Ch 16 Practice Quiz

The Grants were able to show the results of natural selection by studying the size and shape of the beaks of Galápagos finches. This characteristic was important because it directly influenced the finches' ability to obtain food. The Grants observed that during periods of drought, when food was scarce, finches with larger, stronger beaks were more successful at cracking open tough seeds and surviving. This led to a change in the finch population over time, as those with smaller beaks were less likely to survive and reproduce. Therefore, the size and shape of their beaks provided evidence of natural selection in action.

Darwin noticed that many organisms seemed well suited to surviving in the environments in which they lived. This observation led him to develop the theory of natural selection, where individuals with traits that allow them to better survive and reproduce in their specific environment are more likely to pass on those traits to future generations. This process eventually leads to the adaptation and evolution of species over time.

James Hutton and Charles Lyell were influential geologists who proposed the concept of uniformitarianism, which suggests that the processes that have shaped the Earth's surface in the past are the same processes that are still occurring today. By studying rock formations and geological processes, they concluded that the Earth must be several million years old, rather than just several thousand years old as believed by some at the time. This idea was groundbreaking and helped to establish the field of modern geology.

Thomas Malthus suggested that without certain checks on population size, there would soon be insufficient food for the growing human population. This implies that if the population continues to grow unchecked, the demand for food would exceed the available supply, leading to a shortage of food resources. Malthus believed that population growth would outpace the production of food, resulting in famine and other negative consequences for society.

The pelvis and femur in whales are vestigial structures. Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or body parts that were functional in ancestral species but have lost their original function over time. In whales, these bones are remnants of hind limbs that were once used for walking on land. However, as whales evolved and adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, these bones became reduced in size and lost their function. Therefore, the presence of pelvis and femur in whales is a clear example of vestigial structures.

Darwin's concept of natural selection was not influenced by the work of Gregor Mendel. Darwin developed his theory of natural selection based on his observations during his trip on the H.M.S. Beagle and his collection of specimens. He also drew inspiration from the work of Charles Lyell, who proposed the idea of gradual geological change. However, Gregor Mendel's work on genetics and heredity was not known to Darwin during his lifetime and therefore could not have influenced his concept of natural selection.

Similar patterns of embryological development in different but related organisms are responsible for the formation of homologous structures. Homologous structures are structures that have a similar underlying structure or genetic basis, despite having different functions. This similarity is due to a shared common ancestor and the conservation of genetic information over time. The similar embryological development in these organisms leads to the formation of homologous structures, demonstrating the evolutionary relationships between different species.

Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record as useful support for his theory because it provided evidence of extinct species that were different from those currently living. The fossil record showed a progression of life forms over time, which aligned with Darwin's idea of gradual evolution and common ancestry. Fossils also provided evidence of transitional forms, further supporting Darwin's theory of natural selection. Therefore, the fossil record was seen by Darwin as valuable evidence that supported his ideas about the origin and evolution of species.

The statement that members of a population that live long enough to reproduce are the ones that are best adapted to survive in their environment is consistent with the theory of evolution by natural selection. This is because natural selection favors individuals with traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success, allowing them to pass on their advantageous traits to future generations. Over time, these traits become more common in the population, leading to the adaptation of the species to its environment.

Charles Darwin observed species similar to mainland South American species on the Galápagos Islands. This suggests that these species may have originated from the mainland and adapted to the unique environments of the islands over time. This observation supports Darwin's theory of evolution, as it provides evidence for the idea that species can change and diversify in response to their environment.

According to Darwin's theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment. This means that they possess inherited adaptations that maximize their fitness, or their ability to survive and reproduce successfully. These adaptations are traits that have been passed down from previous generations and have proven to be advantageous in their specific environment. This allows these individuals to outcompete others and increase their chances of survival and passing on their genes to future generations.

The statement suggests that modern sea star larvae have similarities with primitive vertebrate larvae. This similarity implies that there is a common ancestor between sea stars and primitive vertebrates, indicating that they share a common lineage or evolutionary history. Therefore, the correct answer is that primitive vertebrates share a common ancestor with sea stars.

When a dairy farmer chooses to breed the cows that give the most milk in the herd, they are practicing artificial selection. This is because the farmer is deliberately selecting certain traits, in this case, high milk production, and breeding individuals with those traits to produce offspring with the desired characteristics. Artificial selection is a human-driven process that mimics natural selection but involves intentional selection rather than natural environmental pressures.

This observation would tend to disprove the idea that evolution is based on inheritance of acquired characteristics. The fact that the fifty-first generation of fruit flies emerged with normal-length wings despite their wings being clipped short for fifty generations suggests that the acquired characteristic of short wings was not passed on to subsequent generations. If inheritance of acquired characteristics was the basis of evolution, the fruit flies in the fifty-first generation would have also had short wings.

Fitness refers to the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its specific environment. This concept was introduced by Charles Darwin as a key component of his theory of evolution. Organisms that possess traits that are well-suited to their environment have a higher fitness, as they are more likely to survive and pass on their advantageous traits to future generations. Therefore, fitness plays a crucial role in the process of natural selection and the overall evolution of species.

Biogeography is the study of where species and their ancestors live. This field of study focuses on understanding the distribution patterns of organisms across different geographical regions and how they have evolved and adapted to their environments over time. By studying the geographic distribution of species, biogeographers can gain insights into the processes that have shaped biodiversity and the factors that influence species' ranges and dispersal. This knowledge is crucial for understanding the interconnectedness of ecosystems and for conservation efforts to protect and preserve species and their habitats.

The principle of common descent suggests that birds and reptiles share a number of inherited characteristics because they both evolved from a common ancestor. Over time, as species diverge and adapt to different environments, they may develop distinct traits and behaviors. However, they still retain certain similarities due to their shared ancestry. This principle helps explain why birds and reptiles, despite their differences, have common features such as scales, beaks, and laying eggs.

Lamarck's ideas about evolution propose that differences among the traits of organisms arise as a result of the actions of organisms as they use or fail to use body structures. According to Lamarck, organisms can acquire or lose certain traits based on their behavior and needs. For example, if an organism consistently uses a certain body structure, it will become more developed and prominent over time. Conversely, if an organism fails to use a body structure, it may become reduced or disappear. This concept suggests that an organism's behavior and use of body structures can directly influence the evolution of its traits.

Natural selection is a process where certain traits that enhance an organism's survival and reproduction become more common in a population over time. For natural selection to occur, there must be conditions such as fitness variation among individuals, heritable variation in the population, and more offspring being born than can survive. However, population size being very large is not a necessary condition for natural selection to occur. Natural selection can still happen in populations of any size, as long as the other conditions are met.

Charles Darwin observed that finches and tortoises in the Galápagos Islands had adaptations that were specific to each island. This led him to wonder if these species had once been members of the same species but had diverged over time due to different environmental conditions on each island. This observation supported his theory of evolution through natural selection, as it suggested that species could change and adapt to their environments over time. Therefore, the correct answer is that Darwin wondered if species living on different islands had once been members of the same species.

Darwin's observation of local variation among tortoises in the Galápagos Islands supports the idea of adaptation. This is because he noticed that tortoises on different islands had different physical characteristics that helped them adapt to their specific environments. This variation in traits allowed the tortoises to better survive and reproduce in their respective habitats, which is a key aspect of adaptation.

The fact that the number and location of bones in many fossil vertebrates are similar to those in living vertebrates suggests that they share a common ancestry. This is because the similarities in bone structure indicate that these organisms have descended from a common ancestor and have inherited these traits over time. This concept is known as common descent, which proposes that all living organisms are related and have evolved from a common ancestor.

The nearly universal genetic code provides molecular evidence in support of natural selection. This is because the genetic code is shared by almost all living organisms, suggesting a common ancestry and evolution. The universal genetic code allows for the transfer of genetic information and the production of proteins, which are essential for the functioning and survival of organisms. This shared genetic code supports the idea that all living organisms have evolved from a common ancestor and have undergone natural selection to adapt to their environments.

Charles Lyell was a geologist who advocated for the principle of uniformitarianism, which states that the same geological processes that are observed today have been occurring throughout Earth's history. This means that past geological events can be explained by studying and understanding the processes that are currently happening. This idea challenged the prevailing belief in the 1800s that Earth was only a few thousand years old and that geological events were the result of catastrophic events. Lyell's emphasis on explaining past geological events through observable processes laid the foundation for modern geology.