Pre-AP Biology & Environmental Science NAME: …………………………………………………………..

2BGU

CONCEPTS OF EVOLUTION – READING TEST

This quiz is based on two powerpoints:
1. Species, Speciation and Evolution
2. Biodiversity and Natural Selection (Miller & Spoolman)

Answer all the questions in the way indicated. For a multiple choice question, draw a circle around the
answer. 32 points are available.

1 “A set of individuals who can mate and produce fertile offspring” is a definition for a:
A. Population
B. Community
C. Species
D. Phylogeny
[1 point]

2 Complete the following sentence by filling in the gaps with the most appropriate words.

Populations evolve when ……………………….. mutate and give some individuals genetic traits
that enhance their ability to ……………………………….. and produce offspring with these traits.
[2 points]

3 Fossils have been found for approximately what percentage of all species which have ever lived on
Earth?
A. 1%
B. 10%
C. 20%
D. 30%
[1 point]

4 What is a mutation:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
[2 points]
5 In the space below, draw a simple time-line showing the Earth’s history since the Big Bang about
4,500 million years ago until today. Show a scale for the time line (ie, mark every 1,000 million
years). On the time line, show approximately when each of the following events occurred:

A. The appearance of the first prokaryotic cells

B. The time when oxygen (O2) began to accumulate in the Earth’s atmosphere
C. The appearance of the first eukaryotic cells

[5 points]

6 Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a good example of evolution by natural selection. By means

only of 3 or 4 labelled and/or annotated diagrams drawn in the space below, show how bacterial
resistance to antibiotics develops. (You may use coloured pencils.)

[3 points]
7 The following taxonomic groups are not written in order. Write them out in the correct order, starting
with the largest grouping first and the smallest, last.

ORDER SPECIES KINGDOM GENUS FAMILY SUB-PHYLUM

CLASS PHYLUM

1 LARGEST GROUPING …………………………………………………………………………..

2 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

3 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

5 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

7 …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

8 SMALLEST GROUPING …………………………………………………………………………..

[4 points]

8 Species that reproduce slowly and in small numbers are better able to adapt. True or false?

Write T or F: ……………………………….
[1 point]

9 Physical or geological events such as the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth’s surface,
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have all created opportunities for evolution. Write a fourth such
physical or geological event that can also drive evolution.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
[1 point]

10 What do you understand by the term ‘SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST’ (or ‘DARWINIAN
FITNESS’)?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
[2 points]
11 Which of the following is correct for the approximate age (millions of years ago – mya) of the
presence of PANGEA, the presence of GODWANALAND and the appearance of the modern
continents on planet Earth? (Circle one letter, A or B or C or D.)

Appearance of Presence of Appearance of

PANGEA (mya) GODWANALAND the modern
(mya) continents (mya)
A. 1,000 500 100
B. 550 275 100
C. 250 200 65
D. 225 135 65

[1 point]

12 Earth has a set of conditions which are just right to be able to support life. These conditions include:
i) a temperature range which can support life; ii) the orbit size of the Earth, which moderates
temperatures; iii) the size of the planet Earth, which means its gravity can support an atmosphere; iv)
the rotation speed of the Earth, which enables even heating over the Earth’s surface.

What is another condition which means that life can be supported on Earth?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
[1 point]

13 E.O. Wilson proposed his Theory of Island Biogeography in 1967. His theory significantly helped
our understanding about the number of species that can be present on islands or in other isolated
areas. A summary of E.O.Wilson’s arguments are shown in the graphs below, which show how
numbers of species present can be affected by the size of an island and/or its nearness to the
mainland.
 What do Letters A and D on the graphs describe?

A ………………………………………………………………………………………………

D ………………………………………………………………………………………………
[2 points]

14 One graph below represents the evolutionary process of STABILISING SELECTION. The other
graph represents DIVERGENT SELECTION.

STABILISING SELECTION DIVERGENT SELECTION

In the space below, draw a similar graph, which represents the process of DIRECTIONAL
SELECTION.

[3 points]
15 Evolution can be easily understood as a process of gradual change, which is driven by natural
selection. This micro-evolution is called GRADUALISM. Palaeontologists now accept that a better
way to understand evolution is as a process of PUNTUATED EVOLUTION. The two processes are
shown in the graphs below.

Use the graphs above to explain the process of PUNCTUATED EVOLUTION.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
[3 points]