Evolution Test Review Sheet
Name ______________________________________
1. The slow, gradual change in a species is called ___Evolution_____
2. What is biodiversity?
Variety of living organisms in an area
3. What are Homologous structures?
Structures that look the same but serve very different functions, Ex. Forelimbs of different species
have radius, ulna, etc. but function differently.
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What evidence do these similar structures provide in support of evolution?
For Divergent Evolution They suggest a common ancestor because they have structure in common
4. What was Lamarck’s Theory and why was he incorrect?
The theory of inheritance of acquired traits, acquired traits like large muscles cannot be passed on to
offspring.
5. What is Artificial Selection? Give an example.
When humans interfere and breed animals for desired traits like increased milk production or dog breeding.
Breeding Labradors or Arabian Horses would be an example.
6. What is natural selection? Who proposed Evolution through natural selection?
is the process by which biological organisms with favorable traits survive and reproduce more successfully
than organisms that do not possess such traits. Charles Darwin Proposed Evolution through Natural Selection.
7. Give an example of natural selection in action.
If you have a population of dogs and some have short hair and other long hair and temperature drops, the
long haired ones will survive longer and pass on their genes while the short hair ones die off.
8. Why might one variation have a selective advantage over another variation?
Environment might favor one and be against the other. Predators might see one color over another and keep
attacking them, food scarcity or proximity might also dictate which members eat better or get more food.
9. What is survival of the fittest?
describes the idea that there is, in nature, competition to survive and reproduce. It is a struggle for existence.
10. How are natural selection, adaptation, and fitness all interrelated?
Adaptations (new behaviors, structures or internal processes) make an organism survive better in their
environment, therefore making them more “fit” which means they will be more successful at living and passing
their genes, Natural selection places the pressure on which adaptations are beneficial or detrimental at the time.
11. What is stabilizing selection? Draw a graph and give an example.
Stabilizing selection favors the average or “in-between” individuals and selects against the two extremes.
See Graph C in question 36 for a picture. Example: If there is a population of wild dogs and they have short,
medium, and long coats but live in a temperate environment, they over time the short coats would die off
because they could not stand winters, and the long coats may die off more because they cannot stand
summers, so the medium coats would be favored and their numbers would increase.
12. What is disruptive selection? Draw a graph and give an example.
Disruptive selection favors both extremes while selecting against the average or “in-between” individuals
See Graph B in question 36 for picture. Remember the sand crab example involving the oil spill.
13. What is directional selection? Draw a graph and give an example.
Directional favors only one extreme while selecting against the other extreme and the average individuals.
See Graph A for picture in question 36. Example: If there are three different colors of fiddler crabs, white,
brown, and black; and the sand is black, then predators will easily see white and brown individuals and select
against them, while the black live on and pass on their genes causing an increase in their numbers over time
(favored).
14. What is convergent evolution? Give an example
When environment dictates the evolution of similar structures that have similar functions but are from
different, un-related species. Ex. Include wings of a bat, bird, or a dragonfly. All have same function and
shape, but formed in obviously different organisms.
15. What is divergent evolution? Give an example
One species gives rise to many species over time. These new species can trace origin back to a common
ancestor. Example: Darwin’s Finches or the tortoises he studied.
16. What are vestigial organs? Give at least 3 examples.
Organs/Structures that have no apparent function or benefit for the organism. Examples: Wisdom teeth,
wings in an ostrich, tail bone in humans, eyes for blind cave fish.
17. What are the major driving forces behind evolution? (Hint: more than one)
Natural Selection, environmental depletion or formation, mass extinctions events, climate changes, new or
reduced food sources
18. According to evolutionists, what factor from question 17 contributes to the most genetic variation in an
organism?
Mutations
19. What is speciation? Give an example.
Evolution of a new species because of geographic, reproductive isolation, or a change in the number of
chromosomes. Ex. Polyploidy in some species of plants, Abert squirrels separated by Grand Canyon.
20. What species of animal did Darwin focus a lot of his attention on in the Galapagos?
Finches and tortoises
21. Since they went through adaptive radiation, what type of evolution was represented by these animals? How do
you know?
Divergent Evolution because one species became many species and went through adaptive radiation.
Adaptive radiation = divergent evolution.
22. What is adaptive radiation? Explain how homologous structures support the idea of adaptive radiation.
When a population or a species evolves to fill in niches that were previously unoccupied. Darwin’s finches
filled in the gaps of eating insects, nectar, hard nuts, etc. in order to maximize food consumption for energy
and therefore developed beaks. Beaks are homologous in structure and function.
23. What is a mutation? How does it contribute to adaptation or evolution?
Any change in the normal DNA sequence, mutations can give rise to new structures, behaviors, internal
processes that might present as an adaptation and make an individual more fit or suited to survive in an
environment, they also might cause the death of some and force others to occupy their niche causing
adaptive radiation.
24. If you found two fossils in two different layers of sedimentary rock stacked on each other? How would you know
which one is older? How can you know for sure?
The fossil from the deeper layer would be older because that layer of rock had to be laid there first before the
other layer.
25. According to evolutionists, what type of cell is believed to be the first on earth and the one that gave rise to all
other life?
Prokaryotes (bacteria, single-celled)
26. What major theory did Lynn Margulis propose? Briefly explain the theory
She was a scientist that tried to explain cellular evolution using the endosymbiont theory where one
prokaryote swallowed another prokaryote forcing it to become a mitochondrion and a chloroplast which later
gave rise to eukaryotes. This gave rise to the first eukaryotic cell. Also called the theory of endosymbiosis.
27. Two characteristics that help organisms remain “fit” are mimicry and camouflage.
a. What is mimicry? Looking similar to other species to ward off predators
b. What is camouflage? Blending in with surrounding environment to escape capture or being preyed upon.
28. Natural selection occurs at which level? Individual or population
29. The following animals in the diagram below are similar; this would be an example of what type of evolution.
Convergent Evolution
30. The following animals in the diagram below are similar; this would be an example of what type of evolution.
Divergent Evolution
31. Adaptive radiation is associated with which type of evolution?
Divergent or Convergent
32. Put the fossils the diagram in order of youngest to oldest.
8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
33. What key concept of evolution is represented in
the diagram to the right?
Homologous Structures and divergent evolution
34. What type of selection is represented by the graphs below?
Graph A = ____Directional_____
Graph B = __disruptive_____
Graph C = _____Stabilizing______
Using your evidence of evolution charts, please answer the following questions using the choices provided.
A. Homologous Structure
E. Fossil Evidence
B. Analogous Structure
F. Embryological Evidence
C. Vestigial Structure
G. Biogeographical Evidence
D. Molecular/Biochemical Evidence
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A modified structure seen among different groups of descendants. _____A______
In the earliest stages of development, a tail and gill slits can be seen in rabbits, fish, birds and humans. ____F___
Exemplified by forelimbs of bats, penguins, lizards, and monkeys. ____A_____
The forelimbs of flightless birds. _____C______
DNA and RNA comparisons may lead to evolutionary trees or cladograms. ____D______
Bird and Butterfly wings have same function but different structures. _____B______
A body structure no longer used but may have had a function in an early ancestor. ____C_______
Structure associated with divergent evolution. _______A_________
Structure associated with convergent evolution. ______B_________
Geographic Isolation would fit into this category. _____G_________