Tag: biology

Questions Related to biology

Darwin's finches provide an excellent evidence in favour of evolution. This evidence comes from the field of ____________.

  1. Anatomy

  2. Biogeography

  3. Embryology

  4. Palaeontology


Correct Option: A

The 'Origin of Species' is written by

  1. Linnaeus

  2. Darwin

  3. Hackel

  4. Whittaker


Correct Option: B
Explanation:
  • 'On the Origin of Species', published on 24th November 1859, is a work of scientific literature by Charles Darwin which is considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology.
  •  Its full title was 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life'.
  • Darwin's book introduced the scientific theory that natural selection and presented a body of evidence gathered from the Beagle expedition, stating that the diversity of life descended from a common ancestor through evolution. 

Choose the correct answers from the alternatives given.
Which of the following is not an important element of Darwin's theory of evolution?

  1. Inheritance of acquired traits

  2. All organisms arose from a common ancestor

  3. Presence of variation within a population of individuals

  4. Natural selection


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Darwin's Theory of Evolution states that groups of organisms will undergo genetic changes over time due to the process of natural selection. If enough changes occur, this can create new species from the pre-existing ones. Variations in a species' genetics that lead to evolution often come from mutations.

So correct answer is A, Inheritance of acquired traits.

Darwin's explanation of the way in which evolution occurs is that

  1. God determines which species should evolve

  2. progressive adaptations enable one species to leave more offspring

  3. certain species have built-in plans of evolution

  4. those traits used most often persist longer


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

According to Darwin the evolution occurs due to adaptation of the species to the environmental conditions , these adaptations are then carried out to the next generation by reproduction thus the species survive and evolve 

So, the correct answer is 'progressive adaptations enable one species to leave more offspring'

Which one of the following is not associated with the theory of Charles Darwin

  1. Mutation

  2. Natural selection

  3. Survival of the fittest

  4. Struggle for existence


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Charles Darwin's theory is based on the survival of the fittest , the species who readily adapt to the changes in the environment for its existence tend to live. The species fitting to the natural selection only survive

So, the correct answer is 'Mutation'

Successful adaptation simply means

  1. an increase in fitness

  2. moving to a new place

  3. producing offspring

  4. evolving new characteristics


Correct Option: A
Explanation:
Adaptation means that the species have built up some changes in them so as to fit into the environmental changes for the living it does not mean moving to some other place rather it means being in the same place and fighting against the changes and surviving , producing offspring is the  next step after adaptation to transfer the genes to the next generation 
So, the correct answer is 'an increase in fitness'

In formulating the theory of evolution by natural selection, Charles Darwin was greatly influenced by

  1. environmental factors

  2. mutations

  3. Maithus idea on population control

  4. all of these


Correct Option: C
Explanation:
Charles Darwin was influenced by many writers, scholars, philosophers, and friends. One of his influences was Thomas Robert Malthus, a late-eighteenth century economist. Malthus wrote "Essay on the Principle of Population" (1798), which Darwin read and was inspired by. The central theme of Malthus' work was that population growth would always overpower food supply growth, creating perpetual states of hunger, disease, and struggle. The natural, ever-present struggle for survival caught the attention of Darwin, and he extended Malthus' principle to the evolutionary scheme.

So, the correct answer is 'Maithus idea on population control'.

The cluster of species formed on Galapagos islands are clear example of all, except

  1. Species formation arising by micro-evolutionary divergence from an ancestral form occupying different habitats, of microevolution leading to macro-evolution

  2. Founder's effect

  3. Adaptive radiation

  4. Sympatric speciation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Founder's effect is the loss of genetic variation when a new colony is formed by a very small number of individuals from a larger population. The finches of Galapagos Island are a perfect example of the founder effect.
The process, whereby species evolve rapidly to exploit empty ecospace, is known as adaptive radiation. There are now at least 13 species of finches on the Galapagos Islands, each filling a different niche on different islands and this is a good example of adaptive radiation.
Sympatric speciation occurs when there are no physical barriers preventing any members of a species from mating with another, and all members are in close proximity to one another which is an example of Galapagos island.
Thus, the correct answer is 'Species formation arising by micro-evolutionary divergence from an ancestral form occupying different habitats, of microevolution leading to macro-evolution'.

Darwin said that all the organisms reproduce ...........

  1. With mutations 

  2. Uprightly

  3. Prolifically

  4. Independently


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Darwin concluded that organisms reproduce prolifically and in each generation the number of individual increases that can survive. The individuals show some phenotypic variations, and these variations are heritable. Darwin also suggested that the process of evolution is based on natural selection.

Darwinian theory of evolution-

  1. Branching descent and natural selection are two axillary concepts of this theory.

  2. Natural selection is based on some factual observations.

  3. Was influenced by work of Alfred Wallace on populations.

  4. Both A and C


Correct Option: B