1. A human population increasing at the rate of 0.8%/yr (Ch. 36A, Population Ecology) would double in size every
a. 100 years.
b. 87-88 years.
c. 70 years.
d. 35 years.
e. 77-78 years.
2. Desert plant species that look similar to each other today, but are actually unrelated (history of origins, Ch. 15) most likely have become this way by
a. speciation
b. divergence from commom ancestry
c. peadomorphosis
d. convergent evolution
e. phylogeny
3. One of these is the only animal species, on land or sea, extinct or living, (Human population dynamics, Ch. 36), ever known to reach a global population size of more than one billion individuals with adults averaging 100 lbs or more (Hint: The answer is intuitive.).
a. blue whales
b. killer whales
c. whale sharks
d. modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens)
e. American bison (“buffalo”)
4. Only one statement or principle given here about natural human population dynamics (Ch. 36) is correct.
a. No species can increase continuously, long-term by unlimited (exponential) growth.
b. Actually, the human population has grown exponentially up to the present, and humans can fully expect to increase by exponential growth forever.
c. Sigmoidal (S-curve) growth is always a clear indication of severe population sickness and that a crash to extinction of the species is about to happen.
d. K-selected, but not r-selected species always have exponential growth of their populations.
e. ZPG is the situation in which reproduction stops and extinction becomes unavoidable.
5. The earliest fossils known (origin of life, Ch. 15 ) are found in the oldest rocks containing fossils. These rocks are found
a. in the deepest layers of the geological column composed of sedimentary rocks containing fossils.
b. only on the tops of high mountains.
c. only on the floor of oceans.
d. only in igneous rock strata at the bottom of the geological column..
e. only in metamorphic rock strata.
6. In terms of basic nutrition (diversified life, Ch. 16) photoautotrophs are to chemoheterotrophs as
a. archaea are to bacteria.
b. slime molds are to algae.
c. kelp are to diatoms.
d. consumers of food are to producers.
e. algae are to slime molds.
7. One of these is part of the evidence (origin of protists, Ch. 16) that the mitochondria and chloroplasts of the Eukarya are more closely related to prokaryotes than to eukaryotes. The DNA of these organelles
a. is not used for TRS.
b. contains no genes coding for proteins.
c. is single-stranded.
d. is more like bacterial DNA, than eukaryotic DNA.
e. contains the N-bases G, C, A and U, instead of G, C, A and T.
8. If a human population is growing at a natural rate of 1%’yr (Ch. 35B, Human population dynamics), its doubling time will be
a. 70 years
b. 35 years
c. 140 years
d. 700 years
e. 100 years
9. A short pyramid-shaped age distribution (has a short height but a very wide base) in a human population (population ecology, Ch. 36) means that
a. the population is showing a high birth rate and high death rate (thus, it is in its pre-demographic-transition phase of growth).
b. the population will most likely grow for some time into the future (and probably at a fairly rapid rate).
c. the pre-reproductive age group is the largest part of the population and the country is more likely an LDC than an MDC.
d. fewer women are leaving their reproductive years by aging than women entering their reproductive period.
e. Actually, all of these are correct.
10. Spontaneous generation (Origin of Microbes, Ch.16) _____________.
a. is the old myth that living organisms — and especially microbes — arose from nonliving matter from time to time throughout Earth’s history and still do sometimes today
b. is pharming a transgene
c. was proven experimentally by Louis Pasteur
d. states that all life comes from pre-existing life
e. occurs when fly maggots appear in rotting meat
11. Recognizing that understanding human origins (Ch. 19) is still a “work in progress,” one of these choices appears to be incorrect at this time.
a. The genus Homo itself appears to be no more than about 2.5-3 million years old, judging from the known and dated fossil records.
b. Several important traits in humans, including opposable thumbs and binocular depth perception date from the early Primates (prosimians).
c. Human-like, fossil foot prints (bare-footed prints) date bipedalism in the hominid lineage well before much enlargement of the hominid skull case (brain volume).
d. Biologists have accepted a half dozen or more species in the genus Homo, but only the species Homo sapiens sapiens (modern humans) survives today.
e. Since fossils of the earliest human species recognized in our text (Homo habilis) have been found on several continents, we remain very uncertain about which continent gave rise to our genus, Homo.