STUDENT NAME __________________________________________

Science
Biology
Unit 2A: Evolution
17 Multiple Choice Questions
1 Open Ended Response Questions
2020-2021
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 1 Common baboons live on the savanna in breeding groups called troops. While
females tend to stay with the troop, younger or less dominant males may leave to
join a neighboring troop. Which of these is a likely outcome of movement by young
males?

A Gene flow occurs between populations.

B Allele frequencies suddenly change.

C Relative genotypic frequencies reach a constant state.

D Intermediate phenotypes increase in the species.

2 In the 1940s, the scientist J. B. S. Haldane linked many human red blood cell
disorders with the tropical regions where malaria occurs. Haldane hypothesized that
the widespread presence of these red blood cell disorders as well as traits that
protect individuals from malaria were the result of natural selection. Haldane’s
hypothesis was later confirmed by the research of A. C. Allison.

The resistance to malaria carried by individuals in areas where malaria is widespread

is the result of —

F a vaccine against malaria

G the individuals’ genetic composition

H antibiotic medications

J the individuals’ behavior in avoiding those with the infection

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 3 The graph shows the number of taxa of reptiles whose fossilized tracks have been
found.

Which statement is best supported by these data?

A Competition for food and shelter among reptile species was very low during the
Triassic period.

B A great extinction occurred during the Jurassic period.

C Environmental conditions for speciation were most favorable for reptiles during the
Permian period.

D Reptiles adapted to a terrestrial environment during the Cretaceous period.

4 Bactrian camels, dromedaries, llamas, and alpacas are all members of the same
taxonomic family, Camelidae. Members of this family all have two toes, no hooves,
true canine teeth, and a split upper lip. The family Camelidae originated in North
America. The physical features of animals in this family and the family’s geographical
origin provide evidence that all these animals —

F live in the same type of ecosystem

G have slowly evolved to become herbivores

H have a common ancestor

J exchanged DNA at some point in the past

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 5 Researchers studying populations of lizards from the genus Gallotia on the Canary
Islands compared the protein cytochrome b in different populations. The table shows
the number of differences in the cytochrome b protein between different populations.

Which conclusion about the relatedness of the lizards do these data support?

A G. atlantica and G. stehlini are the least closely related.

B G. simonyi and G. bravoana are the most closely related.

C G. galloti eisentrauti and G. galloti palmae are the most closely related.

D G. galloti eisentrauti and G. galloti galloti are the least closely related.

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 6 The green frog (Lithobates clamitans clamitans) is found in many parts of the United
States. The table contains some information about this frog.

Why does the ability to lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs increase the fitness of the species L.
clamitans clamitans?

F It increases opportunities for offspring to compete for limited resources.

G It increases the probability that some offspring will survive long enough to
reproduce.

H It increases the probability that moving water will promote gene flow from one
population to another.

J It increases the chance of the recombination of alleles, leading to genetic drift in

the population.

7 A prey population consists of individuals with a variety of running speeds.

The adaptation that allows some of these animals to run fast would be an example of
natural selection if it helps them —

A survive and undergo mutations in their DNA

B lower the mortality rates of the population

C produce offspring that run at average speeds

D reproduce and increase the frequency of their genes in the population

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 8 The quiver tree grows in desert areas in southern Africa. In recent decades average
temperatures have been rising in southern Africa. Scientists predict that this
warming trend will continue. Quiver trees in the hottest parts of their range near the
equator are dying, but quiver trees at high elevations or in parts of the range that
are farther from the equator are growing and reproducing.

Which of these best explains what is happening to the quiver tree population in
southern Africa?

F Individual quiver trees are unable to adjust to the rising temperatures, and only
those in cooler parts of the range will survive.

G The quiver tree species is unable to survive rising temperatures throughout its
range. The species is likely to undergo rapid extinction.

H Individual quiver trees can quickly adapt to rising temperatures. Individual trees will
change their method of seed dispersal in cooler parts of the range.

J The quiver tree species will survive by producing offspring suited for
warmer temperatures.

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 9 The table shows the survival rate of two types of beetles in the same environment
over a period of three years.

Which statement about the beetles in this environment is best supported by the data?

A Green beetles are more fit for the environment than brown beetles are.

B Brown beetles undergo a greater number of unfavorable mutations than green

beetles do.

C Green beetles have a greater gene frequency among their population than brown
beetles have.

D Brown beetles have a shorter life cycle than green beetles have.

10 Organisms can be classified based on homology, which is shared characteristics

inherited from a common ancestor. In the past, homologies were based on studies
of anatomical structures and patterns of embryonic development. In more recent
years, the use of molecular biology techniques has allowed homologies to be
compared at the level of nucleotide sequences. Nucleotide sequence comparisons
are possible because all organisms share which of the following?

F DNA bases

G Cellular organelles

H Division of the nuclear chromosomes

J Types of proteins needed for cellular functions

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 11 Plants have developed many methods of seed dispersal. The table below shows
seeds of two different plants.

How has the seed dispersal method developed by these plants given them a
reproductive advantage?

A The method ensures that offspring will be dispersed and reduces competition for
resources.

B The method reduces the chance that herbivores will consume the seeds.

C The method lengthens the life cycle of each of these plants.

D The method reduces the plants’ need for water and other nutrients.

12 The opossum, which is native to North America, and the kangaroo, which is native to
Australia, are marsupials.

The fact that both these mammals incubate their immature offspring in a pouch
provides evidence that they —

F belong to the same species

G must range great distances to eat

H have very similar skeletal structures

J are descended from a common ancestor

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 13 Cetaceans are whales and their relatives. The diagram shows some fossils of
cetaceans.

Which statement provides the best evidence that Ambulocetus natans is an ancestor
of Basilosaurus isis?

A Homologous structures occur in each fossil.

B Similar nitrogenous bases are found in the DNA of each fossil.

C The fossils were found in different locations.

D The youngest fossil is larger than the older fossils.

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 14 The cladogram shows the evolution of land plants as indicated by fossil records.

Which discovery would challenge the validity of this cladogram?

F A large aquatic vascular plant about 200 million years old

G A species of algae that has existed for less than one million years

H A moss species that has existed for less than 380 million years

J A fossil of a fern more than 425 million years old

15 Which condition is essential for natural selection to result in a new species?

A Unlimited resources

B An inherited variation

C A static environment

D A long life span

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 16 Some organisms have genes that improve their ability to survive and reproduce. If
the genes also help their offspring survive and reproduce, then which of the
following will most likely increase?

F The frequency of the genes in one individual

G The frequency of the genes in the population

H The number of genes in one chromosome

J The number of genes in the species

17 The concept of gene flow is demonstrated when a cow is driven off from its herd,
joins another herd, and reproduces. When the cow contributes to the gene pool of
the new herd, which of these most likely increases?

A Natural selection

B Genetic variation

C Environmental fitness

D Reproductive mutations

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18 Scenario: The following images show changes in an environment and in a
population of organisms over time. Each circle represents one individual
organism in the population. The different fill patterns of the circle represent
variations in the population.

Prompt: Analyze the information and diagrams above. Write a scientific explanation,
using Claim, Evidence and Reasoning, describing what the images are depicting. Be sure
to include the following:
• what type of natural selection is occurring (stabilization, directional, or disruptive)
• use data to support your claim (note any changes to the percentages of variations in
the population
• include the following vocabulary terms: population, fittest or fitness, evolution,
variation, reproduce or reproduction, survive or survival, environment change,
phenotype

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