ANTH 1001 Final Exam Questions with 100%
Correct Answers
Which of the following statements regarding the rate at which natural selection
produces adaptations are true?
-Barring unusual circumstances, most new adaptations do not arise in a short period of time
(for example, within a couple generations).
-Incremental adaptations can take millions of years to occur.
-Significant adaptations, such as a change in beak size or body weight, can occur over
remarkably short periods of time (for example, 30 to 46 years).
Darwin's theory of adaptation follows from three postulates and is termed the process
of evolution by natural selection. Identify these postulates.
-the inheritance of variation
-the variation in fitness
-the struggle for existence
Within a few thousand generations, wolves were transformed into a variety of domestic
dogs. What challenge did this example present to Darwin's theory of evolution by
natural selection?
Darwin could not explain how a population might evolve beyond it's original range of of
variation, as suggested by this example.
What is the term that demographers use for the ability to produce offspring?
fecundity
Which of the following statements are correct regarding Darwin's life experiences and
his theory of adaptation?
,-Some of Charles Darwin's ideas were not widely accepted during his lifetime.
-Charles Darwin spent years on a mapping voyage through South America.
Adaptations_______an organism's ability to survive and______ in a given environment.
increase, reproduce
What is the word that scientists use to describe an organism's size, shape, and
composition, in light of natural selection pressures?
morphology
The average morphology (size, shape, and composition) of individuals in a population
always changes rapidly when that population invades a new habitat.
false
In Darwin's day, most people believed that the characteristics of offspring are an
average of their parents' characteristics. These averaged traits are then passed down to
the offspring's offspring. This concept was called __________ inheritance.
blending
Darwin coined the term________ to describe the process whereby traits that are
advantageous for survival and reproduction within a population are retained and traits
that are disadvantageous disappear.
natural selection
Natural selection sometimes results in changes in behavior or morphology that increase
the reproductive success of_______even if those changes decrease the reproductive
success of________.
individuals, groups
, Identify the portion of information that was missing during Darwin's time that fully
explained variation and allowed Darwin's theory of evolution to become accepted.
an understanding of genetics
Most phenotypic variation is______, which means that ________types exist.
continuous, intermediate
Which of the following statements regarding Darwin's theory of adaptation by natural
selection are accurate?
-Organisms must compete for resources with other members of their population.
-Traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Continuous vs Discontinuous traits
Continuous: height, hair color, skin color
Discontinuous: albinism, blood groups, achrondplasia
Why don't some traits segregate independently?
The genes that affect the traits are located closely together on the same chromosome.
Which of the following statements regarding meiosis are correct?
-Meiosis results in haploid cells.
-Meiosis is involved in the production of gametes.
Which of the following findings by early researchers is most true according to the basic
principles of modern genetics and evolutionary theory?
For most genetic loci, the mother and father contribute equally to the genetic makeup of a
child.
Correct Answers
Which of the following statements regarding the rate at which natural selection
produces adaptations are true?
-Barring unusual circumstances, most new adaptations do not arise in a short period of time
(for example, within a couple generations).
-Incremental adaptations can take millions of years to occur.
-Significant adaptations, such as a change in beak size or body weight, can occur over
remarkably short periods of time (for example, 30 to 46 years).
Darwin's theory of adaptation follows from three postulates and is termed the process
of evolution by natural selection. Identify these postulates.
-the inheritance of variation
-the variation in fitness
-the struggle for existence
Within a few thousand generations, wolves were transformed into a variety of domestic
dogs. What challenge did this example present to Darwin's theory of evolution by
natural selection?
Darwin could not explain how a population might evolve beyond it's original range of of
variation, as suggested by this example.
What is the term that demographers use for the ability to produce offspring?
fecundity
Which of the following statements are correct regarding Darwin's life experiences and
his theory of adaptation?
,-Some of Charles Darwin's ideas were not widely accepted during his lifetime.
-Charles Darwin spent years on a mapping voyage through South America.
Adaptations_______an organism's ability to survive and______ in a given environment.
increase, reproduce
What is the word that scientists use to describe an organism's size, shape, and
composition, in light of natural selection pressures?
morphology
The average morphology (size, shape, and composition) of individuals in a population
always changes rapidly when that population invades a new habitat.
false
In Darwin's day, most people believed that the characteristics of offspring are an
average of their parents' characteristics. These averaged traits are then passed down to
the offspring's offspring. This concept was called __________ inheritance.
blending
Darwin coined the term________ to describe the process whereby traits that are
advantageous for survival and reproduction within a population are retained and traits
that are disadvantageous disappear.
natural selection
Natural selection sometimes results in changes in behavior or morphology that increase
the reproductive success of_______even if those changes decrease the reproductive
success of________.
individuals, groups
, Identify the portion of information that was missing during Darwin's time that fully
explained variation and allowed Darwin's theory of evolution to become accepted.
an understanding of genetics
Most phenotypic variation is______, which means that ________types exist.
continuous, intermediate
Which of the following statements regarding Darwin's theory of adaptation by natural
selection are accurate?
-Organisms must compete for resources with other members of their population.
-Traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Continuous vs Discontinuous traits
Continuous: height, hair color, skin color
Discontinuous: albinism, blood groups, achrondplasia
Why don't some traits segregate independently?
The genes that affect the traits are located closely together on the same chromosome.
Which of the following statements regarding meiosis are correct?
-Meiosis results in haploid cells.
-Meiosis is involved in the production of gametes.
Which of the following findings by early researchers is most true according to the basic
principles of modern genetics and evolutionary theory?
For most genetic loci, the mother and father contribute equally to the genetic makeup of a
child.
