Discussion Session Questions

Biol 202 Discussion Session 01 Friday 16 Jan 2009 1 1.03. (Brief review quiz) The theory of evolution by natural selection states that: a. Species remain unchanged over time. b. All species are descended from a common ancestor. c. No traits are heritable. d. Natural selection makes individuals more fit. 1.11. Taxonomy attempts to describe the ________, or historical relationships, among organisms. a. natural selection b. phylogeny c. variation d. physical similarity 1.4. Land features and climates change over time. In order to survive in changing environments, an organism must change or adapt. Adaptation takes place over a period of generations through the process of _____. a. catastrophism b. heritability c. artificial selection d. natural selection 1.5. The theory of evolution claims that _____. a. many species arose independently b. features that enhance survival of an organism are randomly distributed among organisms within a population, and randomly passed from generation to generation c. all species are descended from a common ancestor d. the gene pool or genetic makeup of a species remains unchanged over generations 1.6. A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time constitutes a _____. a. genus b. population c. family d. community Biol 202 Discussion Session 01 Friday 16 Jan 2009 2 1.8. By definition, traits that are _____ are passed from one generation to the next. a. heritable b. acquired c. profitable d. prokaryotic 1.15. Small subunit RNA sequences are useful for understanding phylogeny because _____. a. not all organisms have small subunit RNA, indicating that organisms with small subunit RNA are closely related b. the sequences are similar in closely related organisms and less similar in less closely related organisms c. the sequences clearly indicate where lineages of organisms belong on the tree of life d. the sequences vary widely among all organisms 1.17alt. The following figure demonstrates that _____. a. the three domains are equally unrelated b. Bacteria and Archaea are more closely related to each other than to Eukarya because both are composed of prokaryotic cells. c. Archaea and Eukarya are more closely related to each other than to Bacteria. d. Eukarya and Bacteria are more closely related to each other than to Archaea because Archaea is the most primitive cell form in existence. Biol 202 Discussion Session 01 Friday 16 Jan 2009 3 24.5. Why did Darwin document and describe vestigial traits? a. Vestigial traits indicate that species do not change over time. This opposes the theory of evolution but is consistent with the theory of special creation. b. Vestigial traits result from divergent evolution. This is an important pattern component of the theory of evolution and is inconsistent with the theory of special creation. c. Vestigial traits result from convergent evolution. This is an important pattern component of the theory of evolution and is inconsistent with the theory of special creation. d. Vestigial traits indicate that species change over time. This is an important pattern component of the theory of evolution and is inconsistent with the theory of special creation. 24.10. The best definition of Darwinian fitness is _____. a. the ability of an individual to survive and reproduce b. the ability of a population to survive c. the ability of a population of organisms to persist d. the ability of an individual to stay healthy by eating well-balanced meals and exercising 24.09alt. Which of the following below is NOT one of the four postulates of evolution by natural selection? (a) Individuals in a population vary. (b) The variation is heritable. (c) Individuals can evolve during their lifetime. (d) More offspring are produced than can survive. (e) Individuals differ in production of offspring, based on the heritable trait that varies. 24.12. Resistance to a wide variety of insecticides, fungicides, antibiotics, antiviral drugs, and herbicides has recently evolved in hundreds of insects, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and plants. Why? a. No new species are evolving, just resistant strains or varieties. This is not evolution by natural selection. b. Humans are altering the environments of these organisms, and populations of these organisms are evolving by natural selection. c. Humans have better health practices, so these organisms are trying to keep up. d. Mutations are on the rise. Administrator Microsoft Word - Biol_202_Discussion-01.doc