Natural Selection and Evolution of Organisms Unit Test Review Flashcards
Consider the generalized cladogram of fish.
https://media.edgenuity.com/evresources/3209-09-10/mc015-1.jpg
Osteichthyes is a group of fish that have the derived characteristics of jaws and true bones. Which letter corresponds to where Osteichthyes belongs on the cladogram?
A
In rock layers, jellyfish fossils are found lower than trilobite fossils, and trilobite fossils are found lower than ammonite fossils. What can be determined from this information?
Jellyfish existed before trilobites and ammonites
Populations of organisms that exhibit a high degree of variation have a greater chance for survival than populations of organisms that show little variation. This statement is
Usually true
A founding population of lizards arrives on an island. Which type of isolation would most likely result in this population becoming a new species?
Geographical
What will happen to the frequency of the recessive allele for the HbS gene when there is an outbreak of malaria?
The frequency will increase
A student argues that two species of birds are the same species because they have similar body structures, similar DNA, and similar beaks. Another student argues that the birds are different species because they have different color patterns and have a different mating season. Which piece of evidence supports the second student’s argument?
The birds have different mating seasons
Consider the cladogram.
https://media.edgenuity.com/evresources/3209-09-10/mc010-1.jpg
Which is the best description of the two organisms highlighted in orange?
They share a recent common ancestor
Variations within a species are an important part of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Which example can be explained by individual variation?
Brightly colored cardinals are better able to survive and to reproduce than darker cardinals
What is most likely to happen to a population of mice that becomes isolated on an island?
Many different species will form as they evolve and fill different niches on the island
Read this passage about global fishing.
Global consumption of large fish has led to an exploitation of fish populations. Overfishing has led to a decline in the populations of many species of large fish including North East Arctic Cod. The graph below shows the decline in the cod population. As the human population grows and countries continue to develop, the demand for large fish has been steadily increasing. Unfortunately, the average size of the cod has decreased because the fishing nets were designed to catch the large fish and the smaller individuals could escape more easily.
What is most likely happening to the genetic variation of the population of North East Arctic Cod?
The genetic variation in the population is decreasing due to selective pressure
What hypothesis did Darwin investigate by studying the breeding of pigeons with distinctive traits?
New species can appear gradually through small changes in an ancestral species
Changes in the gene pool can occur due to various mechanisms. In 1989, a large oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, when the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground. Approximately 11 million gallons of oil were spilled and spread 1,300 miles along the Alaskan coastline. The damage from the oil spill affected thousands of animals in the area, including killer whales, harbor seals, sea otters, fish, and sea birds. Which mechanism most likely affected the gene pools of the organism populations in the areas around the oil spill?
Genetic drift
Consider the cladogram.
https://media.edgenuity.com/evresources/3209-09-10/mc020-1.jpg
According to the cladogram, which characteristic was used to separate bony fish from amphibians?
Lungs
It can be seen on a cladogram that modern birds and reptiles share a common ancestor. Select the piece of evidence that best supports this idea.
Feathers are a derived characteristic that first evolved in reptiles
Consider the group of giraffes in the image below.
https://media.edgenuity.com/evresources/3209-09-02/mc006-1.jpg
Which statement about the giraffes explains their evolution based on Charles Darwin’s main points?
Long necks were a random genetic change and resulted in the gradual increase of organisms with long necks
