This is the third exam that I gave during Spring 1997 (when I last taught the course). Answers are given on a separate page. Please note that in 1997 I covered slightly different material (e.g., I covered some of the information that Dr. Baldwin covered this year, and I gave some details about two examples (guppies and moths/industrial melanism) that I didn't' cover in detail this year).

This exam will help you get a feel for the types of questions that I ask and way I phrase the problems. I expect to have slightly more figures on this year's exam. All questions will continue to be multiple choice.

Good luck,

-CWO

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Each test is unique. Your test number is the 5 digit number at the top of each page of your test. Code your test number on your green answer sheet, using answers 76-80 for the 5 digit number.

2. There is a single correct response to each of the 35 questions. Mark the answers on the answer sheet using a #2 pencil.

3. I encourage you to make notes as necessary on the test, and to circle the correct answer (this will help us in case you skip a line on the bubble sheet). WRITE YOUR NAME, SECTION NUMBER and SSN on the top of the test (on the lines above). ALL TESTS MUST BE TURNED IN, or you will receive no credit for the exam!

4. The exam ends at the end of class (10:25am for Period 3 and 12:35pm for Period 5). Turn in the answer sheet AND the test (with your name written on it).

Good luck!
 

(a) derived state for characters a and d; all others ancestral.
(b) derived state for characters a, d, e, f; all others ancestral.
(c) derived state for characters a, b, c, d; all others ancestral.
(d) derived state for characters a, d, e, f, g; all others ancestral.
(e) none of these.

(a) analogy.
(b) derived homology.
(c) ancestral homology.
(d) reversion.
(e) convergence.

(a) BCD
(b) CDE
(c) ABC
(d) BCDE
(e) ABCD

4. Which of the following is an acceptable definition of evolution?

(a) a change in the genetic makeup of a population
(b) a change in the phenotypic makeup of a population
(c) a change in the environmental conditions
(d) a change in the genotypic makeup of an individual
(e) a change in the species composition of a community

5. Anatomical structures that show similar function but dissimilar embryonic and evolutionary background are said to be

(a) polyphyletic.
(b) primitive.
(c) homologous.
(d) monophyletic.
(e) analogous.

6. Evolution by natural selection requires all of the following EXCEPT:

(a) Fitness of different phenotypes must be different (on average).
(b) There must be phenotypic variation in the population.
(c) Phenotypic variation must have a heritable component.
(d) Acquired (non-genetic) traits must be passed on to offspring.
(e) There must be genetic variation in the population.

7. Kettlewell's study of the English peppered moth, Biston betularia, illustrated that the effect of natural selection depends on the

(a) environment.
(b) sexual selection.
(c) intensity of melanin.
(d) principle of common descent.
(e) presence of homologies among moths.

8. Which of the following is most likely to have been produced by sexual selection?

(a) the ability of desert animals to concentrate their urine.
(b) eye spots on a butterfly fish.
(c) a male lion's mane.
(d) different sizes of male and female pine cones.

9. When we say that one organism has greater fitness than another, we mean that it

(a) lives longer.
(b) has greater aerobic capacity.
(c) mates more frequently.
(d) utilizes resources more efficiently.
(e) leaves more viable offspring.

(a) genetic drift because the traits were highly advantageous.
(b) natural selection because the traits attracted mates.
(c) natural selection because the traits increased survivorship.
(d) the founder effect and were not adaptations.
(e) phenotypic plasticity.

11. The only taxonomic category that actually exists as a discrete unit in nature is the

(a) species.
(b) genus.
(c) family.
(d) class.
(e) phylum.

12. Which of the following statements is consistent with the punctuated equilibrium interpretation of speciation?

(a) Large populations evolve more quickly than small ones.
(b) Evolution proceeds at a slow, steady pace.
(c) Rapid speciation is caused by population explosions.
(d) There is an equilibrium between living and extinct species.
(e) Long periods of minor change; short bursts of major change.

13. A botanist discovers a large population of annual plants. The plants all look basically the same, but seem to be of two different size classes. The larger and smaller plants inhabit the same areas and are visited by the same pollinating insects. Under what conditions might the two sizes of plants be considered two different species?

(a) Pollen from either morph fails to germinate on the other.
(b) Pollinating insects prefer the larger plant to the smaller.
(c) Tests show some genetic differences between the plants.
(d) Crosses between the two morphs yield hybrids of intermediate size.
(e) Bigger plants have bigger cells and other phenotypic differences.

14. The biological species concept is inadequate for grouping

(a) endemic populations.
(b) parasites.
(c) plants.
(d) asexual organisms.
(e) sympatric populations.

15. Two subspecies, A and B, are not considered separate species even though they cannot interbreed when brought together. The most likely reason is:

(a) A and B have eliminated postzygotic but not prezygotic barriers.
(b) gene flow between A and B occurs through other subspecies.
(c) A and B are endemic to isolated geographic regions.
(d) Gene flow has ceased and genetic isolation is complete.
(e) Their diploid gametes are produced by nondisjunction.

16. The ostrich and the emu look very similar and live in similar habitats, although they are not very closely related. This is an example of:

(a) convergent evolution.
(b) divergent evolution.
(c) co-evolution.
(d) adaptive radiation.
(e) sympatric speciation.

17. According to the hypothesis known as species selection, an evolutionary trend results from

(a) varying rates of speciation and extinction among clades.
(b) paraphyletic groupings of endemic species.
(c) stepwise progression of a single, unbranched lineage.
(d) phyletic evolution that gradually transforms a single population.
(e) a drive toward perfection.

18. Animals that help other animals of the same species are expected to

(a) be female.
(b) be bigger and stronger than the other animals.
(c) have excess energy reserves.
(d) be genetically related to the other animals.
(e) have defective genes controlling behavior.

19. Gene flow between two populations

(a) facilitates speciation.
(b) makes the populations more similar.
(c) speeds up the divergence of two populations.
(d) increases the genetic variation between populations.
(e) none of these.

20. Male northern sea lions are nearly twice the size of females because

(a) males live longer than females.
(b) predators of the sea lions favor males.
(c) males compete with other males for access to females.
(d) each male must protect the one female with which he mates.
(e) bigger size confers a feeding advantage.

21. Which of the following would NOT distinguish two different species?

(a) Their biogeographic ranges do not overlap.
(b) If hybrids are produced, the offspring are sterile.
(c) They have distinct gene pools.
(d) Their courtship patterns are different so they don't mate.
(e) Male and female genitalia of different species are incompatible.

(a) elimination of gene flow due to geographic isolation
(b) development of a physical barrier between populations
(c) polyploidy
(d) change in environmental conditions
(e) the introduction of a new predator into an area

23. The similarity in external morphology of sharks, penguins, and porpoises is due to

(a) convergent evolution.
(b) co-evolution.
(c) shared ancestral traits.
(d) a suite of identical genes in all three groups.
(e) their descent from a common ancestor (i.e., "fish").

(a) phenotypic similarity.
(b) behavior.
(c) common ancestry.
(d) taxonomy.
(e) analogous structures.

25. Which of the following can be used as an outgroup for comparison to the others?

(a) blue jay (bird)
(b) coelocanth (fish)
(c) tree frog
(d) alligator
(e) humans

26. A ground squirrel sees a falcon and issues an alarm call. As a result of this call, the falcon is able to orient toward the caller and capture it. Why does calling behavior persist in this ground squirrel species?

(a) The behavior is maintained via kin selection.
(b) The behavior is not acted on by natural selection.
(c) Calling behavior is genetically based.
(d) Some of the time, falcons do not capture the caller.
(e) Other ground squirrels benefit from the call.

27. Which of the following can help bring about major macroevolutionary changes:

(a) all of these.
(b) the evolution of traits that serve as preadaptations.
(c) a change in the growth rate of some structures relative to others.
(d) heterochrony.
(e) a change in a regulatory gene, which alters morphology.

28. The Principle of Parsimony

(a) is the most powerful tool used in the phenetic approach.
(b) is used because evolution occurs by the simplest series of steps.
(c) is not useful because several trees can be equally parsimonious.
(d) requires choosing the tree with the fewest evolutionary steps.
(e) is preferred over phenetics because it gives the correct phylogeny.

29. The response to selection will be greatest when:

(a) heritability is high and there is strong selection.
(b) heritability is high but selection is not too intense.
(c) a few males mate with many females
(d) survivorship and fecundity are both high.
(e) there is stabilizing selection.

30. Two snail populations (that inhabit two different lakes) have different shell thicknesses. These differences could be due to:
(a) genetic drift resulting from the colonization of these lakes.

(b) differences in water chemistry which affect shell deposition.
(c) a developmental response to the presence of predators.
(d) evolution driven by presence/absence of shell-crushing predators.
(e) all of these.

31. Endler and Reznick separated the effects of phenotypic plasticity from evolution by:

(a) monitoring guppy populations over many generations.
(b) sequencing the DNA of guppies from different streams.
(c) looking at the size-selectivity of Crenicichla and Rivulus.
(d) raising guppies from each site under the same conditions.
(e) all of these.

(a) its shape remains constant as its size changes.
(b) its shape changes as it changes in size.
(c) it requires exercise to alter the muscle and bone morphology.
(d) its shape is transformed into the adult morphology.
(e) it cannot be studied evolutionarily.

33. Habitats that are rich in food are often associated with greater risk to predation. This is an example of:

(a) an optimal foraging model
(b) a trade-off
(c) a sexual conflict
(d) a synapomorphy
(e) a fixed action pattern

34. Measuring heritability can be problematic due to

(a) all of these.
(b) maternal effects.
(c) environmental effects.
(d) gene by environment interactions.
(e) transfer of non-genetic material from a mother to her offspring.

35. Cooperative behavior can be maintained through all of the following except:

(a) reciprocity between strangers
(b) group selection (a la D.S. Wilson)
(c) kin selection
(d) reciprocity between non-relatives
(e) haplodiploidy