Biology · Science General

Diversity in Living Organisms

3,323 Questions

The diversity in living organisms deals with the classification of life forms into various kingdoms and phyla. This topic covers specific traits of bacteria, animal body cavities, and structural adaptations for survival. These fundamentals are crucial for biology sections in medical entrance and state board exams.

Animal phyla characteristicsBacteria and flagellaBiological adaptationsKingdom Animalia classificationBody cavity typesExtinct organism subphylaJawless animals identification

Diversity in Living Organisms Questions

Multiple choice botany adaptations to different ecosystems lichen lichens lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

Lichens are composite organisms containing an alga and

  1. Fungus

  2. Bacterium

  3. Moss

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

Lichens are composite organisms containing algae and fungus. They live in symbiotic association. In this, algae provides food and nutrition obtained by photosynthesis. In turn, fungus provides protection, anchorage and absorption of water and nutrition from soil for algae.

Thus, the correct answer is option A.

Multiple choice botany adaptations to different ecosystems lichen lichens lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

The two micro-organisms which live in symbiotic association in lichens are

  1. Fungus and protozoa

  2. Alga and bacteria

  3. Bacteria and protozoa

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

A lichen is a composite organism consisting of a fungus (the mycobiont) and a photosynthetic partner (the photobiont) growing together in a symbiotic relationship. 

Multiple choice botany adaptations to different ecosystems lichen lichens lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

Read the given statements about lichens and select the incorrect ones.


(i) They represent an example of commensalism.
(ii) Algal partner obtains water and mineral salts from the fungus and the fungal partner obtains food prepared by the alga.
(iii) These do not grow in polluted areas.
(iv) The mycobiont is usually an Ascomycetes or a Basidiomycetes.
(v) The phycobiont is mostly a green alga or a cyanobacterium.
(vi) These constitute the pioneer community in the case of hydrosere.

  1. (i) and (ii)

  2. (v) and (vi)

  3. (i) and (vi)

  4. (i), (v) and (vi)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Lichens represent mutualism, not commensalism (i is incorrect). They are pioneer species in xerosere (rock succession), not hydrosere (vi is incorrect).

Multiple choice botany adaptations to different ecosystems lichen lichens lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

Lichens are the associations of 

  1. Bacteria and fungus

  2. Algae and bacterium

  3. Fungus and algae

  4. Fungus and virus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Lichens are association (mutually beneficial) between fungus and alga. The fungal partner is mycobiont and algal partner is phycobion. The mycobiont is usually an ascomycete and phycobiont is usually green algae Lichens can grow in extremely inhospitable conditions In many ecosystems they are the pioneer species. The role of mycobiont is providing body structure and anchorage and absorption of minerals and water. The role of phycobiont is mainly in providing food through photosynthesis. So, the correct answer is 'Fungus and algae'.

Multiple choice botany adaptations to different ecosystems lichen lichens lichens ( the nature's pioneers )

Body of lichen consists of two dissimilar organisms. Choose the correct option w.r.t. component which form bulk of the thallus

  1. Autotrophic component

  2. Prepare food for fungi

  3. Form sexual reproductive structure

  4. Provide belongs to ascomycetes or sometimes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Lichens are the symbiotic association of algae and fungi. Lichens are autotrophic, they can make their own food with the help of sunlight and provide food to the fungi and in return fungi provide protection to the lichen. Lichens always reproduce asexually. It is the most controversial organism, it possesses the characters of algae and fungi both. It is placed in ascomycetes.

So, the correct answer is " Autotrophic component'.

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

Which of the following evidences does not favour the Lamarckian concept?

  1. Absence of limbs in snakes.

  2. Presence of webbed toes in aquatic birds.

  3. Melanization in peppered moth in industrial area.

  4. Lack of pigment in cave dwelling animals.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Industrial melanism in the peppered moth (Biston betularia) is an iconic case study of ecological genetics, but the molecular identity of the gene determining the difference between the typical and melanic (carbonaria) moths is entirely unknown. It is never in accordance with Lamarckism (use and disuse theory).

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

Which of the following facts developed suspicious in Lamarckism?

  1. Human females are not born with bored ear pinna although they have been bored for thousands of years.

  2. Giraffe has long neck to eat leaves of tall trees.

  3. A stag can run fast to protect against the enemies.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Boring of pinna (external ear) and nose of Indian women is never inherited to the next generations although they have been bored for thousand of years, it is not explained by Lamarckism.
The ancestors of giraffe were bearing a small neck and fore­limbs and were like horses. But as they were living in places with no surface vegetation, they had to stretch their neck and forelimbs to take the leaves for food, which resulted in the slight elongation of these parts, it is explained by Lamarckism.
The ancestors of stag were not having so much speed in running, but as they needed protection from other animals of that time they started running, due to which present speed were achieved by the stag, it is explained by Lamarckism. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option A.
Multiple choice zoology evolution of life darwin's theory of evolution process of evolution lamarckism

Which of the following cannot be explained by Lamarckism?

  1. Absence of limbs in snakes

  2. Long neck of giraffe

  3. Degeneration of visual apparatus in cave dwellers

  4. Dull progeny of Nobel laureate
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The snakes have been evolved from lizard like ancestors, which were having two pairs of limbs and there is absence of limbs in snakes, it is explained by Lamarckism.

The ancestors of giraffe were bearing a small neck and fore­limb and were like horses. But as they were living in places with no surface vegetation, they had to stretch their neck and forelimbs to take the leaves for food, which resulted in the slight elongation of these parts. It can be explained by Lamarckism.
The ancestors of cave dwellers had normal eye sight. On account of living under continuous dark conditions, the animal lost their power to see. It can be explained by Lamarckism.
However, dull progeny of Nobel prize winners cannot be explained by Lamarckism. It could not explain, why the kids of Nobel laureates have dull children. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

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

Which cannot be explained by Lamarckism?

  1. Loss of tail by humans

  2. Elongation of neck in Giraffe

  3. Weak progeny of a Nobel laureate

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

Lamarckism suggests that acquired traits are inherited. A Nobel laureate's intelligence or strength is not an acquired physical trait that would be passed down to offspring in the way Lamarck described, making this a common counter-example.

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

According to Lamarckism, long necked giraffes evolved because

  1. Nature selected only long necked ones

  2. Humans preferred only long necked ones

  3. Short necks suddenly changed into long necks

  4. Of stretching of necks over many generations by short necked ones
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

According to Lamarckism, the ancestors of giraffe had small neck and forelimbs and were like horses. They were residing in places with no surface vegetation, therefore, they had to stretch their neck and forelimbs to take the leaves for food. This led to slight elongation of these parts. Whatever they acquired in one generation was transmitted to the next generation with the result that a race of long necked and long forelimbed giraffes were developed. So, the correct answer is 'Of stretching of necks over many generations by short necked ones'.

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

Which of the following facts develop suspicions in Lamarckism?

  1. Human females are not born with bored ear pinna although they have been bored for thousand of years.

  2. Giraffe has long neck to eat leaves of tall trees.

  3. A stag can run fast to protect against the enemies.

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

Lamarckism was disproved later after putting up the human ear piercing example. Lamarckism which is otherwise called as use and disuse theory advocated the idea that animals acquired characteristics after using certain physical traits constantly.

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

During a conversation at the dinner table, a high school student tells his mother that, "At first all giraffes had short necks because they all ate leaves close to the ground, but when all those leaves were gone some giraffes started being born with long necks".
Which statement would be most helpful for the student to understand the concept?

  1. Phenotypic variations occur through random mutations which are then selected for or against.

  2. The phenotype for neck length changed in giraffes so that the species did not go extinct.

  3. Short-necked giraffes developed long necks in response to increased competition for food.

  4. When the environment changed, the struggle to exist created new mutations in the gene pool and natural selection acted on them.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

For the giraffes, the change in the position of the food  (leaves) from near to ground level to higher on the trees, triggered for adaptation to prevent extinction. So, those giraffes that underwent genetic changes/variations and developed long necks were able to obtain food and survive in the changed environmental conditions, while others perished, as this change in the genetic pool was beneficial for the giraffes propagation. It was passed on to next generation and so the modern day giraffe has long necks.