Exam 18: Adaptation and Speciation

The classification of bacterial species does not fit the usual definition of species. This is because bacteria

Geographic isolation can result in speciation but usually only over long periods of time.

The current diversity of dog breeds is due to

Populations of weaver ants work together to "sew" leaves into a living nest. The nest building behavior of weaver ants

Speciation can occur when populations of a species are separated by a barrier becoming ________ isolated and subsequently become reproductively isolated from one another.

A flower is red, has a long tube formed by fusion of petals, has nectar at the base of the tube, has no landing platform, and opens during the day. It has probably become adapted to mate with the assistance of

Sympatric speciation can occur in the absence of geographic isolation.

Adaptive evolution allows species to

Polyploidy in plants can lead to

The offspring of two individuals of different species that interbreed are known as _____________.

The soapberry bugs shown in the figure below adapted to a change in food source in as fast as 30 years. For evolution to occur this quickly,

Pre- and postzygotic barriers can keep species ________ isolated from each other, even if they live in the same area.

Even though humans are causing the extinction of large numbers of species, the process of speciation should replace them within a few decades.

Some species of orchids attract insects to assist them in reproduction by producing flowers that look like female bees. The flowers fool male bees into attempting to mate with them. This example shows adaptive evolution by

Adaptations result from natural selection.

Sympatric speciation requires geographic isolation of populations.

_________ speciation occurs when a new species arises in the absence of geographic isolation.

The faster a cheetah can run, the more likely it is to capture its prey. Cheetahs with longer legs are able to run faster than those with shorter legs. Although the existing cheetah population shows a variety of leg lengths, cheetah legs are not increasing in length from one generation to the next. Which of the following is the most likely explanation?

An ecological ________ can limit a population's ability to adapt to its environment, as the organisms must compromise between what is possible developmentally and what is possible genetically.

The improvement of the match between organisms and their environments over time is called ________ evolution.