Download Practice Questions for Ecology

Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Ecology
Keystone Eligible Content: (checklist only- do not answer here)
 Describe the levels of ecological organization
(i.e. organisms, population, community, ecosystem, biome, and biosphere)
 Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
 Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem
(e.g. food chains, food webs, energy pyramids)
 Describe biotic interactions in an ecosystem (e.g. competition, predation, symbiosis)
 Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem
(i.e. water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle)
 Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances
(e.g. climate change, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires)
 Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species extinction
Describe the levels of ecological organization.
1. Use the terms below to list the six levels of ecological organization in order of increasing
complexity. Then define each term.
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
Population
Species/Organism
Biome
A – _________________________ B – _________________________ C – _________________________ D – _________________________ E – _________________________ F – _________________________ -
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.
2. Identify four biotic and four abiotic components of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
shown below.
Biotic
Factors
Abiotic
Factors
Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g. food chains, food webs, and
energy pyramids)
Use the food chain below to answer the next two questions.
3. Identify the original source of energy in this food chain.
4. What percent of energy is transferred from the second trophic level (deer) to the third
trophic level (lion)?
5. Energy in an ecosystem (flows in one direction / cycles). (circle one)
6. Nutrients in an ecosystem (flow in one direction / cycles). (circle one)
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Use the food web below to answer the next question.
7. If the size of the mouse population were to decrease, which of the following would most
likely happen?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The rabbit population will increase.
The lion population will decrease.
The owl population will increase.
The snake population will decrease.
Describe biotic interactions in an ecosystem (e.g. competition, predation, symbiosis)
Use the food chain below to answer the next two questions.
8. If the size of the insect population were to decrease, what effect would that have on the size
of the mouse population? Explain your answer.
9. If the size of the owl population were to decrease, what effect would that have on the size of
the mouse population? Explain your answer.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
10. Match each example with the correct type of community interaction.
a. Competition
b. Parasitism
c. Mutualism
d. Commensalism
______ A leech feeds on the blood of a human.
______ A clownfish lives among the sea anemone’s tentacles and protects the sea
anemone by chasing away would-be attackers. A sea anemone, in turn,
protects the clownfish from predators.
______ A cow and a sheep feed on the same grass.
______ A tree provides nutrients and a sunlit location for the orchid living on it.
Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem (i.e. water cycle, carbon cycle,
oxygen cycle, and nitrogen cycle)
11. Complete the diagram of the water cycle using the words below:
Evaporation
Transpiration
Precipitation
Condensation
Condensation
Runoff
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
12. Complete the diagram of the carbon cycle using the words below:
Burning fossil fuels
Plant Respiration
Animal Respiration
Photosynthesis
Decomposition
13. Complete the diagram of the nitrogen cycle using the words below:
Denitrification
Nitrogen Fixation
Ammonification
Nitrification
Atmospheric Nitrogen
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances
(e.g. climate change, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires).
14. What is ecological succession?
15. Distinguish between primary and secondary succession.
16. Identify five ways that humans reduce biodiversity in an ecosystem.
17. How does the introduction of nonnative species threaten biodiversity?
Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species
extinction.
18. What is a limiting factor?
19. Distinguish between density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors and give
two examples of each type of limiting factor.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Practice Questions for Ecology:
Describe the levels of ecological organization (i.e. organisms, population, community,
ecosystem, biome, and biosphere).
Use the list below to answer question 1.
Observations
• two grey wolves
• five moose
• several species of conifer trees
• large granite rock
• shallow pond
1. A student wrote several observations in a field notebook. Which term best classifies all of the
student’s observations?
a. population
c. ecosystem
b. food chain
d. community
Describe characteristic biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
2. A researcher observing an ecosystem describes the amount of sunlight, precipitation, and
type of soil present. Which factors is the researcher most likely describing?
a. biotic factors in a forest
c. abiotic factors in a prairie
b. biotic factors in a tundra
d. abiotic factors in an ocean
Describe how energy flows through an ecosystem (e.g. food chains, food webs, energy
pyramids).
Use the diagram below to answer question 3.
3. Which sequence correctly describes the flow of energy between organisms in the marine
food web?
a. from seals to penguins to krill
c. from sea birds to seals to penguins
b. from whales to krill to small fish
d. from small fish to penguins to seals
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
4. Scientists observed that the populations of top-level consumers in a particular
ecosystem were rapidly decreasing. Further studies revealed that there was also a
decline in producer productivity. Which other changes did the scientists most likely
observe in the ecosystem?
a. increased producer diversity
b. decreased population size at all levels
c. decreased primary consumer populations only
d. increased primary and secondary consumer diversity
Describe biotic interactions in an ecosystem (e.g. competition, predation, symbiosis).
5. A species of snapping turtles has a tongue that resembles a worm. The tongue is used to
attract small fish. Which best describes the interaction between the fish and the snapping
turtle?
a. predation
b. symbiosis
c. parasitism
d. competition
Describe how matter recycles through an ecosystem (i.e. water cycle, carbon cycle, oxygen
cycle, and nitrogen cycle).
6. Which statement correctly describes how nitrogen in the soil returns to the atmosphere?
a. Soil bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.
b. Decomposers directly convert ammonium into nitrogen gas.
c. Plants assimilate nitrites and convert them into nitrogen gas.
d. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in plant roots convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.
Describe how ecosystems change in response to natural and human disturbances (e.g. climate
change, introduction of nonnative species, pollution, fires).
7. Agricultural runoff can carry fertilizers into lakes and streams. This runoff can cause algae
populations to greatly increase. Which effect does this change in the algae population sizes
most likely have on affected lakes and streams?
a. an increase in water level
b. an increase in water clarity
c. a reduction in dissolved oxygen needed by fish and shellfish
d. a reduction in temperature variations near the water’s surface
Describe the effects of limiting factors on population dynamics and potential species
extinction.
8. A farmer observed that an increase in a field’s soil nitrogen content was followed by an
increase in producer productivity. What does this observation most likely indicate about the
relationship between nitrogen and the producers in the field?
a. Nitrogen was a biotic factor.
c. Nitrogen became a surplus resource.
b. Nitrogen was a limiting factor.
d. Nitrogen became a selection pressure.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Use the graph below to answer question 9.
9. Isle Royale is located in Lake Superior. Isle Royale is home to populations of wolves and
moose. The interactions between the wolves and moose, as well as the individual population
sizes, have been studied since 1958. The graph shows the population sizes over time for both
wolves and moose.
A. Describe one limiting factor for the moose population.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Explain one likely reason why the wolf population rapidly increased between 1975 and 1980.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
C. Predict what will happen to the moose population’s size after 1994 by describing the shape of
the curve. In your answer, be sure to explain the reasoning behind your prediction.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Cell Growth and Reproduction
Keystone Eligible Content: (checklist only, do not answer here.)
 Describe the events that occur during the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division
(i.e. mitosis or meiosis), cytokinesis
 Compare the processes and outcomes of mitotic and meiotic nuclear divisions
 Describe how the process of DNA replication results in the transmission and/or conservation of
genetic information
 Explain the functional, relationships between DNA, genes, alleles, and chromosomes and their
roles in inheritance
Describe the events that occur during the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division
(i.e. mitosis or meiosis), cytokinesis.
1. Name and describe the three parts of the cell cycle.
2. Identify mitotic phases:
A
____________________
C
____________________
B
____________________
D
____________________
3.List the above phases of mitosis in order (use letters) _____, _____, _____, _____
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Compare the processes and outcomes of mitotic and meiotic nuclear divisions.
4. Compare mitosis and meiosis:
Mitosis
Meiosis
Number of cell divisions
Number of daughter cells
Number of chromosomes in daughter
cells (2N/N)
Daughter cells are genetically
(identical/different) than parent cell
Occurs in what type of cell
5. Distinguish between the terms diploid and haploid and give an example of each type of cell.
6. Identify the diploid and haploid chromosome number for humans.
Describe how the process of DNA replication results in the transmission and/or
conservation of genetic information.
7. What do we call the monomers of nucleic acids?
8. What three things make up the monomer?
9. What do we call the process where DNA makes a copy of itself?
10. Identify the four nitrogen bases are present in a molecule of DNA.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
11. Which of the nitrogen bases mentioned above is only found in DNA?
12. Which nitrogen base replaces it in a molecule of RNA?
13. Identify the base pairing rules found in DNA. What type and how many bonds are between
each base pair?
14. Circle the DNA strands below that would represent the new DNA molecules that would
result from replication.
Original DNA
A
B
Replicated DNA
C
Explain the functional relationships between DNA, genes, alleles, & chromosomes and their
roles in inheritance.
15. Describe the relationship between DNA, gene, allele, chromosome, and nuclei.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Practice Questions- Cell Growth and Reproduction:
Describe the events that occur during the cell cycle: interphase, nuclear division (i.e. mitosis
or meiosis), cytokinesis.
Use the illustration below to answer question 1.
1.Which statement best describes the phase of the cell cycle shown?
a. The cell is in prophase of mitosis because the number of chromosomes has doubled.
b. The cell is in prophase I of meiosis because the number of chromosomes has doubled.
c. The cell is in teolphase of mitosis because the cell is separating and contains two copies of
each chromosome.
d. The cell is in telophase of meiosis because the cell is separating and contains two copies of
each chromosome.
Use the diagram below to answer question 2.
2. Which event most likely occurs next in mitosis?
a. The chromatin condenses.
c. The chromosomes double in number.
b. The nuclear envelope dissolves.
d. The cell membrane pinches inward to
divide the cytoplasm
Compare the processes and outcomes of mitotic and meiotic nuclear divisions.
3. Mitosis and meiosis are processes by which animal and plant cells divide. Which statement
best describes a difference between mitosis and meiosis?
a. Meiosis is a multi-step process.
b. Mitosis occurs only in eukaryotic cells.
c. Meiosis is used in the repair of an organism.
d. Mitosis produces genetically identical daughter cells.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
4. Patau syndrome can be a lethal genetic disorder in mammals, resulting from
chromosomes failing to separate during meiosis.
A. Identify the step during the process of meiosis when chromosomes would most likely
fail to separate.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
B. Describe how chromosome separation in meiosis is different from chromosome
separation in mitosis.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
C. Compare the effects of a disorder caused by chromosomes failing to separate during
meiosis, such as Patau syndrome, to the effects of chromosomes failing to separate
during mitosis.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Describe how the process of DNA replication results in the transmission and/or conservation
of genetic information.
5. Which process helps preserve the genetic information stored in DNA during DNA
replication?
a. the replacement of nitrogen base thymine with uracil
b. enzymes quickly linking nitrogen bases with hydrogen bonds
c. the synthesis of unique sugar and phosphate molecules for each nucleotide
d. nucleotides lining up along the template strand according to base pairing rules
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Explain the functional, relationships between DNA, genes, alleles, and chromosomes and
their roles in inheritance.
6. In a flowering plant species, red flower color is dominant over white flower color.
What is the genotype of any red-flowering plant resulting from this species?
a. red and white alleles present on one chromosome
b. red and white alleles present on two chromosomes
c. a red allele present on both homologous chromosomes
d. a red allele present on at least one of two homologous chromosomes
Genetics
Keystone Eligible Content: (Just a checklist- do not answer here.)
 Describe and/or predict observed patterns of inheritance (i.e. dominant, recessive,
co-dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles)
 Describe processes that can alter composition or number of chromosomes (i.e. crossing-over,
nondisjunction, duplication, translocation, deletion, insertion, and inversion)
 Describe how the processes of transcription and translation (making proteins from DNA
instructions) are similar in all organisms
 Describe the role of ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus if the
production of specific types of proteins
 Describe how genetic mutations alter the DNA sequence and may or may not affect phenotype
(e.g. silent, nonsense, frame-shift)
 Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the field of medicine, forensics, and agriculture
(e.g. selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms, gene therapy)
Important Vocabulary:
1. Define and give an example of each of the following terms:
Genotype Phenotype Dominant Recessive Homozygous Heterozygous -
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe and/or predict observed patterns of inheritance (i.e. dominant, recessive, codominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles).
2. Define and give an example of each of the following patterns of inheritance:
Codominance –
Incomplete Dominance –
Multiple Alleles –
Polygenic Traits –
3. Japanese four o’clock flowers come in three varieties: red, pink, and white. Cross two
pink Japanese four o’clock flowers. Show a Punnett Square and give the phenotypic ratio
of the offspring produced by the cross. What pattern of inheritance is illustrated by this
cross?
4. One parent is heterozygous for type A blood and the other is heterozygous for type B blood.
What are the possible blood types of their children? Include the parents’ genotypes in your
answer.
5.. A female carrier does not have the disease. Her genotype is XHXh, where X indicates the
alleles are on the X chromosome. The carrier female mates with a normal male.
a) What is the probability that a female offspring will be normal? Will be a carrier?
b) What is the probability that a male offspring will inherit hemophilia?
6. Cattle can be red (RR = all red hairs), white (WW = all white hairs), or roan
(RW = red & white hairs together). Predict the phenotypic ratios of offspring when a
homozygous white cow is crossed with a roan bull. What pattern of inheritance is
illustrated by this cross?
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
7. Jumping Wickersnitches can have a variable number of eyes ranging from 2-8. You
discover that there are three genes (6 alleles) responsible for this trait and begin breeding
your Wickersnitches to demonstrate this polygenic inheritance pattern. Which of the
following genotypes are going to have the same number of eyes? Assuming that 2 eyes is
the most recessive and 8 eyes is the most dominant put them in order from fewest to most
eyes.
a. eeFFGG
d. eeffGG
b. EEFfgg
e. EeFFgg
c. EEffGg
f. EeFfGG
Describe processes that can alter composition or number of chromosomes (i.e. crossing
over, nondisjunction, duplication, translocation, deletion, insertion, and inversion).
14. What is crossing over, and when does it occur during meiosis?
15. Distinguish between a chromosomal mutation and a gene mutation and give two examples of
each type of mutation.
16. Define the term nondisjunction. Identify two chromosomal disorders which are a result of
nondisjunction.
Describe how the processes of transcription and translation are similar in all organisms.
17. Transcribe the given DNA sequence into a complementary mRNA:
ATGCAAGTCATTCCAGCT
__________________________________
Describe the role of ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus in
the production of different types of proteins.
18. Identify the function of each of the following organelles:
Ribosomes –
Endoplasmic Reticulum –
Golgi Appapratus –
Nucleus –
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe how genetic mutations alter the DNA sequence and may or may not affect
phenotype (e.g. silent, nonsense, frame-shift)
19. How are frameshift and substitution mutations similar? How are they different?
20. Distinguish between a silent and a nonsense mutation.
Use the tables below to answer the next two questions.
Amino acid sequence
Methionine-isoleucine-proline-leucine
Methionine-isoleucine-valine-leucine
Methionine-isoleucine-proline-alanine
codon
AUG
CUA
CCG
AUA
CCC
Protein Produced
Protein A
Protein B
Protein C
Amino acid
methionine
leucine
proline
isoleucine
proline
21. Follow the given sequence of DNA below through transcription and translation resulting in a
protein. Fill in the missing information indicated by the question marks.
TACTATGGCGAT
AUGA ? ACC ? CU ?
?= ___
DNA
methionine-isoleucine – ?-- ?
?= ___ ?= ___
?= _________ ?= ___________
mRNA
amino acid sequence
Protein produced above (A, B, or C) (circle one)
22. If the above sequence of DNA had a substitution mutation so that the mutated sequence was
TACTATGGGGAT, which protein (A, B, or C) will be produced?
Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the field of medicine, forensics, and
agriculture (e.g. selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms,
gene therapy)
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Practice Questions- Genetics:
Describe and/or predict observed patterns of inheritance (i.e. dominant, recessive,
co-dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked, polygenic, and multiple alleles).
1. A scientist observes that a certain trait is determined by a single allele. An organism
inherited one version of the trait from one parent and another version form the other
parent. Both versions of the trait are expressed in the phenotype of the offspring.
Which pattern of inheritance best classifies the observed trait?
a. dominance
c. co-dominance
b. sex-linkage
d. incomplete dominance
Use the table below to answer question 2.
Phenotype
A
B
AB
O
Blood Types
Genotype(s)
IAIA or IAi
IBIB or IBi
IAIB
ii
2. Blood type is inherited through multiple alleles, including IA, IB, and i. A child has
type A blood. If the father has type AB blood, what are all the possible phenotypes of
the mother?
a. phenotypes O and A
c. phenotypes A, B, AB
b. phenotypes A or AB
d. phenotypes O, A, B, AB
3. A cattle farmer genetically crosses a cow (female) with a white coat with a bull
(male) with a red coat. The resulting calf (offspring) is roan, which means there are
red and white hairs intermixed in the coat of the calf. The genes for coat color in
cattle are co-dominant.
A. Although a farm has cattle in all three colors, the farmer prefers roan cattle over white
or red cattle. Use the Punnett square to show a cross that would produce only roan
offspring.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
B. Explain how a roan calf results from one white- and one red-coated parent. In your
explanation, use the letters to represent genes. Be sure to indicate what colors the
letters represent.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
C. Predict the possible genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring produced from two
roan cattle.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
Describe processes that can alter composition or number of chromosomes (i.e. crossing-over,
nondisjunction, duplication, translocation, deletion, insertion, and inversion).
Use the diagram below to answer question 4.
4. Which type of change in chromosome composition is illustrated in the diagram?
a. deletion
b. insertion
c. inversion
d. translocation
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe how the processes of transcription and translation are similar in all organisms.
5. Which statement describes a cell process that is common to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic
cells?
a. Both cell types carry out transcription in the nucleus.
b. Both cell types use ribosomes to carry out translation.
c. Both cell types assemble amino acids to carry out transcription.
d. Both cell types carry out translation in the endoplasmic reticulum.
6. The bacterium Acetobacter aceti is found in acidic environments and has an acidic
cytoplasm. For this reason, most of its proteins are able to function in acidic conditions.
This property distinguishes Acetobacter aceti proteins from those of most other
organisms. Which characteristic does Acetobacter aceti most likely share with other
organisms?
a. the method that the organism uses to reproduce itself
b. the physical and chemical responses to environmental changes
c. the type of organelle used to produce energy for cellular functions
d. the process used to form proteins by transcription and translation
Describe the role of ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and the nucleus if
the production of specific types of proteins.
7. The endoplasmic reticulum is a network of membranes within the cell, and it is often
classified as rough or smooth, depending on whether there are ribosomes on its surface.
Which statement best describes the role of rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cell?
a. It stores all protein for later use.
b. It provides an attachment site for larger organelles.
c. It aids in the production of membrane and secretory proteins.
d. It stores amino acids required for the production of all proteins.
Describe how genetic mutations alter the DNA sequence and may or may not affect phenotype
(e.g. silent, nonsense, frame-shift).
8. A genetic mutation resulted in a change in the sequence of amino acids of a protein,
but the function of the protein was not changed. Which statement best describes the
genetic mutation?
a. It was a silent mutation that caused a change in the DNA of the organism
b. It was a silent mutation that caused a change in the phenotype of the organism
c. It was a nonsense mutation that causes a change in the DNA of the organism
d. It was a nonsense mutation that caused a change in the phenotype of an organism
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
9. A mutation occurs at the midpoint of a gene, altering all amino acids encoded after the
point of the mutation. Which mutation could have produced this change?
a. deletion of two nucleotides
c. insertion of six nucleotides
b. deletion of three nucleotides
d. insertion of twelve nucleotides
Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the field of medicine, forensics, and
agriculture (e.g. selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms,
gene therapy).
10. Genetic engineering has led to genetically modified plants that resist insect pests and
bacterial and fungal infections. Which outcome would most likely be a reason why some
scientists recommend caution in planting genetically modified plants?
a. unplanned ecosystem interactions
c. improved agricultural yield and profit
b. reduced pesticide and herbicide use
d. increased genetic variation and diversity
Theory of Evolution
Keystone Eligible ContentChecklist only- do not answer here.)
 Explain how natural selection can impact allele frequency of a population
 Describe the factors that can contribute to the development of new species
(e.g. isolating mechanisms, genetic drift, founder effect, migration)
 Explain how genetic mutations may result in genotypic and phenotypic variations within a
population
 Interpret evidence supporting the theory of evolution (i.e. fossil, anatomical, physiological,
embryological, biochemical, and universal genetic code)
 Distinguish between the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact,
observation
Explain how natural selection can impact allele frequency of a population.
1. Distinguish between stabilizing, disruptive, and directional selection.
A
B
C
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
2. Identify the type of selection in graph A _______________________________
3. Identify the type of selection in graph B _______________________________
4. Identify the type of selection in graph C _______________________________
5. In a species of snail, dark individuals are better hidden (from bird predators) in the
shady forest, while lighter individuals are better hidden in well lit brushy edge areas.
There are no areas of intermediate brightness; therefore, ___________ acts on shell
color in these snails.
a. directional selection
b. disruptive selection
c. stabilizing selection
6. Small Aristelliger lizards have difficulty defending territories, but large lizards are
more likely to be preyed upon by owls. This situation results in ________ on adult
body size.
a. directional selection
b. disruptive selection
c. stabilizing selection
7. Long necks make it easier for giraffes to reach leaves high on trees, while also making
them better fighters in "neck wrestling" contests. In both cases, __________ appears to
have made giraffes the long-necked creatures they are today.
a. directional selection
b. disruptive selection
c. stabilizing selection
Describe the factors that can contribute to the development of new species
(e.g. isolating mechanisms, genetic drift, founder effect, migration)
8. Types of Reproductive Isolation:
Behavioral
Isolation
Geographic
Isolation
Temporal
Isolation
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
9. Populations of the same species of seal live on islands too far apart to swim between them for
mating.
a. behavioral isolation
b. temporal isolation
c. geographic isolation
10. Species of birds have elaborate courtship dances, and females select the best dancers as
mates.
a. behavioral isolation
b. temporal isolation
c. geographic isolation
11. Varieties of oak tree produce pollen during different seasons, so they can’t pollinate one
another.
a. behavioral isolation
b. temporal isolation
c. geographic isolation
12. Herds of caribou misinterpret each other’s mating behavior, so they fight instead of mating
a. behavioral isolation
b. temporal isolation
c. geographic isolation
13. What is genetic drift?
Explain how genetic mutations may result in genotypic and phenotypic variation
within a population.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Interpret evidence supporting the theory of evolution (i.e. fossil, anatomical,
physiological, embryological, biochemical, & universal genetic code)
14. Define and give an example of each of the following terms:
Vocabulary
Description
Example(s)
Homologous
Structure
Analogous
Structure
Vestigial
Structure
15. DNA sequences are often used to determine relationships between organisms. DNA
sequences that code for a particular gene can vary, though organisms that are closely related
will have very similar sequences. This table shows the amino acid sequences of 4 organisms.
Human: C C A T A G C A C C T A
Chimpanzee: C C A T A A C A C C T A
Pig: C C A T G T A A A C G A
Cricket: C C T A A A G G G A C G
Based on these sequences, which two organisms are most closely related?
An unknown organism is found in the forest and the gene is sequenced as follows:
Unknown: C C A
TGG AAT
CGA
What kind of an animal do you think this is?
Distinguish between the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact
observation
16. Describe the relationship between a hypothesis, an inference and a theory.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Practice Questions – Theory of Evolution:
Explain how natural selection can impact allele frequency of a population.
Use the circle graphs below to answer question 1.
1. The graphs illustrate change in a lizard population over time. Which process most
likely led to the change in the lizard population?
a. natural selection acting on a harmful trait
b. natural selection acting on a beneficial trait
c. natural selection acting on a dominant trait
d. natural selection acting on a recessive trait
2. The frequency of an allele in a fly population changes from 89% to 20% after three
generations. Which other events most likely occurred during the same time period?
a. an environmental change and a fly population increase
b. an environmental change and a fly population decrease
c. interbreeding of flies with an invasive species and fly population speciation
d. interbreeding of flies with an established local species and fly population speciation
Use the graph below to answer question 3.
3. Tail length in mice varies within a population. Scientists observed change in the
distribution of tail lengths in a mouse population over time. At the genetic level,
what has most likely happened to the allele for the shortest tail lengths?
a. The allele changed from being dominant to being recessive.
b. The allele changed from being autosomal to being sex-linked.
c. The allele became less frequent than the alleles for longer tail lengths.
d. The allele began to code for long tail lengths instead of the shortest ones.
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Describe the factors that can contribute to the development of new species (e.g. isolating
mechanisms, genetic drift, founder effect, migration).
4. In North America, the eastern spotted skunk mates in late winter, and the western
spotted skunk mates in late summer. Even though their geographic ranges overlap, the
species do not mate with each other. What most likely prevents these two species
from interbreeding?
a. habitat isolation
c. geographic isolation
b. gametic isolation
d. reproductive isolation
Explain how genetic mutations may result in genotypic and phenotypic variations within a
population.
5. A mutation occurs in the genes that code for coat color in deer. Which change will
most likely result from this mutation?
a. a change in the selection pressures acting on coat color
b. a change in the coat-color genes of deer predator species
c. an increase in coat-color diversity in the population
d. an increase in the number of genes for coat color in the population
Interpret evidence supporting the theory of evolution (i.e. fossil, anatomical, physiological,
embryological, biochemical, and universal genetic code)
Use the illustrations below to answer question 6.
6. The skeletons of mammalian forelimbs represent variations of a structure that was
present in their common ancestor. What has most likely caused the variation in
forelimbs?
a. changes in muscle structure
c. trait formation due to behaviors
b. changes in the genetic codes
d. development of vestigial structures
Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Use the table below to answer question 7.
.
7. The gene COII is in the genome of many organisms. A comparison of the number of base
differences between the COII gene in a rat and that of two other animals is shown.
A. Based on the data, describe a possible evolutionary relationship between rats, mice, and cows.
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B. Describe how different organisms having a common gene such as COII supports the
theory of evolution.
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C. The COII gene of a monkey has 203 base differences from the same gene in a rat and
201 base differences from the same gene in a mouse. Compare the evolutionary
relationships between the monkey, the rat, and the mouse.
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Module 2: The Continuity and Unity of Life
Distinguish between the scientific terms: hypothesis, inference, law, theory, principle, fact,
and observation.
Use the table below to answer question 8.
Student’s Observations of a Pond Ecosystem
Quantitative
Qualitative
37 fish and three frogs
Leaves lie on the bottom of the pond
2 types of aquatic grass
Water insects move along the water’s
surface
12 small rocks and 1 medium rock
All 3 frogs are sitting on a pond bank
sand
8. A group of students measured a ten-square-meter section of a pond ecosystem and
recorded observations. Which statement is a testable hypothesis?
a. The frogs living in the pond represent a population
b. Water is an abiotic component in the pond ecosystem
c. If the fish are given more food, then they will be happier
d. If the frogs are startled, then they will jump into the water