Test Bank: Evolution, 3rd Edition by
Carl T. Bergstrom & Lee Alan Dugatkin
100 Exam Questions with Answers and
Rationales
Chapter 1: An Overview of Evolutionary Biology (Questions 1-10)
Q1. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution resulted in a ________ because it changed the way we
understand how all living things came to be and how they function.
a) paradigm shift
,b) null hypothesis
c) physical theory
d) static discovery
Answer: a) paradigm shift
Rationale: Darwin's theory fundamentally transformed biological thought, replacing earlier static
views of nature with an understanding that species change over time through descent with
modification.
Q2. Darwin realized that the often exquisite fit of species to their environment is primarily the result
of:
a) paradigm shifts
b) natural selection
c) supernatural events
d) empirical research
Answer: b) natural selection
Rationale: Darwin recognized that natural selection—the differential survival and reproduction of
individuals with advantageous traits—gradually shapes species to become well-adapted to their
environments.
Q3. When describing the importance of Darwin's theory of evolution, Theodosius Dobzhansky
proposed that:
a) nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution
,b) this theory of evolution changes the way we think of Earth in the universe
c) evolution can now be used to control our destiny
d) we no longer need to invoke the supernatural for any cause
Answer: a) nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution
Rationale: Dobzhansky's famous statement emphasizes that evolution is the central organizing
principle of all biological sciences, unifying diverse fields from genetics to ecology.
Q4. What is evolutionary biology?
a) a description of the fossil record
b) the field of science that deals with matter and its motion through space and time
c) the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
d) the study of the origin, maintenance, and diversity of life
Answer: d) the study of the origin, maintenance, and diversity of life
Rationale: Evolutionary biology encompasses the study of how life originated, how populations
change over time, and what processes generate and maintain the diversity of organisms.
Q5. Which of the following is FALSE about the relationship between microevolution and
macroevolution?
a) Mutation is a random process
, b) Macroevolution drives microevolution
c) Natural selection is not a random process
d) Mutation is the raw material for selection
Answer: b) Macroevolution drives microevolution
Rationale: This statement is reversed. Microevolution (changes in allele frequencies within
populations) drives macroevolution (the formation of new species and higher taxonomic groups over
long time scales).
Q6. The two revolutionary ideas that Darwin presented in On the Origin of Species were:
a) evolution occurs in groups and natural selection is random
b) all of life descended from a common ancestor and natural selection explains adaptation
c) species are fixed and Earth is young
d) acquired characteristics are inherited and use/disuse changes organs
Answer: b) all of life descended from a common ancestor and natural selection explains adaptation
Rationale: Darwin proposed common descent (all species share ancestors) and natural selection (the
mechanism driving adaptive evolution).
Q7. Which sources of data do evolutionary biologists use to test their hypotheses?
a) Molecular data
b) Morphological and behavioral data
Carl T. Bergstrom & Lee Alan Dugatkin
100 Exam Questions with Answers and
Rationales
Chapter 1: An Overview of Evolutionary Biology (Questions 1-10)
Q1. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution resulted in a ________ because it changed the way we
understand how all living things came to be and how they function.
a) paradigm shift
,b) null hypothesis
c) physical theory
d) static discovery
Answer: a) paradigm shift
Rationale: Darwin's theory fundamentally transformed biological thought, replacing earlier static
views of nature with an understanding that species change over time through descent with
modification.
Q2. Darwin realized that the often exquisite fit of species to their environment is primarily the result
of:
a) paradigm shifts
b) natural selection
c) supernatural events
d) empirical research
Answer: b) natural selection
Rationale: Darwin recognized that natural selection—the differential survival and reproduction of
individuals with advantageous traits—gradually shapes species to become well-adapted to their
environments.
Q3. When describing the importance of Darwin's theory of evolution, Theodosius Dobzhansky
proposed that:
a) nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution
,b) this theory of evolution changes the way we think of Earth in the universe
c) evolution can now be used to control our destiny
d) we no longer need to invoke the supernatural for any cause
Answer: a) nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution
Rationale: Dobzhansky's famous statement emphasizes that evolution is the central organizing
principle of all biological sciences, unifying diverse fields from genetics to ecology.
Q4. What is evolutionary biology?
a) a description of the fossil record
b) the field of science that deals with matter and its motion through space and time
c) the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
d) the study of the origin, maintenance, and diversity of life
Answer: d) the study of the origin, maintenance, and diversity of life
Rationale: Evolutionary biology encompasses the study of how life originated, how populations
change over time, and what processes generate and maintain the diversity of organisms.
Q5. Which of the following is FALSE about the relationship between microevolution and
macroevolution?
a) Mutation is a random process
, b) Macroevolution drives microevolution
c) Natural selection is not a random process
d) Mutation is the raw material for selection
Answer: b) Macroevolution drives microevolution
Rationale: This statement is reversed. Microevolution (changes in allele frequencies within
populations) drives macroevolution (the formation of new species and higher taxonomic groups over
long time scales).
Q6. The two revolutionary ideas that Darwin presented in On the Origin of Species were:
a) evolution occurs in groups and natural selection is random
b) all of life descended from a common ancestor and natural selection explains adaptation
c) species are fixed and Earth is young
d) acquired characteristics are inherited and use/disuse changes organs
Answer: b) all of life descended from a common ancestor and natural selection explains adaptation
Rationale: Darwin proposed common descent (all species share ancestors) and natural selection (the
mechanism driving adaptive evolution).
Q7. Which sources of data do evolutionary biologists use to test their hypotheses?
a) Molecular data
b) Morphological and behavioral data
