Question 1

To determine the role of mimicry in the behavior of the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera and the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus,Greene and colleagues (1987)conducted carefully controlled experiments to correlate appearance and behaviors with the deterrence of predation.What two factors were found important in preventing predation of the tephritid fly by the jumping spiders?

Accepted Answer

They determined that both wing-waving and wing markings are important deterrents to predation.

Question 2

Clayton and colleagues (2003)examined the frequency of host shifts observed among both wing feather and body lice that infect doves.They observed that body lice rarely shift host species,whereas wing feather lice often shift from one species to another.The higher frequency of host shifts observed in wing feather lice is due to the observation that ________.
A) wing feathers containing lice molt frequently, and are frequently used by other hosts to build nests
B) body feathers do not come into contact with other hosts as frequently as wing feathers
C) the lice that infect wing feathers often move from host to host on a parasitic fly
D) doves preen each other's wing feathers at a higher frequency than body feathers

Accepted Answer

Wing feather lice often move from host to host on a parasitic fly, facilitating more frequent host shifts compared to body lice.

Question 3

Futuyma and colleagues (1995)demonstrated that host shifts by the herbivorous leaf beetles of the genus Ophraella in feeding on members of the sunflower family are due to the ________.
A) frequency-dependent selection properties among beetle populations
B) low mutation rate observed in beetle populations
C) need for populations to maintain sufficiently large sizes on a small number of hosts
D) availability of genetic variation sufficient for evolutionary change

Accepted Answer

The study by Futuyma and colleagues (1995) demonstrated that host shifts by Ophraella leaf beetles are due to the availability of genetic variation that allows for evolutionary change. This means that the beetles have the necessary genetic variation to adapt to feeding on different host plant species.

Question 4

In experiments by Greene and colleagues (1987)with the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera and the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus,the purpose for gluing housefly wings onto the bodies of the tephritid fly was to ________.
A) test for the effect of wing surgery in preventing predation
B) test for effect of wing markings in preventing predation
C) control for the effect of wing waving in preventing predation
D) test for the effect of wing shape in preventing predation

Accepted Answer

The purpose for gluing housefly wings onto the bodies of the tephritid fly was to test for effect of wing markings in preventing predation. Greene and colleagues were interested in studying the effect of wing markings on predation by jumping spiders, so they used housefly wings as a way to manipulate the wing markings of the tephritid fly. By comparing the predation rates of flies with and without glued-on wings, they were able to determine whether wing markings influenced predator behavior. The other options (A, C, D) are not relevant to the purpose of the experiment.

Question 5

The method used to plot the divergence that arises between sister species as they evolve farther and farther from their common ancestor is termed ________.
A) phylogenetically dependent contrasts
B) phylogenetically derived contrasts
C) divergence contrasts
D) phylogenetically independent contrasts

Accepted Answer

The method used to plot the divergence between sister species as they evolve farther and farther from their common ancestor is termed phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs). PICs are a statistical tool that allow researchers to compare trait values between different branches of a phylogenetic tree while accounting for the shared evolutionary history of those branches. This method helps to control for the effects of phylogenetic relatedness on trait evolution, which can lead to spurious correlations and misleading results if not properly accounted for.

Question 6

Futuyma and colleagues (1995)used the herbivorous leaf beetles of the genus Ophraella to study constraints in genetic diversity.Ophraella beetles feed and lay eggs on only certain members of the sunflower family because the beetles are unable to ________.
A) penetrate the epidermal layer to lay eggs on nonhost plants
B) detect and detoxify chemical defenses produced by nonhost plants
C) digest the leaves of nonhost plants
D) break down the chemical defenses produced by nonhost plants in response to predation by the beetles

Accepted Answer

The question states that Ophraella beetles feed and lay eggs on only certain members of the sunflower family because they are unable to detect and detoxify chemical defenses produced by nonhost plants. Therefore, option B is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because the question does not mention anything about the beetles' ability to penetrate the epidermal layer of plants. Option C is incorrect because the question suggests that the beetles are able to digest the leaves of the sunflower plants they feed on. Option D is incorrect because the question states that nonhost plants produce chemical defenses in response to predation by the beetles, but it does not imply that the beetles are unable to break down these defenses.

Question 7

Choose the incorrect statement regarding adaptation from the following:
A) Some observed traits may not be adaptive, but are simply due to the process of genetic drift.
B) Although adaptations may seem to exist for obvious reasons, their presence always needs to be tested.
C) All traits that are observed are not necessarily adaptive.
D) If a trait is adaptive, it will perfectly fit a need that confers an evolutionary advantage.
E) At the molecular level, many of the variations among individuals, populations, and species may be selectively neutral.

Accepted Answer

If a trait is adaptive, it does not have to perfectly fit a need. It just has to confer an evolutionary advantage that increases the chances of survival and reproduction.

Question 8

Bush and colleagues (2010)photographed body and head lice on several cockatoos and compared the ________ of the lice on the bird's bodies and heads.
A) size
B) luminosity
C) weight
D) shape

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bush and colleagues (2010)photographed body and head...

Question 9

To demonstrate the response of several Daphnia genotypes across a wide range of environments,Luc De Meester (1996)measured the change in phototactic behavior of Daphnia sampled from lakes that contained different numbers of predatory fish.Some genotypes altered their behavior in the presence versus absence of fish.The variation in response is termed ________.
A) phenotype-by-environment interaction
B) genotype-by-environment interaction
C) induced response interaction
D) reactive response interaction

Accepted Answer

The variation in response of Daphnia genotypes in different environments, specifically in the presence or absence of predatory fish, indicates a genotype-by-environment interaction. This means that the response of different genotypes is influenced by the environment they are in.

Question 10

The data of Huey and colleagues (1989)on thermoregulation in garter snakes is an example of the ________ method evolutionary biologists use to test hypotheses about adaptations.
A) situational
B) experimental
C) observational
D) phylogenetic contrast
E) comparative

Accepted Answer

Huey and colleagues (1989) used observational methods to study thermoregulation in garter snakes, observing their behavior and environmental conditions to understand their adaptations.

Question 11

The replication of experiments or observations allows researchers to control for two important factors when considering experimental design.These two factors are ________ and ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The replication of experiments or observations allows...

Question 12

In experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans by Anderson and colleagues (2011),the relationship between physiological performance and temperature was measured.This type of measurement is termed a ________.
A) thermal regulation distribution
B) thermal fitness curve
C) thermal performance curve
D) reproductive success curve
E) behavioral fitness curve

Accepted Answer

The term describing the relationship between physiological performance and temperature is a thermal performance curve. Choice A, thermal regulation distribution, does not accurately describe the measurement being taken. Choices D and E, reproductive success curve and behavioral fitness curve, are not relevant to the specific experiment being described. Choice B, thermal fitness curve, is not as accurate as thermal performance curve, which is the more commonly used term in scientific literature.

Question 13

As demonstrated by the experiments of Huey and colleagues (1989)on thermoregulation in garter snakes,snakes have a wide range of options for behavioral thermoregulation during the day―so long as they avoid thin rocks or direct sunlight at noon―but during the evening they are most often observed ________.
A) only on or under rocks that are of medium (20-40 cm) thickness
B) on or under rocks that are of medium (20-40 cm) or thick (>40 cm) thickness
C) on or under rocks that are of thin (<20 cm) or medium (20-40 cm) thickness
D) only on or under rocks that are thick (>40 cm)
E) avoiding rocks and moving to a deeper location under the surface

Accepted Answer

During the evening, garter snakes are most often observed on or under rocks that are of medium (20-40 cm) or thick (>40 cm) thickness, as these rocks likely retain heat from the day, providing a stable and warm environment for the snakes. This behavior is part of their strategy for behavioral thermoregulation.

Question 14

Conventional wisdom holds that oxpeckers remove ticks from the backs of cattle on which they feed in a mutualistic relationship,and the cattle tolerate the oxpecker's presence because the birds help remove parasites.Weeks (2000)performed observational experiments in Zimbabwe and demonstrated that the relationship between oxpeckers and cattle was not the removal of parasites but that the oxpeckers are ________.
A) mutualistic, but serve only to remove earwax from the cattle on which they feed
B) in fact parasitic, and create and feed on wounds they make, and also feed on earwax in the cattle
C) mutualistic and only feed on open wounds that have already been created by feeding ticks
D) parasitic and feed on earwax and the open wounds they create during the removal of the earwax
E) mutualistic and feed on open wounds that have already been created by ticks, and additionally feed on earwax

Accepted Answer

The observational experiments showed that oxpeckers actually create wounds on cattle and feed on them, in addition to feeding on earwax. Therefore, their relationship with cattle is actually parasitic, rather than mutualistic.

Question 15

Oxpeckers have long been thought to have a mutualistic relationship with cattle in Zimbabwe,whereby the birds remove ticks from the backs of cattle,and the cattle benefit due to the removal of parasitic ticks.The observational experiments of Weeks (2000)in Zimbabwe demonstrated that the relationship between oxpeckers and cattle was not mutualistic,but in fact parasitic.What two oxpecker behaviors did Weeks observe?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Oxpeckers have long been thought to have...

Question 16

Goriely and colleagues (2003)studied a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the gene coding for fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2).This disease,known as ________ syndrome,is a dominant mutation that causes premature fission of the joints in the skull,facial malformations,and fusion of the fingers and toes.
A) Marfan's
B) Apert
C) Edward
D) Asherman's

Accepted Answer

The description fits the symptoms of Apert syndrome, which is caused by a mutation in FGFR2 gene. Marfan's syndrome is caused by a mutation in the fibrillin-1 gene and affects the connective tissue in the body. Edward syndrome is a rare chromosomal abnormality that results in severe developmental abnormalities. Asherman's syndrome is a rare condition where scar tissue forms in the uterus, leading to infertility.

Question 17

Explain the role of behavioral thermoregulation in the experiments performed with Caenorhabditis elegans by Anderson and colleagues (2011).

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain the role of behavioral thermoregulation in...

Question 18

In experiments by Greene and colleagues (1987)with the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera and the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus,carefully controlled experiments demonstrated that ________.
A) wing-waving by the tephritid fly was sufficient to prevent predation
B) both wing-waving and wing markings on the tephritid fly mimicked the spider, and thus prevented predation
C) wing marking on the tephritid fly were sufficient to prevent predation
D) neither wing-waving or wing markings on the fly substantially prevented predation
E) wing markings alone were sufficient to prevent predation

Accepted Answer

Greene and colleagues' experiments showed that both wing-waving and wing markings on the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera were mimicry of the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus, which helped in preventing predation. This mimicry involved both the visual (wing markings) and behavioral (wing-waving) aspects to effectively deter the predator.

Question 19

What is the purpose of the null hypothesis in experimental design?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the purpose of the null...

Question 20

In the Kotukutuku plant,fuchsia excortiata,pollinated flowers turn colors from ________ to ________ in order to signal pollinators that nectar is no longer being produced.
A) red; yellow
B) red; green
C) green; red
D) green; yellow
E) green; white

Accepted Answer

The Kotukutuku plant, also known as Fuchsia excorticata, has green flowers that turn red when they are ready to be pollinated. Once the flowers have been pollinated and the plant is no longer producing nectar, the color of the flowers will turn back to green. Therefore, the correct answer is C, green to red.

Quiz 10: Studying Adaptation: Evolutionary Analysis of Form and Function

Futuyma and colleagues (1995) demonstrated that host shifts by the herbivorous leaf beetles of the genus Ophraella in feeding on members of the sunflower family are due to the ________.

In experiments by Greene and colleagues (1987) with the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera and the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus,the purpose for gluing housefly wings onto the bodies of the tephritid fly was to ________.

The method used to plot the divergence that arises between sister species as they evolve farther and farther from their common ancestor is termed ________.

Futuyma and colleagues (1995) used the herbivorous leaf beetles of the genus Ophraella to study constraints in genetic diversity.Ophraella beetles feed and lay eggs on only certain members of the sunflower family because the beetles are unable to ________.

Choose the incorrect statement regarding adaptation from the following:

Bush and colleagues (2010) photographed body and head lice on several cockatoos and compared the ________ of the lice on the bird's bodies and heads.

The data of Huey and colleagues (1989) on thermoregulation in garter snakes is an example of the ________ method evolutionary biologists use to test hypotheses about adaptations.

The replication of experiments or observations allows researchers to control for two important factors when considering experimental design.These two factors are and .

In experiments with Caenorhabditis elegans by Anderson and colleagues (2011) ,the relationship between physiological performance and temperature was measured.This type of measurement is termed a ________.

Explain the role of behavioral thermoregulation in the experiments performed with Caenorhabditis elegans by Anderson and colleagues (2011).

In experiments by Greene and colleagues (1987) with the tephritid fly Zonosemata vittigera and the jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus,carefully controlled experiments demonstrated that ________.

What is the purpose of the null hypothesis in experimental design?

In the Kotukutuku plant,fuchsia excortiata,pollinated flowers turn colors from to in order to signal pollinators that nectar is no longer being produced.