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 biology selection and evolution ethology animal behaviour natural selection

Which of the following are difficult to explain in terms of natural selection?

  1. Male peacocks evolve tail feathers that would appear to make them more rather than less vulnerable to predators.

  2. Male deer evolve antlers that are not used to defend themselves against predators.

  3. A bird issues a warning cry that puts it at greater risk of being noticed by a predator.

  4. Some traits appear to have no adaptive value.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Traits that appear to have no adaptive value, or seem counter-productive to survival, are often difficult to explain via simple natural selection, though theories like sexual selection or genetic hitchhiking are often invoked.

Multiple choice biology animal behaviour ethology natural selection coordination in human beings- chemical control endocrine system in humans

Identify the wrong statement from the following:

  1. More than one adaptive radiation taking place in an isolated area having different habitats is called convergent evolution.

  2. First reptiles from Sauropsida were turtles.

  3. Bones of forelimbs of vertebrates are examples of homologous organs.

  4. Lycopods, ferns and conifers originated from ancestor named Psilophyton.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Lycopods, ferns, and conifers did not originate from Psilophyton; Psilophyton is a genus of extinct vascular plants, but it is not the common ancestor for all these groups.

Multiple choice biology classification of living organisms binomial nomenclature nomenclature of organisms naming of the organisms nomenclature in classification

Read the statement given below and identify the incorrect statement.

  1. Scientific names favour multiple naming for the same kind of an organism.

  2. Scientific names are used all over the world.

  3. Scientific names are often descriptive and tell us some important character of an organism

  4. Scientific names indicate relationship between species
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
The purpose of nomenclature is to ensure that a single scientific name is used for the same kind of organism all over the world. This prevents confusion while identifying organisms anywhere across the globe.
So, the correct option with incorrect statement is, 'Scientific names favour multiple naming for the same kind of organism'.
Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Unit of evolution / natural selection or survival of the fittest or modern synthetic theory is __________.

  1. Species

  2. Population

  3. Family

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

Evolutionary changes occur at the level of populations rather than individuals. A population is the smallest unit that can undergo evolutionary change over generations through shifts in allele frequencies.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Saltation and Darwinian variations respectively are

  1. Large and small

  2. Directional and directionless

  3. Small and random

  4. Major variation and minor variation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Saltation is an abrupt variation in the appearance of an organism, species, etc, usually caused by a genetic mutation (single step large mutation).  

Darwinian variations are that the speciation occurs gradually through a number of generations, with an accumulation of minor variations.
Mutations are random and directionless, while variations are small and directional as per Darwin. 
So the answer is 'Major variation and minor variation'. 

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Prominent factors of evolution is _______.
(a) Heredity
(b) Variation
(c) Reproduction
(d) Sex determination.

  1. a and b

  2. b and c

  3. a, b and c

  4. All of four
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Heredity and variation are the fundamental pillars of evolution. Heredity ensures traits are passed on, while variation provides the raw material for selection to act upon.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Modern theory called synthetic theory of evolution is based on

  1. Genetic and chromosomal mutations

  2. Genetic recombination and natural selection

  3. Reproductive isolation

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

The modern synthetic theory of evolution is the result of the work of a number of scientists namely T. Dobzhansky, R.A. Fisher, J.B.S. Haldane, Swall Wright, Ernst Mayr, and G.L. Stebbins. Stebbins in his book, Process of Organic Evolution, discussed the synthetic theory.
It includes the following factors 

(1) Gene mutations 
(2) Variation (Recombination) 
(3) Heredity 
(4) Natural selection
(5) Isolation.
In addition, three accessory factors affect the working of these five basic factors -  Migration of individuals from one population to another as well as hybridization between races or closely related species both increase the amount of genetic variability available to a population. The effects of chance acting on small populations may alter the way in which natural selection guides the course of evolution.
Thus, option D is correct.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

The role of reproductive isolation in evolution is

  1. Differentiation of species

  2. Maintenance of species

  3. Evolutionary divergence

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

Environmental change and isolation of groups of organisms play an important role in evolution. Isolation means that organisms of the same species are separated, and happens when there is something between the organisms that they can't cross. Organisms become isolated as a result of environmental change. The cause of isolation can be gradual, like when mountains or deserts form, or continents split apart. It can also be quick, such as organisms being blown to different places by a storm or tsunami (tidal waves).
When organisms become isolated the two groups are also not able to reproduce together, so variations and mutations that occur in one group are not necessarily found in the other group. The longer the groups are isolated, the more different they are. They eventually become different species. Moreover, if there is a change in the environment of one group it does not necessarily occur in the environment of the other. So they will evolve and adapt differently. So, the role of isolation in evolution is maintenance of species. Thus, option B is correct.
Differentiation of species or evolutionary divergence or extermination of species are not the roles of isolation in evolution. Thus, other options are wrong.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Modern synthetic theory of evolution is based on ____________.

  1. Genetic and chromosomal mutation

  2. Genetic recombination and selection by nature

  3. Reproductive isolation

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

The modern synthetic theory of evolution integrates Darwinian natural selection with Mendelian genetics, including mutation, recombination, and reproductive isolation as key drivers.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

The theory of origin of isolation which stresses that nature is not in favour of hybridization was given by

  1. Hugo de Vries

  2. Darwin

  3. Dobzhansky

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

Late in the 1930s, Dobzhansky discovered "isolation mechanisms", i.e., finely-tuned sex traits, other genetic factors and to him physical barriers in the environment which impede gene flow between populations.  Without these mechanisms incorporated into evolutionary theory, it would under-explain the level of species-diversity found in nature. The theory of origin of isolation which stresses that nature is not in favour of hybridization was given by Dobzhansky. Thus, option C is correct. 

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

The synthetic theory of evolution recognize the following process.

  1. Natural selection

  2. Genetic recombination

  3. Gene mutation

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

The modern synthetic theory of evolution is the result of the work of a number of scientists namely T. Dobzhansky, R.A. Fisher, J.B.S. Haldane, Swall Wright, Ernst Mayr, and G.L. Stebbins. Stebbins in his book, Process of Organic Evolution, discussed the synthetic theory. It includes the following factors - Gene mutations, Variation (Recombination), Heredity, Natural selection and Isolation. In addition, three accessory factors affect the working of these five basic factors. Migration of individuals from one population to another as well as hybridization between races or closely related species both increase the amount of genetic variability available to a population. The effects of chance acting on small populations may alter the way in which natural selection guides the course of evolution. Thus, option D is correct.

Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

According to the modern synthetic theory, the unit of evolution is a/an

  1. Individual

  2. Population

  3. Species

  4. Genus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
  • The Modern Synthetic theory of Evolution explains the evolution of life in terms of genetic changes occurring in the populations that leads to the formation of new species. 
  • It also explains the genetic population or Mendelian population, gene pool and the gene frequency
  • Hence, According to the modern synthetic theory, the unit of evolution is a/an Population.
  • So, the correct answer is 'Population'.
Multiple choice zoology origin of life and organic evolution neo darwinism mechanism of evolution other theories of evolution

Modern evolution theory involves

  1. Natural selection

  2. Genetic variations

  3. Isolation

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • The theory of evolution by natural selection, first formulated in Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859, is the process by which organisms change over time as a result of changes in heritable physical or behavioural traits.
  • Different characteristics tend to exist within any given population as a result of mutation, genetic recombination and other sources of genetic variation.
  • Evolution occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on this variation, resulting in certain characteristics becoming more common or rare within a population. 
  • Hence, Modern evolution theory involves Natural selection, Genetic variations and Isolation. 
  • So, the correct answer is 'All of the above'.