Charles Darwin and Evolution

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following best describes Darwin's primary research interest that led him to formulate his theories?

Genetics, specifically the mechanisms of inheritance.
Ecology, focusing on the interactions between organisms and their environment.
Paleontology, studying fossils to understand the history of life.
Biogeography, emphasizing the geographic distribution of species. (correct)

What was the main idea behind Darwin's hypothesis regarding the colonization of the Galapagos Islands?

The islands were initially populated by species independently created on each island.
The islands were populated by species from Africa that then diversified.
The islands were colonized by species from South America that then diversified. (correct)
The islands served as a meeting point for species from all continents, leading to hybridization.

Which statement accurately reflects a key aspect of Darwin's theory of natural selection?

Natural selection favors traits that enhance survival and reproduction in a specific environment. (correct)
Natural selection ensures the survival and progression of a species by acting for the good of the group.
Natural selection is a process where organisms actively try to adapt to their surroundings, directing their own evolution.
Natural selection enables organisms to intentionally develop the traits they need to survive.

According to the principles of natural selection, which of the following is most likely to occur in a population under selective pressure?

Traits that enhance survival and reproduction will become more common in the population. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes artificial selection from natural selection?

Artificial selection is driven by human preferences, while natural selection is driven by environmental factors. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the process of natural selection?

In a population of birds, those with beaks better suited to access food in their environment survive and reproduce more successfully. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the direct outcome of more offspring being produced than the environment can support?

Competition for limited resources, leading to differential survival. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Darwin's observations, what are the two main premises upon which the theory of natural selection is based?

Heritable traits and an excess of offspring. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the most accurate definition of 'fitness' in the context of natural selection?

The ability of an individual to survive and reproduce. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How do changing environmental conditions influence natural selection?

They cause selective pressures on populations, favoring different traits over time. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between adaptation and natural selection?

Adaptations are inherited characteristics that enhance survival and reproduction, and natural selection is the process by which these adaptations become more common. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the role of phenotypic variations in natural selection?

Natural selection acts on phenotypic variations, increasing or decreasing an organism’s fitness. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the modern definition of evolution, which process does Darwin's idea of 'descent with modification' align with?

The change in the genetic makeup of a population over time. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Darwin's comparison between natural selection and artificial selection?

To illustrate that selective pressures, whether natural or human-induced, can lead to changes in traits over time. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a consequence of traits being heritable?

Characteristics can be passed from parent to offspring. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario exemplifies descent with modification?

A population of insects gradually becomes resistant to a pesticide over several generations. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does natural selection affect the genetic variation within a population?

It reduces genetic variation by favoring certain traits and eliminating others. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What role do selective pressures play in natural selection?

They favor individuals with certain traits, leading to differential survival and reproduction. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between how traits change in a population versus how they change in an individual organism during natural selection?

Populations evolve through changes in allele frequencies, while individual organisms do not evolve during their lifetimes. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does the domestication of plants and animals relate to artificial selection?

Domestication involves humans selecting and breeding plants and animals with desirable traits. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why is the phrase 'survival of the fittest' a potentially misleading description of natural selection?

The phrase implies that survival alone is enough, when reproductive success is also crucial. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is one reason environmental stability would reduce the effect of natural selection on a population?

Organisms in stable environments are already well-adapted, reducing selective pressures. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In a scenario where a population of insects is exposed to a new pesticide, which outcome would be the expected result of natural selection?

Insects with pre-existing resistance to the pesticide will survive and reproduce at higher rates, increasing the frequency of resistance in the population. (C) Signup and view all the answers

A population of fish lives in a lake. Over time, the lake becomes more and more polluted. Fish with gene variants that allow them to survive in polluted water become more common. What is most likely to happen to fish with those gene variants across generations?

As more fish with the gene variants survive and reproduce, future fish populations will likely have a greater proportion of fish with these gene variants. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands exemplify adaptive radiation and natural selection?

They each have evolved differently over time to best utilize the resources available in their specific Galapagos Island niche. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Natural selection

The process where individuals with certain traits survive and reproduce at higher rates due to those traits.

Evolution

Change in the genetic makeup of a population over time; descent with modification.

Biogeography

The geographic distribution of species.

Darwin's hypothesis

Darwin's idea that organisms left South America and colonized the Galapagos, where they then diversified into new species.