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14
Q

Fill in the blank: The process by which traits become more or less common in a population is called _____ selection.

A

natural

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15
Q

What is a selective pressure?

A

An environmental factor that influences which individuals survive and reproduce.

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16
Q

Which type of selection favors extreme phenotypes?

A

Disruptive selection

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17
Q

What is stabilizing selection?

A

A type of natural selection that favors average phenotypes.

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18
Q

What is directional selection?

A

A type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over others.

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19
Q

True or False: Natural selection can act on both physical traits and behaviors.

A

True

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20
Q

What is speciation?

A

The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

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21
Q

Fill in the blank: The process of natural selection can lead to _____ diversity.

A

biological

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22
Q

What is the role of mutation in evolution?

A

Mutations introduce new genetic variations that can be acted upon by natural selection.

23
Q

What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

A

A principle that describes a population that is not evolving.

24
Q

Which of the following is NOT a condition for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: A) Large population, B) No mutations, C) Natural selection, D) Random mating?

A

C) Natural selection

25
Q

True or False: Natural selection can lead to complex adaptations.

A

True

26
Q

What is coevolution?

A

The process where two or more species influence each other’s evolution.

27
Q

Fill in the blank: The study of fossils provides evidence for _____ selection.

A

natural

28
Q

What is the significance of the Galápagos Islands in the study of evolution?

A

They provided key insights into adaptive radiation and natural selection.

29
Q

What is adaptive radiation?

A

The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor.

30
Q

True or False: Natural selection can only occur in sexually reproducing organisms.

A

False

31
Q

What is genetic drift?

A

A mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies in a population.

32
Q

Fill in the blank: Natural selection operates on _____ traits.

A

heritable

33
Q

What is the founder effect?

A

A type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group colonizes a new area.

34
Q

What is the bottleneck effect?

A

A reduction in genetic diversity due to a significant decrease in population size.

35
Q

True or False: Natural selection guarantees the survival of a species.

A

False

36
Q

What is the importance of reproductive isolation in speciation?

A

It prevents different species from interbreeding, allowing them to evolve independently.

37
Q

Fill in the blank: The two main types of reproductive isolation are _____ and _____ isolation.

A

prezygotic; postzygotic

38
Q

What is an example of a prezygotic barrier?

A

Temporal isolation, where species breed at different times.

39
Q

What is an example of a postzygotic barrier?

A

Hybrid inviability, where hybrid offspring do not survive.

40
Q

True or False: Evolution is a linear process.

A

False

41
Q

What is convergent evolution?

A

The process by which unrelated organisms evolve similar traits due to similar environments.

42
Q

What is divergent evolution?

A

The process where two or more related species become more dissimilar over time.

43
Q

Fill in the blank: The theory of evolution is supported by evidence from _____, _____, and _____ studies.

A

fossil; genetic; comparative anatomy

44
Q

What is the significance of homologous structures?

A

They indicate common ancestry among different species.

45
Q

What are analogous structures?

A

Structures that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.

46
Q

True or False: Evolution is solely driven by natural selection.

A

False

47
Q

What is the role of sexual selection in evolution?

A

It influences the evolution of traits based on mate choice.

48
Q

Fill in the blank: Natural selection can lead to _____, which is the gradual change in a species over time.

A

microevolution

49
Q

What is macroevolution?

A

The broad pattern of evolution above the species level.

50
Q

True or False: All traits are subject to natural selection.

A

False

51
Q

What is the role of environmental change in natural selection?

A

It can alter the selective pressures acting on a population.

52
Q

Fill in the blank: The fossil record provides evidence for _____ and _____ of species.

A

origin; extinction

53
Q

What is the significance of vestigial structures?

A

They are remnants of features that served a function in the organism’s ancestors.

54
Q

What is the definition of a niche?

A

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem.

Bio Test Revison Flash Cards Ai (7 decks)

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