Looking for classes? Ksquare Career Institute, Bengaluru →
Biology
Evolution
143 questions from 37 papers, each with its answer.
- 143 questions
- 37 papers
- 4.06% of Biology
Adaptive Radiation
-
Darwin's Finches are an excellent examples of:During his voyage Darwin observed small black birds on the Galapagos Islands, later called Darwin's finches.
He found many varieties of finches on the same group of islands, and concluded that all of them had evolved on the islands themselves from one original seed-eating stock.
From the seed-eating features, many other forms with altered beaks arose, enabling them to become insectivorous and vegetarian finches.
This process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point and literally radiating to other areas of geography (habitats), is called adaptive radiation.
Another example is the Australian marsupials.
So Darwin's finches are an excellent example of adaptive radiation.
Origin of Life
-
Which one of the following is incorrect about the characteristics of protobionts (coacervates and microspheres) as envisaged in the abiogenic origin of life?Protobionts are aggregates of abiotically produced organic molecules surrounded by a membrane-like boundary. Coacervates (Oparin) and microspheres (Sidney Fox) are their models.
Their boundary partially isolated them from the surroundings.
They could separate combinations of molecules from the surroundings and concentrate them inside.
They could maintain an internal environment different from the outside, and showed simple metabolism-like reactions.
However, they lacked nucleic acids, i.e. a hereditary mechanism for exact replication. They could only grow and break into smaller pieces, which is not true reproduction.
The first non-cellular forms of life that could replicate arose later, when self-replicating molecules such as RNA appeared.
So the incorrect statement is that they were able to reproduce.
Evidences of evolution
-
Which one of the following pairs of items correctly belongs to the category of organs mentioned against it?Nephridia are the excretory organs of the earthworm, and Malpighian tubules are the excretory organs of the cockroach. Both remove nitrogenous wastes, so this pair correctly belongs to the category of excretory organs.
Wings of a honeybee and wings of a crow have different origins and structures but perform the same function of flight, so they are analogous organs, not homologous.
Thorn of Bougainvillea and tendrils of Cucurbita have the same origin (both are modified axillary buds) but different functions, so they are homologous organs, not analogous.
The nictitating membrane (plica semilunaris) is a vestigial organ in the human eye, but the blind spot is not vestigial; it is the functional point where the optic nerve leaves the retina.
So the correctly matched pair is nephridia of earthworm and Malpighian tubules of cockroach - Excretory organs.
Small Populations and Inbreeding
-
What is true about the isolated small tribal populations?An isolated small tribal population has a small gene pool, and marriages take place only within the tribe.
Such continued marriage among close relatives is inbreeding, which increases homozygosity.
Harmful recessive genes come together in the homozygous state, causing inbreeding depression: lowered fertility, lowered vigour and a higher frequency of hereditary disorders.
As a result there is a decline in the population, because boys marry girls only from their own tribe.
Strong muscles developed by wrestlers during their life time are acquired characters and are not inherited.
A small isolated population does not have a large gene pool, and hereditary diseases such as colour-blindness actually become more common in it.
Homologous and Analogous Organs
-
Thorn of Bougainvillea and tendril of Cucurbita are examples of:Homologous organs are organs that have the same basic structure and origin but perform different functions.
The thorn of Bougainvillea and the tendril of Cucurbita both arise in the axillary position and both are modifications of the stem (axillary bud).
The thorn is used for protection, while the tendril is used for climbing.
Since their origin is the same but their functions are different, they are homologous organs.
Homology indicates common ancestry and is the result of divergent evolution.
Analogous organs, in contrast, have different origins but perform similar functions, for example the wings of a butterfly and of a bird.
Theories of Evolution and Inheritance
-
Which one of the following scientist's name is correctly matched with the theory put forth by him?August Weismann proposed the theory of continuity of germplasm. According to it, the body has two kinds of protoplasm, the germplasm (in the germ cells) and the somatoplasm (in the body cells).
Only the changes in the germplasm are transmitted to the next generation, and the germplasm passes continuously from one generation to the next. This disproved the inheritance of acquired characters. So this pair is correctly matched.
Hugo de Vries proposed the mutation theory; the theory of natural selection was given by Charles Darwin.
The theory of pangenesis was given by Darwin; Mendel gave the laws of inheritance.
The inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by Lamarck; Louis Pasteur disproved spontaneous generation and gave the germ theory of disease.
So the correct match is Weismann - Theory of continuity of germplasm.
That is every question in Evolution for this filter.
Want a score?
Answers here are not saved. Practise as a test to be marked and see your progress.
Practise as a test