CLEP Biology Mechanisms of Natural Selection 4

Question 1

Convergent evolution is best demonstrated by which example?

Accepted Answer

The wings of bats and birds

Answer

Bat and bird wings evolved flight independently in separate lineages, representing convergent evolution of analogous structures.

Question 2

Which statement about mutations and natural selection is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

Mutations are random; selection acts on the variation they create

Answer

Mutations arise randomly and independently of need; natural selection then acts on the phenotypic variation they generate.

Question 3

If a population of rabbits shows p = 0.7 (frequency of allele A) and q = 0.3 (frequency of allele a), what is the expected frequency of heterozygotes under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

0.42

Answer

Heterozygote frequency = 2pq = 2(0.7)(0.3) = 0.42 under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Question 4

An organism that produces many offspring but provides no parental care is exhibiting which life history strategy?

Accepted Answer

r-selection

Answer

r-selected species maximize reproduction by producing many offspring with little investment in each individual offspring.

Question 5

Kin selection explains altruistic behavior because:

Accepted Answer

Helping relatives can increase the spread of shared genes (inclusive fitness)

Answer

Kin selection favors altruism when the benefit to relatives (weighted by relatedness) exceeds the cost to the altruist, increasing inclusive fitness.

CLEP Practice Test

CLEP Practice Test

CLEP Biology Mechanisms of Natural Selection 4