Biology · Science General

Evolution and Biological Adaptation

1,354 Questions

Evolution and biological adaptation focus on natural selection, speciation events, and how organisms adjust to environmental changes over time. These foundational biology concepts appear frequently in general science sections of civil services and school board examinations. Use these questions to study evolutionary theories, ancestral traits, and the fossil record.

Natural selection mechanismsSpeciation event examplesBiological adaptation traitsPanspermia hypothesis conceptsFossil record analysisMate selection theories

Evolution and Biological Adaptation Questions

Multiple choice mendel's law of inheritance mendel's laws laws of inheritance mendel's laws of inheritance

How was Mendel's work ultimately reconciled with Darwin's theory of natural selection during the evolutionary synthesis in the 1930s and 1940s?

  1. Scientists recognized that once one thinks about species as populations, rather than individuals, there is no incompatibility between them.

  2. Mendel's theory was replaced by the mutation theory.

  3. It was recognized much of the variation we observe in nature is due to recombination, rather than mutation.

  4. a and c.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The modern synthesis reconciled Mendelian genetics with Darwinian evolution by showing that population genetics (a) and the understanding of genetic variation through recombination (c) provide the mechanism for natural selection.

Multiple choice zoology grades of body organisation characteristics of annelida and arthropoda characteristics of platyhelminthes and aschelminthes basis of classification in animals basis of the classification of animals criteria for animal classification

The presence of gill slits, in the embryos of all vertebrates support the theory of?

  1. Metamorphosis

  2. Biogenesis

  3. Organic evolution

  4. Recapitulation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Metamorphosis is a biological processes by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Metamorphosis is iodothyronine-induced and an ancestral feature of all chordates. For e.g. presence of gill slit in the embryos explains the origin of respiratory systems in all vertebrates.
So the correct answer is 'Metamorphosis'.
Multiple choice biology adaptation terrestrial adaptations in plants adaptation in terrestrial plants terrestrial adaptation desert ecosystem terrestrial adaptation in animals

The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment is known 

  1. Adaptation

  2. Migration

  3. Digestion

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment is known as adaptation.

Multiple choice biology adaptation terrestrial adaptations in plants adaptation in terrestrial plants terrestrial adaptation desert ecosystem terrestrial adaptation in animals

Small changes that take place in the body of a single organism over short periods, to overcome small problems due to changes in the surroundings, are called

  1. Acclimatisation

  2. Adaptation

  3. Germination

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Small changes that take place in the body of a single organism over short periods, to overcome small problems due to changes in the surroundings, are called Acclimatisation.

Multiple choice biology human influences on the environment human intervention in ecosystems humans in the environment involvement of humans in the conservation of environment

Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given.
Most of biological diversity has probably arisen by:

  1. anagenesis

  2. cladogenesis

  3. sympatric speciation

  4. phyletic evolution
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Anagenesis and cladogenesis are the two main ways speciation occurs. One involved the slow transition of one species to another. Cladogenesis involved the separation of a species into two or more groups, with each group then becoming its own separate species.

Phyletic gradualism is a model of evolution which theorizes that most speciation is slow, uniform and gradual. When evolution occurs in this mode, it is usually by the steady transformation of a whole species into a new one.
Sympatric speciation is a geographic mode of speciation due to geographical isolation new species is form.
So correct answer is B, cladogenesis.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

The correct explanation for the descent of all organisms through evolution from a common ancestor is given by the fact that

  1. There is much evidence for the occurrence of convergent evolution

  2. It is widely accepted that natural selection leads to evolution

  3. Despite the diversity of organisms on Earth, all share the same genetic code

  4. All populations experience mutation and natural selection

  5. Selection acts on individuals, but only populations evolve
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Option 'C' is correct.
The genetic code is universal. This means that the same amino acid is present in all organisms. There are about 20 amino acids and 64 codons.
Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

Which of the following is associated with the theory of evolution based on the study of the genetic makeup of species at the DNA level?

  1. Biogeography

  2. Natural selection

  3. Comparative anatomy

  4. Comparative embryology

  5. Molecular biology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Describing the process of evolution in terms of past and present geographic distribution of species is termed as biogeography. Evolutionary theories based on comparative study of the structural details of features found in different but related organisms reveals the process of evolution in terms of basic similarities and differences among them. These are termed as comparative anatomy. Comparative embryology defines the process of evolution in terms of basic similarities and differences in embryological development.  Natural selection is the evolutionary force that favors the mutation conferring “fitness” to organisms thereby leading to the evolution of fittest species. Evolutionary theories based on similarities and differences in DNA sequences of different but related species defines their evolution in terms of molecular biology. Thus, the correct answer is option E.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

Different species of organisms share a common ancestry based on

  1. The amino acid sequence of their cytochrome C

  2. Their ability to synthesize hemoglobin

  3. The percentage of their body weight that is fat

  4. The percentage of their body surface that is used in gas exchange

  5. The mechanism of their mode of locomotion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Cytochrome C is a highly conserved protein found in the mitochondria of many organisms. Comparing the amino acid sequence of cytochrome C is a standard method for determining evolutionary relationships and common ancestry.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

One goal of phylogenetic systematics is to make classification of organisms more objective and consistent with evolutionary history. Select the incorrect statement regarding this important area of study.

  1. The two main analytical approaches to the study of phylogenetic systematics are phenetics and cladistics

  2. Phenetic analysis compares as many characters as possible without distinguishing between homologous and analogous characters

  3. Cladistic analysis classifies organisms according to the order in time that branches arose along a dichotomous phylogenetic tree

  4. Cladistic analysis relies on analogous characters among organisms while ignoring novel homologies unique to the various organisms on a branch

  5. The most accurate phylogenetic trees are those in which molecular data agree with other forms of evidence for phylogenetic relationships (such as morphology, fossil records, and biochemical analysis)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Cladistic analysis focuses on shared derived characters (synapomorphies) to build phylogenetic trees. It explicitly distinguishes between homologous and analogous characters, making option D the incorrect statement.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

The more recently two species shared a common ancestor

  1. The greater their morphological differences will be.

  2. The less their DNA sequences will match.

  3. The more their DNA sequences will match.

  4. The more variation there will be in their amino acid sequences.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

If two species have evolved from a recent ancestor, there will be a greater DNA match between the two newly formed species and also the ancestor.

So, the correct answer is 'The more their DNA sequences will match'

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

In order to compare the evolutionary relationships among species, the scientists used cytochrome-c protein. A study on cytochrome-c protein revealed one difference between humans and rhesus monkeys and ten differences between humans and kangaroos. What can be concluded from this study?

  1. Humans and kangaroos have the same proteins coded in their genes.

  2. Humans and kangaroos share a more recent ancestor than humans and rhesus monkeys.

  3. Humans are not closely related to either kangaroos or rhesus monkeys.

  4. Humans and rhesus monkeys share a more recent ancestor than human and kangaroos.

  5. Rhesus monkeys and kangaroos share a more recent ancestor than humans and rhesus monkeys.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Organisms that share more amino acid sequence homology for commonly occurring proteins are supposed to be diverged from each other recently and share more recent ancestors. Since cytochrome c protein of human and rhesus monkey exhibit single difference while those of human and kangaroos exhibit ten differences, human and rhesus monkey are supposed to share more recent ancestors than human and kangaroos. Thus, the correct answer is D.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

Which of the of the following would be least useful in constructing a phylogeny or cladogram?

  1. DNA comparisons

  2. Environment comparisons

  3. Morphology comparisons

  4. Protein comparisons
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Phylogeny is related to how an organism has originated, this could be done using comparison of DNA, morphology and proteins as proteins are formed from the DNA. However environment does not influence a phylogenetic tree or cladogram
So, the correct answer is 'Environment comparisons'
Multiple choice biology selection and evolution phylogeny cladistics speciation

 Which one cannot determine phylogenetic relationships?

  1. Physiology

  2. Biogeography

  3. Morphology

  4. Embryology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Different organism show similarities in physiology and biochemistry thus proved that all animals have evolved from same common ancestor determining phylogenetic relationships.

So, the correct option is 'Physiological'.