mini test 1 questions Flashcards
The theory of natural selection postulates that
in each generation, individuals well-adapted for their environment are more likely to live longer and tend to produce more progeny than the less well-adapted individuals
The conditions necessary for evolution by natural selection to occur are
inherited characters that vary and differential fitness of individuals
The bill shapes of the finches on the Galapagos islands have been subject to natural selection. The best explanation of this process is
the specific ecological conditions found on the islands
Molecular phylogenies
all support the existence of evolution
Patterns of lactose intolerance in humans
are an example of natural selection
There are many species of marsupials in Australia because
Australia was isolated from the rest of the world for a long period
A proficient engineer can easily design skeletal structures that are more functional than those currently found in the forelimbs of such diverse mammals as horses, whales, and bats. That the actual forelimbs of these mammals do not seem to be optimally arranged is because
natural selection is generally limited to modifying structures that were present in previous generations and in previous species
Over evolutionary time, many cave-dwelling organisms have lost their eyes. Tapeworms have lost their digestive systems. Whales have lost their hind limbs. How can natural selection account for these losses?
Under particular circumstances that persisted for long periods, each of these structures presented greater costs than benefits
Synonymous base substitutions in a gene
do not change the amino-acid sequence of the encoded protein
Why is there limited gene flow between the birds of south america and birds of the galapagos
Because birds rarely move between the south american mainland and the islands, due to geographical isolation
Molecular phylogenies are.
Many molecular phylogenies are based on differences in the amino-acid sequences of proteins i.e. non-synonymous substitutions
Explain what is meant by biogeography
This is the study of the geographical distribution of organisms across the planet.
