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 zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Concept of inheritance of acquired characters was disapproved by experiments of 

  1. Oparin

  2. Weismann

  3. Fox

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

The inheritance of acquired characteristics is a hypothesis that physiological changes acquired over the life of an organism (such as the enlargement of a muscle through repeated use) may be transmitted to offspring. The basic concept of inheritance of acquired characters was finally widely rejected in the early 20th century. It was disapproved by experiment conducted by Weismann. Weismann conducted the experiment of removing the tails of 68 white mice, repeatedly over 5 generations and reporting that no mice were born in consequence without a tail or even with a shorter tail. 

Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism
Consider the following statements relating to evolution and answer the question.

(i) Organisms are products of a history of descent with modification.
(ii) Characteristics acquired by an organism during its lifetime are inherited by its offspring.
(iii) The goal of evolution is to adapt organisms to the environment.
(iv) Evolutionary change is brought about by natural selection.

The theory of evolution presented in Darwin's "The Origin of Species" depended on what combination of these statements?


Which combination of the above statements best reflects Lamarck's theory of evolution?

  1. (i)

  2. Both (i) and (ii)

  3. (ii)

  4. Both (ii) and (iv)

  5. (iii)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The inheritance of acquired characteristics is a hypothesis that physiological changes acquired over the life of an organism (such as the enlargement of a muscle through repeated use) may be transmitted to offspring. It is also commonly referred to as the theory of adaptation equated with the evolutionary theory of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck known as Lamarckism. Thus, option C is correct. Lamarckism does not reflects organisms are products of a history of descent with modification (Darwinism), the goal of evolution is to adapt organisms to the environment and evolutionary change is brought about by natural selection (Darwinism). Thus, other options are wrong.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Theory of Lamarck was based on

  1. Adaptive modifications

  2. Adaptive radiatons

  3. Both A and B

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

Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass on characteristics that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring also known as heritability of acquired characteristics or soft inheritance. It is named after the French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, who incorporated the action of soft inheritance into his evolutionary theories as a supplement to his concept of an inherent progressive tendency driving organisms continuously towards greater complexity, in parallel but separate lineages with no extinction. Lamarck did not originate the idea of soft inheritance, which proposes that individual efforts during the lifetime of the organisms were the main mechanism driving species to adaptation, as they supposedly would acquire adaptive changes and pass them on to offspring. According to Lamarck change in the environment brings modifications in plants and animals so as to adapt to their surroundings. So, theory of Lamarck was based on adaptive modifications and not based on adaptive collisions and radiations. Thus, option A is correct and other options are wrong.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

In a famous experiment, A. Weismann cut off tails of new-born mice generation after generation. At the end of experiment, tails of mice neither disappeared nor shortened. This experiment 

  1. Supports Darwin's theory of natural selection.

  2. Proves that tail is an essential organ of vertebrates.

  3. Disproves de Vries mutation theory.

  4. Shows that Lamarck was wrong in his theory of inheritance of acquired characters.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

What Lamarck claimed was the inheritance of characteristics acquired through effort, or will. 

Weismann conducted the experiment of removing the tails of 68 white mice, repeatedly over 5 generations, and reporting that no mice were born in consequence without a tail or even with a shorter tail.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

 According to Lamarckism theroy acquired characters are

  1. Inherited

  2. Artificial

  3. Superficial

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

The inheritance of acquired characteristics is a hypothesis that physiological changes acquired over the life of an organism such as the enlargement of a muscle through repeated use may be transmitted to offspring. It is also commonly referred to as the theory of adaptation equated with the evolutionary theory of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck known as Lamarckism. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Lamarck's theory of evolution is also called as

  1. Theory of special creation

  2. Inheritance of acquired characters

  3. Survival of the fittest

  4. Theory of origin of life
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Lamarckism (or Lamarckian inheritance) is the idea that an organism can pass on characteristics that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring (also known as heritability of acquired characteristics or soft inheritance). It is named after the French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, who incorporated the action of soft inheritance into his evolutionary theories as a supplement to his concept of an inherent progressive tendency driving organisms continuously towards greater complexity, in parallel but separate lineages with no extinction. Lamarck did not originate the idea of soft inheritance, which proposes that individual efforts during the lifetime of the organisms were the main mechanism driving species to adaptation, as they supposedly would acquire adaptive changes and pass them on to offspring. Lamarck theory of evolution is also called as inheritance of acquired characters. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Which of the following match is correct?

  1. Lamarck's theory- Struggle for existence

  2. Darwin's theory- Use and disuse of organ

  3. Biogenetic law- Recapitulation theory

  4. Lamarck's theory- Theory of continuity of germplasm
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Lamarck gave the theory of inheritance of acquired characters. Darwin included struggle for existence in his theory of origin of species by natural selection. 

Weismann gave the theory of continuity of germplasms. 
Biogenetic law or recapitulation theory was given by Haeckel. The theory of recapitulation, also called as the biogenetic law or embryological parallelism often expressed in Ernst Haeckel's phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny"is a largely discredited biological hypothesis that in developing from embryo to adult, animals go through stages resembling or representing successive stages in the evolution of their remote ancestors. While examples of embryonic stages show that molecular features of ancestral organisms exist, the theory of recapitulation itself has been viewed within the field of developmental biology as a historical side-note rather than as dogma. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Match the correct set.

Column I   Column II
I.   Modified form of Lamarckism  A.  G.L. Stebbins (1950)
II.  Variation and evolution in plants  B.  Neo-Lamarckism
III.  Germinal selection theory   C.  Etienne Geoffroy
IV.  Supporter of Lamarck's theory   D.  August Weismann

  1. I- A, II- B, III- C, IV- D

  2. I- D, II- B, III- C, IV- A

  3. I- B, II- A, III- D, IV- C

  4. I- D, II- A, III- C, IV- B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

To account for polymorphism Weismann developed hypothesis of germinal selection. He said that the germplasm has got not a single set of determiners but a number of different sets of determiners. It is the environment that decides which set of determiners will express themselves. 

Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was a French naturalist who established the principle of "unity of composition". He was a colleague of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and expanded and defended Lamarck's evolutionary theories. Variation and Evolution in Plants is a book written by G. Ledyard Stebbins, published in 1950. Modified form of Lamarckism is neo lamarckism. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by

  1. Darwin

  2. Lamarck

  3. Wallace

  4. Oparin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
The inheritance of acquired characteristics is a hypothesis that physiological changes acquired over the life of an organism may be transmitted to offspring. It is also commonly referred to as the theory of adaptation equated with the evolutionary theory of French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck known as Lamarckism.
Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

The theory of inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by

  1. Darwin

  2. Lamarck

  3. Weismann

  4. De Vries
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Theory of Inheritance of acquired characteristics was proposed by Lamarck in the year 1801. The inheritance of acquired characteristics states that modification acquired by the organism during the course of evolution is transferred from one generation to the other.
So, the correct answer is option B.
Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Lamarckian evolution is correctly characterized by

  1. Evolutionary change happens instantaneously.

  2. An animal that draws on a particular trait very often passes that trait on in reduced form to offspring because of overuse.

  3. The function of a body part plays no part in evolution.

  4. Acquired traits can be passed down from parent to offspring.

  5. Selection pressures push evolutionary change.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Lamarck contributed to organic evolution through his theory. According to Lamarck, changes in the environment create new needs in the organism for adaptation. Use and disuse of organs and inheritance of acquired characters was also explained by Lamarck. He explained that certain characters which are acquired by the parents can be passed to the offspring. 

Thus, the correct answer is option 'Acquired traits can be passed down from parent to offspring'.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Key point to Lamarck's view about organic evolution is that every offspring

  1. Is similar to its parents.

  2. Inherits characters acquired by the parental generation.

  3. Shows struggle for existence.

  4. Repeats phylogeny in its ontogeny.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Lamarck gave the theory of Inheritance of acquired character. According to which characters acquired by an organism during it's life are inherited by the next generation.

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Theory of inheritance of acquired characters was given by,

  1. Wallace

  2. Lamarck

  3. Darwin

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

The first theory of evolution was proposed by Jean Baptiste de Lamarck Lamarckism proposed,

  • Some internal forces are present in all organisms. Due to  the presence of these forces, the organism has the tendency to increase the size of their organs or the entire body.
  • Environment influences all type of organisms. Changing environment give rise to new needs. New needs or desires produce new structure and change habits of the organism.
  • If an organ is constantly used, it would be better developed whereas disuse of organ results in its degeneration.

So, the correct option is 'Lamarck'

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

The use and disuse principle of evolution or theory of 'Inheritance of Acquired Characters' was proposed by

  1. Hugo de Vires

  2. Lamarck

  3. Weismann

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

The theory of inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by Jean Baptiste de Lamarck, French biologist in 1801. He states that organism gets adapted to the changes of environment, which it meets in lifetime and passes it on to progenies and thus becomes heredity. Thus, the correct answer is 'Lamarck.'

Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

According to Lamarck, evolution is towards

  1. Increase in size

  2. Decrease in size

  3. Both A and B

  4. Decrease in complexity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lamarckism is the theory of acquired characters, it includes :

  • Internal vital forces.
  • Effects of environment and new needs.
  • Use and disuse of organs.
  • Inheritance of acquired characters.

So, the correct option is 'Increase in size'.