Deck 7: evolution and Extinction a Tropical Murder Mystery

Question 1

Natural selection acts on ________,while ________ evolve.

A)populations; individuals
B)communities; individuals
C)species; individuals
D)individuals; populations
E)communities; populations

Answer 1

individuals; populations

Question 2

________ are stretches of DNA that influence traits of an individual.

A)Proteins
B)Imprints
C)Genes
D)Founders
E)Constraints

Answer 2

Genes

Question 3

When the next ice age comes,species that are adapted to warmer climates will have to change their survival strategies.Nonrandom influences affecting which individuals survive and reproduce within the population are known as __________.

A)macroevolution
B)endemic pressures
C)selective pressures
D)natural indicators

Answer 3

selective pressures

Question 4

What must exist within a population in order for evolution by natural selection to occur,and what are its sources?

Question 5

The more genetically diverse a population is,the more likely ___________.

A)favorable traits will be selected for evolution
B)the population will survive
C)the population will be lost to global climate change
D)favorable traits will be selected for evolution AND the population will survive
E)favorable traits will be selected for evolution AND the population will be lost to global climate change

Question 6

The two main sources of genetic variation are __________.

A)genetic mutations and genetic similarity
B)genetic recombination and coevolution
C)genetic mutations and genetic recombination
D)coevolution and extirpation

Question 7

Which of the following can make a difference in how quickly natural selection can produce a change in a population?

A)level of genetic diversity
B)size of the population
C)reproductive rate and generation time
D)strength of the selective pressure
E)All of these answer choices can make a difference.

Question 8

Different versions of genes in a population are called ___________.

A)alleles
B)memes
C)individuals
D)directors
E)assortments

Question 9

Which type of natural selection would favor the norm of a population and select against extremes?

A)stabilizing
B)directional
C)disruptive
D)individual
E)unnatural

Question 10

On the Galápagos Islands,the finches that Darwin studied tended to have either small beaks or large beaks.The smaller beaks are best at eating soft seeds but are ineffective at cracking large seeds.The larger beaks are best at cracking hard seeds.Beaks of intermediate size are inefficient for either seed type.Which result of natural selection is at work in this example?

A)stabilizing selection
B)directional selection
C)disruptive selection
D)individual selection
E)unnatural selection

Question 11

An owl population moves into an area where field mice live.The owls prey upon the mice.Over time,what might happen to the population of field mice in terms of evolved traits?

Question 12

In a coral reef,small fish can hide from predators in the corals.Large fish are fast and can evade predators with speed.Medium fish cannot fit in the coral and are not as fast as the large fish.In evolutionary terms,what would you expect to see in the population over time?

A)The large fish would be selected against.
B)Only the medium fish would survive.
C)The small fish would be less likely to survive.
D)The medium fish would be less likely to survive.
E)The small fish would be selected against.

Question 13

What is the heritable variation among individuals of a single population or within the species as a whole?

A)species diversity
B)genetic diversity
C)natural selection
D)coevolution
E)extirpation

Question 14

Based on the information in infographic 1,come up with an example of natural selection for a population (either real or fictional),and describe which kind of natural selection is at work.Be sure to describe the population in its original state and its evolved state.

Question 15

Describe how a population evolves by natural selection.

Question 16

A scientist notices that a lot more polar bears living in the warmer parts of the Arctic Circle have darker fur than they did 30 years ago.She wonders if this is an adaptation to global warming.Which of the following terms might help explain the increase in the number of darker polar bears?

A)genetic diversity
B)adaptation
C)evolution
D)selective pressure
E)All of the answer choices might explain the phenomenon.

Question 17

The second leading cause of species endangerment worldwide is __________________.

A)habitat loss
B)invasive species
C)habitat fragmentation
D)pollution
E)climate change

Question 18

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Populations with more genetic diversity are less likely to suffer from inbreeding.
B)Selection pressures can change over time.
C)Giraffes that stretch their necks more than other giraffes will have babies with longer necks.
D)Natural selection acts on individual organisms.
E)Adaptive traits allow individual organisms to better survive and reproduce.

Question 19

__________________ is the complete loss of a species from the Earth.

A)Endangering
B)Threatening
C)Extirpation
D)Endemic
E)Extinction

Question 20

What are four observations that natural selection is based on?

Question 21

_______ happens when there is a decrease in the frequency of a particular trait due to random mating.

A)The founder effect
B)The bottleneck effect
C)Genetic drift
D)Natural selection
E)Extirpation

Question 22

Refer to Infographic 3.A population of grasshopper mice preys upon a population of beetles.The population of beetles contains individuals with an adaptive trait of squirting a noxious fluid that repels the mice.Over time,the majority of beetles in the population will have the genes that provide for that trait.Use the infographic to describe what changes will need to occur in the grasshopper mouse population to counter what has happened in the beetle population.What is this situation an example of?

Question 23

Human impact increases instances of which random events?

A)genetic drift and the bottleneck effect
B)only the founder effect
C)genetic drift and the founder effect
D)only the bottleneck effect
E)the bottleneck effect and the founder effect

Question 24

You have noticed in your greenhouse that your plants are covered by a pest,so you decide to apply a chemical pesticide.The first time you spray the pesticide,90% of the pests are eliminated,but you have noticed that subsequent spraying of the pesticide has resulted in a smaller reduction of the pest population.What is happening in the pest population?

Question 25

The nation of Guam used to be home to 18 native avian species.By the 1980s,four species of birds had gone extinct and 10 others were in danger of extinction.What caused this to happen? What evidence was found to support this?

Question 26

If some members of a bird population had been able to escape Guam and colonize another island,which genetic concept would likely have happened?

A)genetic drift
B)the founder effect
C)speciation
D)the bottleneck effect
E)genetic recombination

Question 27

Random events that play a role in evolution typically _________ genetic diversity.

A)increase
B)decrease
C)do not affect
D)increase then decrease

Question 28

A genetic mutation that allows lions to better hunt their prey (gazelles)becomes prevalent in a population.In order to survive,a gazelle population must _________.

A)increase their numbers through immigration to the area
B)find a new food source
C)individually adapt to the threat
D)coevolve to avoid the lions more effectively
E)move to an area where lions are not the keystone species

Question 29

Green and blue coral snakes are found in even numbers on an small isolated Pacific island.A hurricane hits the island and randomly kills the majority of the blue coral snakes.The remaining coral snakes repopulate the island,with green now being the predominant color.With regards to evolution,this change is considered an excellent example of ___________.

A)the founder effect
B)speciation
C)directional selection
D)natural selection
E)the bottleneck effect

Question 30

When populations diverge,like that of the Arctic fox and the red fox,______________.

A)speciation may occur
B)individuals will mate with members of another species
C)genetic drift must occur
D)the change must have been caused by human activities
E)species diversity decreases

Question 31

Refer to Infographic 1.Prior to advances in health care,premature low-birth-weight babies were unlikely to survive.At the other end of the spectrum,very large babies were unable to be born,often killing the mother during labor.As a result,birth weight for humans averages between 7 and 8 pounds.Use the Infographic to identify and name which result of natural selection is at work in this example.

Question 32

Which event may lead two populations to undergo speciation?

A)habitat fragmentation
B)food availability
C)new predators
D)isolation
E)All of these events may lead to speciation.

Question 33

Which type of population is more likely to experience genetic drift?

A)a large population
B)a medium population
C)a small population
D)only animal populations

Question 34

Which is likely not an example of coevolution?

A)A moth that has a long tongue reaches the nectar of a flower that is housed in a long tube.
B)A tree trunk growing thicker and stronger prevents breakage from hurricane-force winds.
C)A caterpillar develops resistance to a toxin produced by its main plant food source.
D)A mollusk develops a thick shell to avoid predation by a crab with strong pinchers.

Question 35

Which of the following is most likely the reason the bird species of Guam did not coevolve with the brown tree snake?

A)The brown tree snake eats only bird eggs.
B)There was not enough random mutation in the bird species to produce protective traits.
C)The brown tree snake preyed on the bird species too rapidly,not allowing enough time for protective traits in the bird species to be selected for and passed on to the next generation.
D)Many bird species migrated off of the island.
E)The birds did not need to coevolve; the brown tree snake did not pose a significant threat.

Question 36

Coevolution is a type of ____________.

A)natural selection
B)speciation
C)genetic recombination
D)genetic mutation
E)extirpation

Question 37

Refer to Infographic 4.The infographic shows a small random group of beetles being blown by storm winds from island 1 to island 2,which is a new area.This group is now physically isolated from the original population.How would you describe the population on island 2 compared with the original population on island 1? What is this concept called?

Question 38

For coevolution to occur,which of the following must happen between two species?

A)natural selection
B)successful reproduction of each species
C)each provides selective pressure for traits in the other
D)each affects the differential survival and reproductive success of the other
E)all of these answer choices are correct

Question 39

A major river changes course and divides a population of rabbits into two subpopulations.The two groups are reproductively isolated from each other and become subjected to different selective pressures in the two locations.A predator exists on one side of the river but not the other.Over time,the two groups evolve enough that during a drought that temporarily allows the groups to once again intermingle,they can no longer reproduce with each other.What has happened in this example?

Question 40

A species is considered _______ to an area if it is not found anywhere else on Earth.

A)extinct
B)extirpated
C)exiled
D)endemic
E)elected

Question 41

The intentional breeding for certain traits,or combination of traits,is ________.

A)natural selection
B)the founder effect
C)the bottleneck effect
D)genetic drift
E)artificial selection

Question 42

Which does NOT represent a human-caused threat to biodiversity?

A)the draining of wetlands for housing developments
B)clear-cutting a forest to plant a soybean field
C)the population of Earth reaching 7 billion people
D)accidental introduction of brown tree snakes to Guam
E)All of these answer choices are human-caused threats.

Question 43

Information obtained from the fossil record sets the background rate of extinction per year at _____ species out of every million species.

A)0.1
B)1
C)10
D)100
E)1,000

Question 44

A genetic trait causes double muscling in cattle.Breeders mate individuals with this trait to increase muscle mass in their herd.This is an example of ____________.

A)artificial selection
B)natural selection
C)stabilizing selection
D)core speciation
E)disruptive selection

Question 45

Compared with the background rate of extinction,currently ___________.

A)species are going extinct much faster than in the past
B)the rate of extinction is more than 100 times higher
C)humans are greatly enhancing the rate of extinction
D)species are going extinct much faster than in the past AND the rate of extinction if more than 100 times higher
E)All of these choices are correct.

Question 46

In Earth's history,there has/have been ____ major extinction event(s)leading to the loss of 50% or more of the species present.

A)one
B)three
C)five
D)seven
E)nine

Question 47

Which of the following are human activities that could cause an increase in extinction rates?

A)habitat destruction
B)pollution
C)anthropogenic climate change
D)habitat destruction,pollution,and anthropogenic climate change
E)habitat destruction and pollution

Question 48

Why is artificial selection likely bad for the ultimate survival of a species?

A)It reduces the genetic diversity of the population and thus makes the population more susceptible to disruptions.
B)Only nature can decide what is best for a population.
C)There are not as many individuals in each population,that is,small population sizes.
D)It decreases the rate at which individuals reproduce.
E)There are no adverse effects of artificial selection.

Question 49

What is a characteristic seen in many endangered species?

A)high reproductive rates
B)long generation times
C)fast generation times
D)produce many offspring per breeding cycle

Question 50

Some people insist that human activity is not affecting extinction rates.Many people point out that in the history of Earth,there were several periods of mass extinction before humans were around.As a scientist,what could you do to change their views?

Question 51

Several factors contribute to the endangerment of species,including all of the following EXCEPT _________.

A)habitat destruction
B)anthropogenic climate change
C)diversification of genes
D)overharvesting
E)pollution

Question 52

Which of the following is NOT a factor which can influence the speed of evolution?

A)genetic diversity
B)size of an individual
C)size of the population
D)reproductive rate
E)generation time

Question 53

The background rate of extinction describes the ___________.

A)average amount of time a species has before extinction
B)amount of time it takes for a similar species to become extinct
C)average rate of extinction in the time periods between mass extinctions
D)length of a given mass extinction
E)average rate of extinction after human impact on the environment

Question 54

It is estimated that _____ of all species that have ever lived on this planet have gone extinct.

A)10%
B)25%
C)50%
D)75%
E)more than 99%

Question 55

What are the main activities that humans are doing to greatly accelerate the rate of extinction above background levels?

Question 56

The difference between natural selection and artificial selection is ____________.

A)artificial selection takes longer than natural selection
B)artificial selection works only in animals
C)the selective pressure for artificial selection is humans
D)there is no selective pressure for artificial selection
E)only natural selection leads to pesticide- or antibiotic-resistant populations

Question 57

The most famous major extinction event that occurred on Earth was the _________ extinction,which resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs.

A)Ordovician
B)K-T boundary mass
C)Devonian
D)Permian
E)Triassic

Question 58

The slow extinction of species is always occurring on Earth.Five periods of mass extinction have also happened.Many scientists feel that humans are responsible for causing another era of mass extinction.Which of the following human factors might contribute to this mass extinction?

A)overpopulation
B)pollution
C)human-made contributions to global climate change
D)encroachment on animal habitat
E)All of these factors may contribute to the current mass extinction.

Question 59

One major problem with human stress on ecosystems is that ______.

A)ecosystems are too biodiverse to respond to human-caused threats
B)natural selection cannot keep up with the constant human-caused threats
C)evolution tends to occur more rapidly while under stress
D)newly introduced species almost never thrive in unfamiliar ecosystems
E)All of these answer choices are correct.

Question 60

Why is the sixth mass extinction event different from previous mass extinction events,and why is it so important?

Question 61

The bird would be considered an ____________.

A)invasive species
B)adaptation
C)endemic species
D)extinct species

Question 62

The relationship between the bird and the butterflies would be described as ____________.

A)genetic drift
B)the bottleneck effect
C)stabilizing selection
D)coevolution

Question 63

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the next questions.
A large cat predator in the forest has been preying on the lizards.The lizards are forced to find a new habitat and start living in hollowed out branches in the trees.The larger lizards cannot fit into the nest holes,and the smaller lizards cannot climb high enough to find the nest holes.The lizards with medium body sizes are favored.This is ____________ selection.

A)stabilizing
B)directional
C)disruptive

Question 64

Which of the following human activities has the potential to influence selection and affect evolution?

A)use of pesticides
B)use of antibiotics
C)use of herbicides
D)use of pesticides,antibiotics,and herbicides
E)use of pesticides and herbicides

Question 65

When the hurricane strikes the island and kills part of the butterfly population,what has occurred?

A)the bottleneck effect
B)the founder effect
C)genetic drift

Question 66

Which of the following would describe the role of the bird on the island?

A)a selective force
B)a genetic drift
C)coevolution
D)a genetic mutation

Question 67

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the next questions.
The cat predators have moved on from the forest,and the lizards can again live in the tree branches.Some lizards move up to the thin higher branches in the tree tops,and some move down to the thick lower branches.Eventually,the population is made up of small lizards and large lizards.This is ____________ selection.

A)stabilizing
B)directional
C)disruptive

Question 68

Science Literacy Use the graphic below to answer the next questions.
Scientists have been studying natural selection on a certain species of lizard.They found the lizard lives in trees in a small forest,but only in the thick lower branches.Over time,the body size of the lizards has become larger and heavier to allow them to take advantage of the wide branches.This is an example of ____________ selection.

A)stabilizing
B)directional
C)disruptive

Question 69

Which most likely contributed to the decrease in the blue and green individuals in the butterfly population?

A)the bottleneck effect
B)the founder effect
C)genetic drift

Question 70

Match each term in the left-hand column to the statement that it best exemplifies.