UMKC BIO 108 EXAM 4 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026
What is the most important missing evidence or observation in Darwin's theory of evolution when
proposed in 1859? - Answers An understanding of inheritance and the source of genetic variation.
Which of the following statements about the biological species concept is incorrect? - Answers
Biological species concept is the model used for grouping extinct forms of life.
If allele frequencies in a population are changing due to chance or random events, what is happening?
- Answers genetic drift
A grouping of species in which a common ancestral species is missing is _____. - Answers polyphyletic
Structures as different as human arms, bat wings, and dolphin flippers contain many of the same
bones, these bones having developed from common ancestry. What do biologists call these features?
- Answers homologous structures
What type of reproductive isolating barrier is observed if a hybrid is vigorous, but sterile? - Answers
reduced hybrid fertility
When an individual organism is said to have a greater fitness than another individual, this specifically
means that the organism _________. - Answers leaves more viable offspring than others of its species
Shared derived characters are most likely to be found in taxa that are _______. - Answers
monophyletic
What type of evolution is observed if similarity is observed between two species that is due to
homology and not analogy? - Answers divergent evolution
What type of reproductive isolating barrier is observed if organisms breed based on behaviors that
are unique to its species? - Answers behavioral isolation
Which of the following is a condition that will prevent a population from being in a Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium? - Answers natural selection
Place the taxa below in order from most specific to least specific. - Answers species, genus, family,
order, class, phylum, kingdom
Which statement about natural selection is most correct? - Answers Well-adapted individuals leave
more offspring, and thus contribute more to the next generation's gene pool, than do poorly adapted
individuals.
A mode of speciation in which gene flow between populations is prevented by a geographic barrier. -
Answers allopatric speciation
In a population undergoing natural selection, what type of selection is illustrated here, in which
selection favors one of the homozygotes? - Answers directional selection
For each example, indicate whether it describes natural or artificial selection.
1.)Selective breeding of wild mustard that ultimately resulted in cabbage and brussel sprouts.
2.)The Galapagos Islands have 13 species of finches with unique territories and food sources.
3.)Increased observance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in hospitals. - Answers 1.) Artificial
2.) Natural
3.) Natural
An investigator is trying to determine the homology between four different species and generates a
phylogenetic tree. Other reports had grouped these species in different ways. These groupings are
indicated by dashed lines superimposed on the recent phylogenetic tree.
1.)Which of these groups indicated by dashed lines is paraphyletic?
2.)Which of these groups indicated by dashed lines is most consistent with homology based on shared
common ancestry? - Answers 1.)Clade B
2.)Clade A
Typical tiger coloration is tan fur black stripes (cub on left). White tigers are a recessive trait with
brown stripes on white fur (cub on right). Consider a population of 150 tigers, 3 of which are white
tigers. What is the estimated frequency of the allele for white coloration in this gene pool, assuming
the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equillibrium? - Answers sqrt[ (3/150)] = 0.14
You are confronted with a box of preserved grasshoppers of various species that are new to science
and have not been described. Your assignment is to separate them into species. There is no
accompanying information as to where or when they were collected. Which species concept will you
have to use? - Answers morphological
Plant species X has a diploid number of 8. A new species, Y, arises as an autopolyploid from X. The
diploid number of Y would probably be _____. - Answers 16
What is the most important missing evidence or observation in Darwin's theory of evolution when
proposed in 1859? - Answers An understanding of inheritance and the source of genetic variation.
Which of the following statements about the biological species concept is incorrect? - Answers
Biological species concept is the model used for grouping extinct forms of life.
If allele frequencies in a population are changing due to chance or random events, what is happening?
- Answers genetic drift
A grouping of species in which a common ancestral species is missing is _____. - Answers polyphyletic
Structures as different as human arms, bat wings, and dolphin flippers contain many of the same
bones, these bones having developed from common ancestry. What do biologists call these features?
- Answers homologous structures
What type of reproductive isolating barrier is observed if a hybrid is vigorous, but sterile? - Answers
reduced hybrid fertility
When an individual organism is said to have a greater fitness than another individual, this specifically
means that the organism _________. - Answers leaves more viable offspring than others of its species
Shared derived characters are most likely to be found in taxa that are _______. - Answers
monophyletic
What type of evolution is observed if similarity is observed between two species that is due to
homology and not analogy? - Answers divergent evolution
What type of reproductive isolating barrier is observed if organisms breed based on behaviors that
are unique to its species? - Answers behavioral isolation
Which of the following is a condition that will prevent a population from being in a Hardy-Weinberg
equilibrium? - Answers natural selection
Place the taxa below in order from most specific to least specific. - Answers species, genus, family,
order, class, phylum, kingdom
Which statement about natural selection is most correct? - Answers Well-adapted individuals leave
more offspring, and thus contribute more to the next generation's gene pool, than do poorly adapted
individuals.
A mode of speciation in which gene flow between populations is prevented by a geographic barrier. -
Answers allopatric speciation
In a population undergoing natural selection, what type of selection is illustrated here, in which
selection favors one of the homozygotes? - Answers directional selection
For each example, indicate whether it describes natural or artificial selection.
1.)Selective breeding of wild mustard that ultimately resulted in cabbage and brussel sprouts.
2.)The Galapagos Islands have 13 species of finches with unique territories and food sources.
3.)Increased observance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in hospitals. - Answers 1.) Artificial
2.) Natural
3.) Natural
An investigator is trying to determine the homology between four different species and generates a
phylogenetic tree. Other reports had grouped these species in different ways. These groupings are
indicated by dashed lines superimposed on the recent phylogenetic tree.
1.)Which of these groups indicated by dashed lines is paraphyletic?
2.)Which of these groups indicated by dashed lines is most consistent with homology based on shared
common ancestry? - Answers 1.)Clade B
2.)Clade A
Typical tiger coloration is tan fur black stripes (cub on left). White tigers are a recessive trait with
brown stripes on white fur (cub on right). Consider a population of 150 tigers, 3 of which are white
tigers. What is the estimated frequency of the allele for white coloration in this gene pool, assuming
the population is in Hardy-Weinberg equillibrium? - Answers sqrt[ (3/150)] = 0.14
You are confronted with a box of preserved grasshoppers of various species that are new to science
and have not been described. Your assignment is to separate them into species. There is no
accompanying information as to where or when they were collected. Which species concept will you
have to use? - Answers morphological
Plant species X has a diploid number of 8. A new species, Y, arises as an autopolyploid from X. The
diploid number of Y would probably be _____. - Answers 16
