Question 1

Which of the following best describes Darwin's concept of 'descent with modification'?

Accepted Answer

Species share a common ancestor and accumulate changes over generations due to mutation, meiosis, and random fertilization.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism that causes evolution (change in allele frequencies) in a population?

Accepted Answer

Random fertilization

Question 3

A population of beetles is reduced from 10,000 to 50 individuals after a flood. Over time, the allele frequencies in the new population differ significantly from the original. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Bottleneck effect

Question 4

Which of the following statements about natural selection is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection results in the reproduction of individuals best suited to their environment.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a vestigial trait in humans?

Accepted Answer

The appendix

Question 6

Which of the following best explains why evolution does NOT occur in individuals?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is a change in allele frequencies within a population over generations.

Question 7

A population of flowers has two alleles for color: R (red) and r (white). If the frequency of R is $$p = 0.7$$ and r is $$q = 0.3$$, what is the expected frequency of heterozygotes under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

$$2pq = 2(0.7)(0.3) = 0.42$$

Question 8

Which of the following is a post-zygotic reproductive barrier?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid sterility

Question 9

Which species concept is most useful for classifying fossil species?

Accepted Answer

Morphospecies concept

Question 10

Which of the following is a misconception about evolution?

Accepted Answer

Evolution is goal-directed and always leads to more complex life forms.

Question 11

Which process preserves genetic diversity in a population despite natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Heterozygote advantage

Question 12

Which of the following best describes allopatric speciation?

Accepted Answer

Speciation occurs when populations are geographically isolated, leading to genetic divergence.

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of artificial selection?

Accepted Answer

Humans breeding dogs for specific traits such as size or temperament.

Question 14

Which of the following is a limitation of the biological species concept?

Accepted Answer

It cannot be applied to asexual organisms.

Question 15

In a population, the allele for brown fur (B) is dominant to white fur (b). If the frequency of bb individuals is $$q^2 = 0.16$, what is the frequency of the b allele?

Accepted Answer

$$q = 0.4$$

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of homoplasy?

Accepted Answer

The wings of bats and birds, which evolved independently for flight.

Question 17

Which mating system is most likely to evolve in a species where males provide most of the parental care and resources are abundant?

Accepted Answer

Polyandry

Question 18

Which of the following best explains why cheating (e.g., in mating systems) remains rare in populations?

Accepted Answer

Natural selection favors mechanisms to detect and prevent cheating.

Question 19

In the haploid-diploid system of social insects, why do sisters share, on average, 75% of their genes?

Accepted Answer

Because males are haploid and females are diploid, so sisters share all of their father's genes and half of their mother's.

Question 20

Which of the following is an example of a fitness trade-off in evolution?

Accepted Answer

A bird species with bright plumage attracts more mates but is more visible to predators.

Evolution by Natural Selection, Evolutionary Processes, and Speciation

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