Question 1

Which of the following best describes an endemic species?

Accepted Answer

A species that is found only in a specific geographic location and nowhere else on Earth.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a prezygotic reproductive barrier?

Accepted Answer

Temporal isolation, where two species breed at different times.

Question 3

According to the Biological Species Concept (BSC), which of the following is necessary for two organisms to be considered the same species?

Accepted Answer

They must be able to produce viable, fertile offspring together.

Question 4

Which scenario best illustrates mechanical isolation as a prezygotic barrier?

Accepted Answer

Two species of insects cannot mate because their reproductive organs do not fit together.

Question 5

Why is the Biological Species Concept (BSC) not applicable to prokaryotes?

Accepted Answer

Prokaryotes reproduce asexually and do not undergo sexual reproduction.

Question 6

Which of the following is a limitation of the Biological Species Concept?

Accepted Answer

It cannot be used for extinct species known only from fossils.

Question 7

A population of fish is separated by a dam, and over time, the two groups evolve different spawning seasons. What type of reproductive barrier is this?

Accepted Answer

Temporal isolation

Question 8

Which of the following best describes microevolution?

Accepted Answer

Changes in allele frequencies within a population over time.

Question 9

A mule is the offspring of a horse and a donkey, but mules are sterile. Which postzygotic barrier does this illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Reduced hybrid fertility

Question 10

Which species concept defines a species as the smallest group of individuals on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

Phylogenetic species concept

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of behavioral isolation?

Accepted Answer

Two species of crickets have different mating songs and do not recognize each other as mates.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about postzygotic barriers is correct?

Accepted Answer

They act after fertilization to reduce hybrid viability or fertility.

Question 13

A botanist finds two populations of flowers that look identical but have different DNA sequences. Which species concept would best help determine if they are separate species?

Accepted Answer

Phylogenetic species concept

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a prezygotic barrier?

Accepted Answer

Reduced hybrid fertility

Question 15

Which of the following best describes macroevolution?

Accepted Answer

Broad patterns of evolutionary change above the species level.

Question 16

Which of the following is a real-world example of habitat isolation?

Accepted Answer

Two species of garter snakes, one aquatic and one terrestrial, rarely encounter each other.

Question 17

Which of the following is a key limitation of the morphological species concept?

Accepted Answer

It relies on subjective criteria for defining species.

Question 18

Which of the following best explains why hybrid breakdown occurs?

Accepted Answer

F1 hybrids are fertile, but F2 offspring have too many deleterious recessive alleles.

Question 19

Which of the following is a scenario where the Biological Species Concept would be difficult to apply?

Accepted Answer

Classifying fossilized dinosaur species.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the main focus of evolutionary theory as discussed in the lecture?

Accepted Answer

How new species originate and how populations evolve.

Speciation and the Concept of Species

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards