Biology · Science General

Evolution and Biological Adaptation

1,288 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 biology selection and evolution theory of natural selection natural selection evidence for evolution

Organic evolution is the process by which complex organisms gave rise to simple inorganic materials in course of time

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Organic evolution is the process by which changes in the genetic composition of populations of organisms occur in response to environmental changes.

So, the given statement is false

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution theory of natural selection natural selection evidence for evolution

Evolution of diversified species due to environmental changes is called as

  1. Divergent evolution

  2. Convergent evolution

  3. Evolutionary inertia

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Divergent evolution is the accumulation of differences between groups which can lead to the formation of new species, usually a result of diffusion of the same species to different and isolated environments which blocks the gene flow among the distinct populations allowing differentiated fixation of characteristics through genetic drift and natural selection. Primarily diffusion, the basis of molecular division, can be seen in some higher-level characters of structure and function that are readily observable in organisms. For example, the vertebrate limb is one example of divergent evolution. The limb in many different species has a common origin, but has diverged somewhat in overall structure and function.
Multiple choice biology selection and evolution theory of natural selection natural selection evidence for evolution

An important evidence in favour of organic evolution is the occurrence of 

  1. Homologous and analogous organs

  2. Homologous and vestigial organs

  3. Analogous and vestigial organs

  4. Homologous organs only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

An imperative proof for natural advancement is the event of homologous and minimal organs. Homologous organs are those which have the regular inception and are based on a similar central example yet they perform diverse capacities and have distinctive appearances, e.g. whale's flipper, bat's wings, feline's paws, steed's front legs, fledgeling's wings, bull's front legs, and human hands.

So, the correct option is 'Homologous and vestigial organs'.

Multiple choice biology selection and evolution theory of natural selection natural selection evidence for evolution

Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given.
As a mechanism of microevolution, natural selection can be most closely equated with

  1. assortative mating

  2. genetic drift

  3. differential reproductive success

  4. gene flow
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Microevolution is the change in allele frequencies that occurs over time within a population. This change is due to four different processes: mutation, selection (natural and artificial), gene flow and genetic drift. As the natural selection a process in which organisms with certain inherited traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than are individuals with other traits. So natural selection is a differential reproductive success as it acquires useful

traits. 
So, the correct answer is differential reproductive success.

Multiple choice botany types and parts of plants plant life cycle alternation of generations life span

Which of the following generation is dominant in vascular plants?

  1. Gametophytic generation

  2. Diploid sporophytic generation

  3. Haploid sporophytic generation

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In vascular plants (tracheophytes), the diploid sporophyte is the dominant phase of the life cycle. The gametophyte is reduced and dependent on the sporophyte.

Multiple choice botany types and parts of plants plant life cycle alternation of generations life span

The gametophyte in alternation generation is described by

  1. Diploid generation

  2. Gamete producing generation

  3. Spores producing generation

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The gametophyte generation is also called a sexual phase. Here the haploid gametes are produced from the mother cell. Gametes have a single set of chromosomes, which gradually combine with another haploid gamete to give rise to a diploid cell.

The correct answer is B.

Multiple choice botany types and parts of plants plant life cycle alternation of generations life span

The Sporophyte is the dominant phase in

  1. Pteridophytes

  2. Gymnosperms

  3. Angiosperms

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The plant body  or the vegetative phase is diploid in pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms. The reproductive structures like the stobili in pteridophytes, ovules and microsporangium,  anther are also diploid. Here, only the reproductive cells undergo meiosis or gametogenesis to give rise to male and female gametes that are haploid. These fuse to produce a  diploid zygote. So, the gametophytic stage is restricted and of a very short duration as compared to the sporophytic stage. therefore, sporophyte is a dominant phase.

So, the correct answer is 'All of these'

Multiple choice botany breeding and biotechnology branches of biotechnology gene cloning biotechnology and genetic engineering

DNA sequence comparison is a powerful tool in studying evolution. However, there are limitations to what it can tell us about the history of life on Earth.
What is a limitation of this technology?

  1. It is only possible to obtain DNA samples from extant or recently extinct species.

  2. It is possible that an organism will have genes for non-functional proteins.

  3. Mutations can occur randomly in genomes.

  4. There is greater variation in DNA sequences that in amino acid sequences.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
DNA sequence comparison tools like BLAST, CLUSTAL W etc are some of the powerful tools used in understanding the similarity, relatedness and other phylogenetic studies between two or more sequences at the same time. Mutations act as the limitation of DNA sequence comparison technology as they can occur randomly throughout the genome with time and hence could distort the sequence comparison results and hamper the assessment for statistical significance.
so, the correct answer is 'Mutations can occur randomly in genomes'
Multiple choice evs solar energy water cycle earth's energy budget solar energy and its applications

The existence of life on Earth is primarily due to

  1. the formation of fossil fuels on Earth.

  2. the energy from the Sun.

  3. the revolution of Earth around the Sun.

  4. the evolution of species.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Life on Earth is primarily driven by the energy from the Sun.
A small portion of the Sun's energy reaching the Earth is absorbed by green plants through the process of photosynthesis. This energy is converted into chemical energy and stored in plants. In this process, carbon dioxide and water are converted into carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are used as food by the living organisms. The human beings and animals eat this food to carry out their life activities thus converting the chemical energy into mechanical energy.

Multiple choice biology butterfly and honey bee life cycle of a butterfly metamorphosis in frogs the life of a butterfly types of reproduction in animals oviparous and viviparous

Metamorphosis is

  1. Biological process by which an animal physically develops

  2. Biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body

  3. Biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth

  4. Biological process by which a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body takes place
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Metamorphosis is the sequential developmental stages which are characterized by the process of cell division, differentiation, and maturation. It includes morphological and genetical changes.

So, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice zoology why classification? history of classification of organisms introduction to classification of living organisms living world and classification

Great chain of being is

  1. Biblian concept of origin of life.

  2. Hierarchical arrangement of organisms by Aristotle.

  3. Hierarchical arrangement of animals by Theophrastus.

  4. Origin of Life by Thales.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

  • Aristotle developed the idea of Scala Naturae (Natural Ladder) which came to be known as the Great chain of being to organize all things in the natural world, living and non-living. It showed a continuum from 'lower' forms of matter to 'higher' forms of matter. 
  • The Scala Naturae ranged from inanimate matter (minerals) as the 'lowest', then up to plants, then to animals. The 'highest' things on the ladder are humans.
So, the correct option is 'Hierarchical arrangement of organisms by Aristotle'.

Multiple choice zoology why classification? history of classification of organisms introduction to classification of living organisms living world and classification

A school of systematics, that determines the degree of relatedness by analysing primitive and derived characters and constructing cladograms is

  1. Phylogeny

  2. Cladistics

  3. Cladogram

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

  • Cladistics is one of the three schools of systematics that determines the degree of relatedness by analysing the primitive and derived characters and constructs the cladogram.
  • Cladistics is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups based on the most recent common ancestor. A key feature of a clade is that a common ancestor and all its descendants are part of the clade.
  • In Cladistics  to show relations among organisms, cladogram is used. Cladistics is now the most commonly used methods to classify organisms.
So the correct option is Cladistics.

Multiple choice zoology molecular basis of inheritance genome projects human genome project human genome project and dna fingerprinting

All living organism present past and future are 

  1. Not linked to any extent

  2. Linked to one another in their cell membrane

  3. Linked to one another by the sharing of the common genetic materials ,but to varying degrees
  4. Linked to another by the sharing of the common genetic material to $100\%$ extent
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

All living organisms—present, past and future are linked to one another by the sharing of the common genetic material, but to varying degrees.

The genetic material of living organisms undergoes mutations and reshuffling of genes. This causes variations in the genetic material. Variations are so abundant that no two individuals of the same race are exactly similar.
So the answer is 'Linked to one another by the sharing of the common genetic materials, but to varying degrees'. 

Multiple choice zoology the paths traversed by life mutational theory of evolution theories of evolution other theories of evolution

The ultimate source of organic evolution is

  1. Selection

  2. Sexual reproduction

  3. Hormonal action

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

According to Dobzhansky, mutations, which help organisms in its survival, in the changing environment are accumulated in its genetic composition by natural selection. Mutations are now considered as the ultimate source of organic evolution. By mutations, some old genes can be replaced by new genes in a population to develop changes and thus, mutations play important part in the process of organic evolution.
Thus, the correct answer is option (D), 'Mutation'.