Evolution and Ecology Review

Last updated about 2 years ago

18 questions

Note from the author:

1

Review evolution and ecology for the MCAS

Which of the following statements best describes the process of natural selection in a population?

All individuals develop traits to match changes to their environment.

All individuals learn to adapt to specific changes that occur slowly in their environment.

Some individuals respond to their environment by mutating to make themselves more likely to survive.

Some individuals have genetic differences that make them more likely to survive and reproduce in their environment.

Which of the following observations best supports the conclusion that two animal species evolved from a common ancestor in recent geological history?

The species are both herbivores.

The species have similar bone structure.

The species live in the same environment

The species both obtain oxygen from the air.

The bone structures in a bat wing and a whale flipper are shown. Which of the following statements best explains the similarity between the bone structures in the bat wing and the whale flipper?

Both animals evolved from a common ancestor.

Organisms that flew evolved into organisms that swim.

All organisms evolve following the same basic pattern

All animal parts used for motion evolve in the same way.

Katydids are insects that live on plants. Their bodies are adapted to look like leaves.

Which of the following best explains why katydids adapted this trait?

Katydids with this trait were better able to make their own food.

Katydids with this trait were better able to blend into their environment and survive.

Katydids with this trait were better able to store nutrients and hibernate

Katydids with this trait were better able to communicate with other insects around them.

The diagram below shows four types of finches labeled W, X, Y, and Z. The type of finch labeled W adapted different traits over a long period of time that resulted in the three different types of finches labeled X, Y, and Z. What is the most likely reason the finches labeled X, Y, and Z adapted different traits from the finch labeled W?

to look like other birds

to change their environments

to copy behaviors of other similar birds

to help them survive in their environments

A species of moth in England has both a light-colored form and a dark-colored form. In the mid-1800s, the percentage of dark-colored moths increased in areas where black soot from factories covered the trees. The soot in these areas has decreased in more recent times as a result of pollution laws.

Which of the following statements describes what has most likely happened to the moth populations in these areas where pollution laws have been enforced?

The moth populations went extinct.

The moth populations migrated south.

The percentage of light-colored moths in the populations decreased.

The percentage of dark-colored moths in the populations decreased.

Wolves kill many elk every year and often attack old, sick, and injured members of a herd. Which of the following best describes the role of the wolves in the wolf-elk relationship?

competitor

host

parasite

predator

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the perch in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the algae in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the zooplankton in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

If all the trees in the area were cut down, the energy supply of which population would be most directly affected?

aphid

grasshopper

oriole

rabbit

What type of relationship exists between the oriole and the rabbit?

commensalism

predator/prey

mutualism

competition

What type of relationship exists between the hawk and the oriole?

commensalism

predator/prey

mutualism

competition

A species of bird migrates from South America across the Atlantic Ocean to its summer breeding ground in northern Canada. The birds stop on the east coast of the United States to eat the eggs of horseshoe crabs. The migration route of these birds is shown on the map below. Which of the following changes would most threaten this species of bird with extinction?

increased sizes of horseshoe crab eggs

longer summers in North America

decreased populations of horseshoe crabs

less rainfall in South America

There are many fungus species that live inside plant tissues. What determines whether the relationship between a fungus and a plant is commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism?

how long the fungus survives in the plant

whether the fungus
reproduces in the plant with spores, seeds, or runners

where the fungus is located in the plant

whether the effect of the fungus on the plant is neutral, positive, or negative

The New England cottontail is the only rabbit native to New England. Current populations are small and isolated because of habitat loss. Scientists are concerned about the possible extinction of the New England cottontail.
Which of the following statements explains why having small and isolated populations puts these rabbits at risk for extinction?

Diet requirements of the rabbits are changed, making the emigration rate increase.

Male-to-female ratios in the populations are changed, making the birth rate fall to zero.

Immigration is increased, making it harder for the rabbits to successfully compete for resources.

Genetic variation is decreased, making the populations less able to adapt to environmental changes.

Early explorers in the United States often observed huge flocks of passenger pigeons. In the 1800s, hunters began netting and shooting the birds in huge numbers to sell as food. In 1914, passenger pigeons were declared extinct when the last one died at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Which of the following best explains why passenger pigeons became extinct?

Humans consumed the passenger pigeons’ main source of food.

Zookeepers did not understand how to keep passenger pigeons alive.

Hunters killed passenger pigeons faster than the pigeons could reproduce.

Passenger pigeon populations were so large that there was not enough food for them to survive.

Researchers have observed that the biodiversity of some mountainside rain forests is greater than the biodiversity of some lowland rain forests. Which of the following statements best explains why a high degree of biodiversity is observed in some mountainside rain forests?

Some mountainside rain forests have high emigration rates

Some mountainside rain forests have species with high reproductive rates.

Some mountainside rain forests have many different environmental niches at different elevations

Some mountainside rain forests have increased numbers of producer species and reduced numbers of predator species

Which of the following statements best describes the process of natural selection in a population?

All individuals develop traits to match changes to their environment.

All individuals learn to adapt to specific changes that occur slowly in their environment.

Some individuals respond to their environment by mutating to make themselves more likely to survive.

Some individuals have genetic differences that make them more likely to survive and reproduce in their environment.

Which of the following observations best supports the conclusion that two animal species evolved from a common ancestor in recent geological history?

The species are both herbivores.

The species have similar bone structure.

The species live in the same environment

The species both obtain oxygen from the air.

The bone structures in a bat wing and a whale flipper are shown. Which of the following statements best explains the similarity between the bone structures in the bat wing and the whale flipper?

Both animals evolved from a common ancestor.

Organisms that flew evolved into organisms that swim.

All organisms evolve following the same basic pattern

All animal parts used for motion evolve in the same way.

Katydids are insects that live on plants. Their bodies are adapted to look like leaves.

Which of the following best explains why katydids adapted this trait?

Katydids with this trait were better able to make their own food.

Katydids with this trait were better able to blend into their environment and survive.

Katydids with this trait were better able to store nutrients and hibernate

Katydids with this trait were better able to communicate with other insects around them.

The diagram below shows four types of finches labeled W, X, Y, and Z. The type of finch labeled W adapted different traits over a long period of time that resulted in the three different types of finches labeled X, Y, and Z. What is the most likely reason the finches labeled X, Y, and Z adapted different traits from the finch labeled W?

to look like other birds

to change their environments

to copy behaviors of other similar birds

to help them survive in their environments

A species of moth in England has both a light-colored form and a dark-colored form. In the mid-1800s, the percentage of dark-colored moths increased in areas where black soot from factories covered the trees. The soot in these areas has decreased in more recent times as a result of pollution laws.

Which of the following statements describes what has most likely happened to the moth populations in these areas where pollution laws have been enforced?

The moth populations went extinct.

The moth populations migrated south.

The percentage of light-colored moths in the populations decreased.

The percentage of dark-colored moths in the populations decreased.

Wolves kill many elk every year and often attack old, sick, and injured members of a herd. Which of the following best describes the role of the wolves in the wolf-elk relationship?

competitor

host

parasite

predator

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the perch in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the algae in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the zooplankton in this energy pyramid?

producer

decomposer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

If all the trees in the area were cut down, the energy supply of which population would be most directly affected?

aphid

grasshopper

oriole

rabbit

What type of relationship exists between the oriole and the rabbit?

commensalism

predator/prey

mutualism

competition

What type of relationship exists between the hawk and the oriole?

commensalism

predator/prey

mutualism

competition

A species of bird migrates from South America across the Atlantic Ocean to its summer breeding ground in northern Canada. The birds stop on the east coast of the United States to eat the eggs of horseshoe crabs. The migration route of these birds is shown on the map below. Which of the following changes would most threaten this species of bird with extinction?

increased sizes of horseshoe crab eggs

longer summers in North America

decreased populations of horseshoe crabs

less rainfall in South America

There are many fungus species that live inside plant tissues. What determines whether the relationship between a fungus and a plant is commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism?

how long the fungus survives in the plant

whether the fungus
reproduces in the plant with spores, seeds, or runners

where the fungus is located in the plant

whether the effect of the fungus on the plant is neutral, positive, or negative

The New England cottontail is the only rabbit native to New England. Current populations are small and isolated because of habitat loss. Scientists are concerned about the possible extinction of the New England cottontail.
Which of the following statements explains why having small and isolated populations puts these rabbits at risk for extinction?

Diet requirements of the rabbits are changed, making the emigration rate increase.

Male-to-female ratios in the populations are changed, making the birth rate fall to zero.

Immigration is increased, making it harder for the rabbits to successfully compete for resources.

Genetic variation is decreased, making the populations less able to adapt to environmental changes.

Early explorers in the United States often observed huge flocks of passenger pigeons. In the 1800s, hunters began netting and shooting the birds in huge numbers to sell as food. In 1914, passenger pigeons were declared extinct when the last one died at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Which of the following best explains why passenger pigeons became extinct?

Humans consumed the passenger pigeons’ main source of food.

Zookeepers did not understand how to keep passenger pigeons alive.

Hunters killed passenger pigeons faster than the pigeons could reproduce.

Passenger pigeon populations were so large that there was not enough food for them to survive.

Researchers have observed that the biodiversity of some mountainside rain forests is greater than the biodiversity of some lowland rain forests. Which of the following statements best explains why a high degree of biodiversity is observed in some mountainside rain forests?

Some mountainside rain forests have high emigration rates

Some mountainside rain forests have species with high reproductive rates.

Some mountainside rain forests have many different environmental niches at different elevations

Some mountainside rain forests have increased numbers of producer species and reduced numbers of predator species

Evolution and Ecology Review

Evolution and Ecology Review

Which of the following statements best describes the process of natural selection in a population?

Which of the following observations best supports the conclusion that two animal species evolved from a common ancestor in recent geological history?

The bone structures in a bat wing and a whale flipper are shown. Which of the following statements best explains the similarity between the bone structures in the bat wing and the whale flipper?

Katydids are insects that live on plants. Their bodies are adapted to look like leaves.Which of the following best explains why katydids adapted this trait?

Wolves kill many elk every year and often attack old, sick, and injured members of a herd. Which of the following best describes the role of the wolves in the wolf-elk relationship?

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the perch in this energy pyramid?

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the algae in this energy pyramid?

The diagram below shows an energy pyramid for a lake ecosystem.Which of the following best describes the role of the zooplankton in this energy pyramid?

If all the trees in the area were cut down, the energy supply of which population would be most directly affected?

What type of relationship exists between the oriole and the rabbit?

What type of relationship exists between the hawk and the oriole?

There are many fungus species that live inside plant tissues. What determines whether the relationship between a fungus and a plant is commensalism, mutualism, or parasitism?

Researchers have observed that the biodiversity of some mountainside rain forests is greater than the biodiversity of some lowland rain forests. Which of the following statements best explains why a high degree of biodiversity is observed in some mountainside rain forests?

Katydids are insects that live on plants. Their bodies are adapted to look like leaves.

Which of the following best explains why katydids adapted this trait?