Introduction to Evolution and Natural Selection Practice Problems

A trait, feature, or structure that serves a purpose but was not evolved by natural selection for its intended function is referred to as:

The most famous proverb is "great minds think alike." In terms of evolutionary views, which of the following scientists best matches this description?

AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Over time, HIV has evolved a resistance to antiviral drugs. This is the best illustration of the:

The idea that all species have a common origin and undergo evolutionary change is known as:

An organism's ability to reproduce a significant number of fertile and healthy progeny is known as:

Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies the proper order of events leading to the formation of new species, as suggested by Darwinism?

A researcher observes that the number of green beetles on a shrub was significantly higher than the number of red beetles. She concluded that the color of the beetles is ___________, because the green-colored beetles blended in with the green leaves and were not recognized by predators.

Identify the drawback of using models in evolutionary biology research?

Whales evolved from land mammals. Because they live in oceans, they lost their hind limbs, grew flat tails, and developed flippers. This is an example of:

Which of the following is a possible consequence of antibiotic overuse?

Which of the following is not included in the fitness equation?

How does genetic variation among individuals of the same species help them avoid species extinction?

Human appendix and wings in flightless birds are examples of  _________.

How can we determine if one variant of a species is more fit than another?

Which of the following is in accordance with the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Which of the following statements is true regarding pepper moths' evolution?

Before the industrial revolution, light-colored pepper moths were more abundant than dark-colored ones. However, during the industrial revolution, dark-colored dominated the pepper moth population. When the pollution was reduced, the light-colored form again predominated. Which of the following can likely explain the changes in the pepper moth population?

All of the following are pieces of evidence of evolution by natural selection except:

DDT was used to eradicate mosquitoes, which are malaria vectors. At first, the eradication was successful, but DDT became less effective in controlling the mosquito over time. What is the reason behind this outcome?

The forelimbs of frogs, birds, rabbits, and lizards look very different, but they share a common ancestor and are made up of common bones. These traits are ______.

Evolution is the process of _____ change in species _____ characteristics that takes place over many generations.

What is the best indicator of evolutionary fitness among organisms?

Artificial selection is a process of using animal breeding or plant breeding to acquire desired ______.

What makes the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) more difficult to treat than other strains of Staphylococcus aureus?

Which of the following describes natural selection?

Most of the mammals in Australia are marsupials (carry their young in their pouch), while most mammals elsewhere in the world are placental. What could explain this difference?

Which of the following describes the theory of common descent?

What did Darwin observe among the finches that supports his theory of descent with modification?

Which of the following structures show convergent evolution?

Two organisms within the same ____ likely share a recent common ancestor in their evolutionary history.

Cetaceans like dolphins exhibit hair on their foreheads as fetuses which is eventually lost. Baby dolphins have also whiskers in utero but shed them after birth. These characteristics imply that:

The higher the similarity between two sequences, the _____ the probability that they originated independently from each other and the _____ the probability that they are closely related.

Which of the following is a trait that is maintained and evolved by natural selection to improve an organism's fitness?

Birds like penguins have wings like their ancestors. However, they do not utilize it for flying as their ancestors did. Such trait is an example of:

Which of the following observations is not based on natural selection? 

Which of the following examples illustrates exaptation? 

S. aureus diagnoses were brought on by MRSA six months after methicillin was successfully used to treat S. aureus outbreaks in a community. What is the easiest way to understand this? 

Darwin observed that the beak of the finch species in the Galapagos island is similar yet has distinct differences. He then postulated that the beak of an ancestral species had adapted over time. According to Darwin, what could be the reason for such differences in the finch species' beaks? 

Which of the following statements about natural selection is true? 

What is the concrete evidence that humans and chimpanzees share a relatively common ancestor? 

A certain species of moth living in the meadows has green-colored wings. The same species of moth can also be found in an industrialized city but it has developed dark brown-colored wings. What could be the possible reason for such a difference? 

There are several mechanisms of evolution, but populations are believed to evolve mostly through:

How do most Alaskan wood frogs survive the extreme cold during winter?

______is a shared and derived character that is common between an ancestor and its descendants.