Honors Biology – Evolution Questions
and Answers Graded A+
What is the significance of genetic drift in small populations?
✔✔ Genetic drift causes random changes in allele frequencies, which can significantly impact
small populations.
How does the concept of speciation relate to evolution?
✔✔ Speciation is the process by which new species arise from existing ones, contributing to
evolutionary diversity.
What role does sexual selection play in evolution?
✔✔ Sexual selection favors traits that increase an individual's chances of attracting mates and
reproducing, leading to evolutionary changes.
How do vestigial structures provide evidence of evolution?
✔✔ Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or traits that were functional in ancestors but
have reduced or no function in modern species.
1
, What is the significance of molecular evidence in supporting evolution?
✔✔ Molecular evidence, such as DNA similarities, shows the genetic relationships between
different species and supports common ancestry.
How does the principle of uniformitarianism relate to evolutionary theory?
✔✔ Uniformitarianism suggests that geological processes operating in the past are the same as
those observed today, supporting gradual evolutionary changes over time.
What is the role of isolation in the process of evolution?
✔✔ Isolation, such as geographic or reproductive barriers, can lead to divergent evolution and
the formation of new species.
How do evolutionary trees (phylogenetic trees) represent relationships among species?
✔✔ Evolutionary trees illustrate the evolutionary relationships and common ancestry among
different species based on shared traits and genetic data.
What is the role of ecological niches in the process of evolution?
✔✔ Ecological niches determine how species adapt to their environments, leading to
evolutionary changes to better exploit available resources.
2
and Answers Graded A+
What is the significance of genetic drift in small populations?
✔✔ Genetic drift causes random changes in allele frequencies, which can significantly impact
small populations.
How does the concept of speciation relate to evolution?
✔✔ Speciation is the process by which new species arise from existing ones, contributing to
evolutionary diversity.
What role does sexual selection play in evolution?
✔✔ Sexual selection favors traits that increase an individual's chances of attracting mates and
reproducing, leading to evolutionary changes.
How do vestigial structures provide evidence of evolution?
✔✔ Vestigial structures are remnants of organs or traits that were functional in ancestors but
have reduced or no function in modern species.
1
, What is the significance of molecular evidence in supporting evolution?
✔✔ Molecular evidence, such as DNA similarities, shows the genetic relationships between
different species and supports common ancestry.
How does the principle of uniformitarianism relate to evolutionary theory?
✔✔ Uniformitarianism suggests that geological processes operating in the past are the same as
those observed today, supporting gradual evolutionary changes over time.
What is the role of isolation in the process of evolution?
✔✔ Isolation, such as geographic or reproductive barriers, can lead to divergent evolution and
the formation of new species.
How do evolutionary trees (phylogenetic trees) represent relationships among species?
✔✔ Evolutionary trees illustrate the evolutionary relationships and common ancestry among
different species based on shared traits and genetic data.
What is the role of ecological niches in the process of evolution?
✔✔ Ecological niches determine how species adapt to their environments, leading to
evolutionary changes to better exploit available resources.
2
