BIO 108 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
What was the name of Darwin's ship? - Answers HMS Beagle
What was the full name of the publication that Darwin published? - Answers On the Origin of Species
by Means of Natural Selection
What is the basic idea of natural selection? - Answers Organisms with traits better suited to their
environment are more likely to survive and reproduce
What is the result of natural selection? - Answers Adaptation; populations become better suited to
their environment
Darwin based his theory of natural selection on two key observations. What are they? - Answers
Variation exists within populations; organisms produce more offspring than can survive
What is unequal reproductive success? - Answers Some individuals reproduce more than others due
to advantageous traits
What is a fossil? How are fossils formed? - Answers Preserved remains, traces, or imprints of
organisms; formed in sedimentary rock over time
Where are fossils found? - Answers Sedimentary rock layers
What type of scientist studies fossils? - Answers Paleontologist
What is biogeography? - Answers Study of species distribution across Earth and how they evolved
based on location
What is comparative anatomy? - Answers Study of similarities and differences in anatomical
structures among species
What is comparative embryology? - Answers Study of similarities in embryonic development among
species
Name 3 examples of natural selection in action. - Answers Peppered moth color change, antibiotic-
resistant bacteria, Darwin's finches' beak size changes
What is a mutation? - Answers A change in DNA sequence that can create genetic variation
What is sexual recombination? - Answers Mixing of genetic material during sexual reproduction,
creating variation
What is directional selection? - Answers Natural selection favoring one extreme phenotype;
population curve shifts toward that extreme
What is disruptive selection? - Answers Favors both extremes and selects against the intermediate;
population curve develops two peaks
What is stabilizing selection? - Answers Favors intermediate phenotypes; reduces extremes; curve
becomes narrower
Sickle-cell anemia confers resistance to what disease? - Answers Malaria
What is microevolution? - Answers Small-scale changes in allele frequencies within a population over
time
What is macroevolution? - Answers Large-scale evolutionary changes producing new species or major
groups
What is a phylogeny tree? - Answers Diagram showing evolutionary relationships; closer branches =
more recent common ancestor
What is a species? - Answers Group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
What is allopatric speciation? - Answers Speciation due to geographic separation of populations
What is sympatric speciation? - Answers Speciation without geographic isolation, often due to habitat
differentiation or polyploidy
Know the two models for the Pace of Speciation. - Answers Gradualism (slow, steady change) and
Punctuated Equilibrium (long stasis, rapid bursts)
What are prezygotic barriers? Name 5. - Answers Barriers before fertilization: habitat, temporal,
behavioral, mechanical, gametic isolation
What are postzygotic barriers? Name 3. - Answers Barriers after fertilization: hybrid inviability, hybrid
sterility, hybrid breakdown
What are the 3 domains of life? - Answers Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Know the 4 roles that Fungi play in an ecosystem. - Answers Decomposers, mutualists, pathogens,
food sources
Know the correct sequence for the Animal Classification System. - Answers Domain, Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
What was the name of Darwin's ship? - Answers HMS Beagle
What was the full name of the publication that Darwin published? - Answers On the Origin of Species
by Means of Natural Selection
What is the basic idea of natural selection? - Answers Organisms with traits better suited to their
environment are more likely to survive and reproduce
What is the result of natural selection? - Answers Adaptation; populations become better suited to
their environment
Darwin based his theory of natural selection on two key observations. What are they? - Answers
Variation exists within populations; organisms produce more offspring than can survive
What is unequal reproductive success? - Answers Some individuals reproduce more than others due
to advantageous traits
What is a fossil? How are fossils formed? - Answers Preserved remains, traces, or imprints of
organisms; formed in sedimentary rock over time
Where are fossils found? - Answers Sedimentary rock layers
What type of scientist studies fossils? - Answers Paleontologist
What is biogeography? - Answers Study of species distribution across Earth and how they evolved
based on location
What is comparative anatomy? - Answers Study of similarities and differences in anatomical
structures among species
What is comparative embryology? - Answers Study of similarities in embryonic development among
species
Name 3 examples of natural selection in action. - Answers Peppered moth color change, antibiotic-
resistant bacteria, Darwin's finches' beak size changes
What is a mutation? - Answers A change in DNA sequence that can create genetic variation
What is sexual recombination? - Answers Mixing of genetic material during sexual reproduction,
creating variation
What is directional selection? - Answers Natural selection favoring one extreme phenotype;
population curve shifts toward that extreme
What is disruptive selection? - Answers Favors both extremes and selects against the intermediate;
population curve develops two peaks
What is stabilizing selection? - Answers Favors intermediate phenotypes; reduces extremes; curve
becomes narrower
Sickle-cell anemia confers resistance to what disease? - Answers Malaria
What is microevolution? - Answers Small-scale changes in allele frequencies within a population over
time
What is macroevolution? - Answers Large-scale evolutionary changes producing new species or major
groups
What is a phylogeny tree? - Answers Diagram showing evolutionary relationships; closer branches =
more recent common ancestor
What is a species? - Answers Group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
What is allopatric speciation? - Answers Speciation due to geographic separation of populations
What is sympatric speciation? - Answers Speciation without geographic isolation, often due to habitat
differentiation or polyploidy
Know the two models for the Pace of Speciation. - Answers Gradualism (slow, steady change) and
Punctuated Equilibrium (long stasis, rapid bursts)
What are prezygotic barriers? Name 5. - Answers Barriers before fertilization: habitat, temporal,
behavioral, mechanical, gametic isolation
What are postzygotic barriers? Name 3. - Answers Barriers after fertilization: hybrid inviability, hybrid
sterility, hybrid breakdown
What are the 3 domains of life? - Answers Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Know the 4 roles that Fungi play in an ecosystem. - Answers Decomposers, mutualists, pathogens,
food sources
Know the correct sequence for the Animal Classification System. - Answers Domain, Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
