Bio 20 Unit B Practice Test Multiple Choice
_____1. Which of the following groups is the most narrowly defined level used in the classification of living things?
A. Phylum B. Species C. Order D. Class
Use the following information to answer the question
Many countries limit the amount of phosphates allowed in laundry and dish detergents to prevent the buildup of large amounts of phosphate ions in bodies of water.
_____ 2. A large amount of phosphate ions in bodies of water would most likely cause A. reduced aquatic plant growth
B. excessive aquatic plant growth
C. increased weathering of sedimentary rocks D. decreased weathering of sedimentary rocks
_____ 3. Which of the following examples demonstrates a biotic factor affecting an abiotic factor?
A. Female salmon use their bodies to dig an indentation in the sandy river mud in which they lay their eggs, increasing the turbidity of the water
B. High rates of evaporation from a river estuary increase the salinity of the water, kill many invertebrates
C. High competition for mates in a small goose population means that some mating pairs will not reproduce
D. Run-off of muddy water decreases the dissolved oxygen content of river water _____ 4. Which of the following would be considered biochemical evidence for
evolution? A. DNA B. Fossils
Use the following information to answer the next question
Growing large numbers of one kind of plant close together in an area can be detrimental for plants. Each plant strives for the same resources and is susceptible to the same consumers. For example, during the Irish potato famine in 1846, a fungus attacked potato crops, destroying up to three-quarters of the harvest. As a result, many of the people who relied on potatoes as a staple of their diet faced famine and death. Present day agriculture relies on chemicals (insecticides and fungicided) to protect crops from pests.
_____ 5. One major problem with using insecticides for agriculture is that insecticides A. result in the development of insecticide-resistant populations
B. cause crops to produce more food than is natural C. stimulate pests to grow at a faster rate
D. kill host plants along with the harmful pests _____6. The main advantage of sexual reproduction is that it
A. does not require more than one parent
B. reduces the chromosome count of the offspring C. requires less energy than asexual reproduction
D. leads to offspring that are genetically different from both parent _____ 7. If a population were to undergo speciation, two possible mechanisms of speciation are
A. competition and adaptation B. reproduction and natural selection C. survival of the fittest and migration
D. geographic isolation and reproductive isolation Use the following information to answer the next question.
Today, it is known that radiation and certain chemicals can alter the structure of DNA, thus mutating (or changing) genes. Genes are the ultimate instructions for the
characteristics of an organism.
_____ 8. Knowing the genes can mutate would have helped Darwin explain the A. source of variation
B. theory of natural selection
C. theory of the survival of the fittest D. inheritance of acquired characteristics
_____ 9. Analogous organs are one type of evidence for the theory of natural selection. Body structures that are classified as analogous are
A. structurally similar B. functionally similar
_____ 10. Which of the following pairs of characteristics would leave a group of organisms at most risk of being negatively impacted by global climate change?
A. Broad niche parameters and limited dispersal ability B. Narrow niche parameters and limited dispersal ability C. Broad niche parameters and extensive dispersal ability D. Narrow niche parameters and extensive dispersal ability
_____ 11. According to the rules of binomial nomenclature, the correct scientific name of the leopard is
A. Panthera Pardus B. panthera Pardus C. Panthera pardus D. panthera pardus
Use the following information to answer the next question.
Scientists working in the modern agriculture search for characteristics that can be improved upon. If cows with a high yield are desired, animal breeders select those cows that produce the largest quantity of milk. The calves of the high milk-yielding cows are then interbred. After repeating the process for a number of generations, a breed of high milk-yielding cows is produced.
_____ 12. The principle used in this case to produce high milk-yielding cows is known as A. natural selection
B. artificial selection C. survival of the fittest
D. inheritance of acquired characteristics
_____ 13. Pouched marsupials, such as the kangaroo and koala, are found only in Australia. The uniqueness of these Australian animals can be attributed to
A. competition between organisms B. Australia’s unique environment
C. The geographical isolation of the Australian continent D. The limited human impact on the Australian environment
_____ 14. The punctuated equilibrium model of evolution suggests that new species appear
_____ 15. Which of the following statements provides the best support for the existence of macroevolution?
A. Every organism is made up of many unique characteristics B. Species today are more complex than in prehistoric times C. Many insects have become resistant to pesticides
D. A large and diverse number of organisms exist Short Answer
Use the following information below to answer the following questions.
The monarch butterfly is the most common species of the milkweed butterfly and is found throughout the world. Each year, monarchs fly from as far as Ontario to California, Mexico, and Florida to lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. Once the eggs have been laid and the caterpillar emerges, it feeds on the milkweed and accumulates the alkaloids of the plant. The alkaloids of the milkweed contain poisonous compounds that produce strong physiological effects when consumed. If appears that the alkaloids have no effect on the caterpillar itself, but if consumed by a predator, the caterpillar leaves a pungent taste in it predator’s mouth. Another butterfly, the viceroy butterfly, is also common to North America. As an adult, it very much resembles the monarch. The two species are referred to as Mullerian mimics.
17. Suggest two benefits and two cost of the trip made by the monarch butterfly.
18. What are the four abiotic factors involved in a rainbow trout population? Explain how each factor can change the population.