Exam 32: Evolution and Our Heritage

Which suggests that life evolved from chemicals slowly increasing in complexity over a period of millions of years?

The relative number of reproductively viable offspring produced by individuals is called ________.

Given the problems related to fossilization listed in the text, which of these creatures would be least likely to be successfully fossilized?

A difference in appearance between males and females in a species is called ________.

Match each definition to the correct term -This living primate is most likely to share the most diseases with humans, given that the more closely related two things are, the more likely they are to suffer from the same infectious diseases.

Many living and fossil species of camelids, a mammal family containing camels, llamas, and alpacas, can be found in the Americas, but only two species can be found in Asia and one can be found in Africa. The part of the world in which the camelids probably evolved is ________.

How does fitness relate to family size?

Which of these trends occurred first in hominid evolution?

The proposition that the mitochondria in our cells descended from engulfed bacteria is called the ________ theory.

Linda discovered a virus new to humans and called it Zeta 1. Which other of the animals on this list is most likely to be infected with it too?

Some scientists suggest that organic molecules were introduced into Earth's atmosphere when ________ crashed into Earth.

________ is the study of the geographic distribution of organisms.

Before contact with Europeans, a tiny, isolated group of South Pacific islands had a population of about 50,000 people. Because of poor management of their own resources, the population fell to around 5000 by about the year 1750. When Europeans finally arrived, they brought smallpox, and after the ensuing epidemic, only about 800 islanders were left alive. The unusual genetic makeup of the native population is due to what phenomenon?

Which of the following is true of chimpanzees compared with humans?

The Euphorbia of desert parts of Africa and India are succulent and have thorns but are superficially very similar to the unrelated cacti native to the deserts of the Americas. This pair of plant groups represents an example of ________.

Match each definition to the correct term -Whales appear to be most closely related to cows based on the presence of a specifically shaped ________ in the feet of ancient whale ancestors.

Match each definition to the correct term -The two-part name that consists of the genus followed by the species name first developed by Carl Linnaeus.

What is the evidence that supports evolution?

Recently, the bones (not fossils) of a possible new species of humans (in the genus Homo) have been found on an island in Indonesia (an island nation southeast of Asia). Using radiometric dating, scientists can show that these people were alive as recently as 17,000 years ago. According to the information in this chapter, why do you think they probably used tools?

As you visit the high desert of southeastern Arizona, you come to a flowing stream that disappears into the sand. You notice that insects are flying up to the moist sand for a drink, but as the flow varies and waves of muddy water wash over the animals, fine soil particles cover them and entomb them. The beginnings of what process have you just witnessed, and what might the next steps be?