Bio 280 Exam 1 Questions and Answers

Neutral theory proposes that a. most molecular evolution is due to genetic drift rather than natural selection b. natural selection is not a major cause of phenotypic evolution c. most mutations are neutral with respect to selection d. the substitution rate is not related to the neutral mutation rate Answer A Natural selection acts on ________; _________ evolve. a. individuals, individuals b. individuals, populations c. populations, individuals d. populations, populations Answer B Which of the following can be concluded from the Grant's long-term study of the medium ground finch on Daphne Major? a. Beak size remained unchanged except during drought years. b. Beak size generally became larger over time. c. The direction of selection varied over time. d. The strength of selection was constant Answer C An animal's fitness is best measured by measuring its a. health and resistance to disease b. lifetime number of offspring c. body size d. strength and speed of movement Answer B As predicted by theory, in Buri's experiment with genetic drift in 107 populations of fruit flies, the bw75 allele was a. much more likely to become fixed than to be lost b. almost never lost or fixed c. much more likely to be lost than to become fixed d. about equally likely to be lost or become fixed Answer D