BIO 204 Study Questions Exam With
Complete Solutions
Evolution is a change in ________ __________ in a(n) _________ over time.
A. Phenotype, Frequency, Population
B. Genotype, Frequency, Population
C. Allele, Frequency, Individual
D. Allele, Expression, Population
E. Allele, Frequency, Environment
F. Allele, Frequency, Population - ANSWER F. Allele, Frequency, Population
Which of the following sets of measurements would NOT allow a researcher to directly
quantify fitness?
A. Litter size & number of litters over a female lion's lifetime
B. Percentage of copulations resulting in paternity & number of copulations & longevity
of a male lion
C. Seed set (number of seeds in a pollinated flower) & number of flowering events over a
dogwood tree's lifespan
D. Aggressive displays to protect breeding territory & longevity of a male Eastern
bluebird
E. Percentage of mating attempts resulting in paternity & number of mating events &
lifespan of a male Eastern bluebird - ANSWER D. Aggressive displays to protect
breeding territory & longevity of a male Eastern bluebird
1. A patch of forest in western Virginia is entirely destroyed by a forest fire. Leg lengths
of a population of eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), which depend on
berries within the forest for food, was measured 1 year before and 2 years after the fire.
Those data are shown in this figure (ANOVA p < 0.05). Which of the following describes
a possible mechanism for change in rabbit leg length via natural selection?
A. This data collection was likely an example of human sampling error. After the fire,
,large, long-legged rabbits were more likely to be caught and measured than small,
short-legged rabbits.
B. Short-legged rabbits are more likely to burrow in times of stress than long-legged
rabbits, and burrowing is an effective survival strategy during fast-moving forest fire.
Short legged rabbits were able to survive the fire, while long-legged rabbits were more
likely to perish in the blaze.
C. The fi - ANSWER D. Long-legged rabbits are more mobile than short-legged rabbits,
and increased mobility is associated with increased home range. Long legged rabbits
are able to access berries in a patch of unburned forest 5km from the burned range
while short legged rabbits are more likely to die from starvation.
1Which of the following does NOT describe one of Darwin's postulates for evolution by
natural selection?
A. Tail length of anole lizards is variable within a population.
B. Tail length is a heritable trait.
C. Within a population of anole lizards, there are variable rates of survival and
reproduction.
D. The evolution of long tails has improved anole lizards.
E. In some environments, anole lizards with long tail lengths have higher survival and
reproduction than lizards with short tails. - ANSWER D. The evolution of long tails has
improved anole lizards.
Here is a false statement: A 19-year-old W&M student travels to Belize on a study abroad
program and finds that her skin darkens due to production of the pigment melanin. The
student has evolved. Which of the following statements correctly revises the incorrect
statement? (4)
A. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has acclimated in response to
the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype did not change.
B. The student underwent adaptation and now has the capacity to produce melanin in
response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype changed.
C. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has acclimated in response to
the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype changed.
D. The student underwent adaptation and now has the capacity to produce melanin in
response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype did not change.
, E. The student - ANSWER A. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has
acclimated in response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype
did not change.
Mummichog fish are observed to avoid noisy areas. Which of the following is an ultimate
explanation for this behavior? (4)
A. Because noise elevates stress hormones that lower concentration of a sex hormone.
B. Because noisy areas are associated with an elevated predation risk.
C. Because the detection of vibrations by nerve cells is experienced as pain.
D. Because the detection of vibrations interferes with navigational processes.
E. Because noise interferes with their lateral lines' ability to detect the vibrations of
predators and prey. - ANSWER B. Because noisy areas are associated with an elevated
predation risk.
After the drought of 1977, researchers on the island of Daphne Major hypothesized that
medium ground finches that had large, deep beaks survived better than those with
smaller beaks because they could more easily crack and eat the tough Tribulus
cistoides fruits. If this hypothesis is correct, what would you expect to observe if a
population of these medium ground finches colonizes a nearby island where T.
cistoidesis the most abundant food for the next 1000 years? Assume that (1) even the
survivors of the 1977 drought sometimes had difficulty cracking the tough T. cistoides
fruits and would eat other seeds when offered a choice; and (2) food availability is the
primary limit on finch fitness on this new island.
A. evolution of yet larger, deeper beaks over time
B. evolution of smaller, pointier beaks over time
C. random fluctuations in beak size and shape
D. no change in beak size and shape - ANSWER A. evolution of yet larger, deeper beaks
over time
Which of the following are qualities of a scientific hypothesis?
I. It is testable.
II. It is falsifiable.
III. It produces quantitative data.
IV. It produces results that can be replicated.
A. I only
Complete Solutions
Evolution is a change in ________ __________ in a(n) _________ over time.
A. Phenotype, Frequency, Population
B. Genotype, Frequency, Population
C. Allele, Frequency, Individual
D. Allele, Expression, Population
E. Allele, Frequency, Environment
F. Allele, Frequency, Population - ANSWER F. Allele, Frequency, Population
Which of the following sets of measurements would NOT allow a researcher to directly
quantify fitness?
A. Litter size & number of litters over a female lion's lifetime
B. Percentage of copulations resulting in paternity & number of copulations & longevity
of a male lion
C. Seed set (number of seeds in a pollinated flower) & number of flowering events over a
dogwood tree's lifespan
D. Aggressive displays to protect breeding territory & longevity of a male Eastern
bluebird
E. Percentage of mating attempts resulting in paternity & number of mating events &
lifespan of a male Eastern bluebird - ANSWER D. Aggressive displays to protect
breeding territory & longevity of a male Eastern bluebird
1. A patch of forest in western Virginia is entirely destroyed by a forest fire. Leg lengths
of a population of eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), which depend on
berries within the forest for food, was measured 1 year before and 2 years after the fire.
Those data are shown in this figure (ANOVA p < 0.05). Which of the following describes
a possible mechanism for change in rabbit leg length via natural selection?
A. This data collection was likely an example of human sampling error. After the fire,
,large, long-legged rabbits were more likely to be caught and measured than small,
short-legged rabbits.
B. Short-legged rabbits are more likely to burrow in times of stress than long-legged
rabbits, and burrowing is an effective survival strategy during fast-moving forest fire.
Short legged rabbits were able to survive the fire, while long-legged rabbits were more
likely to perish in the blaze.
C. The fi - ANSWER D. Long-legged rabbits are more mobile than short-legged rabbits,
and increased mobility is associated with increased home range. Long legged rabbits
are able to access berries in a patch of unburned forest 5km from the burned range
while short legged rabbits are more likely to die from starvation.
1Which of the following does NOT describe one of Darwin's postulates for evolution by
natural selection?
A. Tail length of anole lizards is variable within a population.
B. Tail length is a heritable trait.
C. Within a population of anole lizards, there are variable rates of survival and
reproduction.
D. The evolution of long tails has improved anole lizards.
E. In some environments, anole lizards with long tail lengths have higher survival and
reproduction than lizards with short tails. - ANSWER D. The evolution of long tails has
improved anole lizards.
Here is a false statement: A 19-year-old W&M student travels to Belize on a study abroad
program and finds that her skin darkens due to production of the pigment melanin. The
student has evolved. Which of the following statements correctly revises the incorrect
statement? (4)
A. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has acclimated in response to
the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype did not change.
B. The student underwent adaptation and now has the capacity to produce melanin in
response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype changed.
C. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has acclimated in response to
the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype changed.
D. The student underwent adaptation and now has the capacity to produce melanin in
response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype did not change.
, E. The student - ANSWER A. The student had the capacity to produce melanin and has
acclimated in response to the new environmental conditions. The student's genotype
did not change.
Mummichog fish are observed to avoid noisy areas. Which of the following is an ultimate
explanation for this behavior? (4)
A. Because noise elevates stress hormones that lower concentration of a sex hormone.
B. Because noisy areas are associated with an elevated predation risk.
C. Because the detection of vibrations by nerve cells is experienced as pain.
D. Because the detection of vibrations interferes with navigational processes.
E. Because noise interferes with their lateral lines' ability to detect the vibrations of
predators and prey. - ANSWER B. Because noisy areas are associated with an elevated
predation risk.
After the drought of 1977, researchers on the island of Daphne Major hypothesized that
medium ground finches that had large, deep beaks survived better than those with
smaller beaks because they could more easily crack and eat the tough Tribulus
cistoides fruits. If this hypothesis is correct, what would you expect to observe if a
population of these medium ground finches colonizes a nearby island where T.
cistoidesis the most abundant food for the next 1000 years? Assume that (1) even the
survivors of the 1977 drought sometimes had difficulty cracking the tough T. cistoides
fruits and would eat other seeds when offered a choice; and (2) food availability is the
primary limit on finch fitness on this new island.
A. evolution of yet larger, deeper beaks over time
B. evolution of smaller, pointier beaks over time
C. random fluctuations in beak size and shape
D. no change in beak size and shape - ANSWER A. evolution of yet larger, deeper beaks
over time
Which of the following are qualities of a scientific hypothesis?
I. It is testable.
II. It is falsifiable.
III. It produces quantitative data.
IV. It produces results that can be replicated.
A. I only
