BIOL 1108
BIOL 1108 Final Exam Study Questions with
Correct Answers 2026 Update
You can use Hardy-Weinberg to calculate allele frequencies but not genotype
frequencies. -Correct Answer ✔-false
The term "N" refers to the size of a population, that is, the number of individuals in that
population. In general, in a sample of N individuals, the frequency of an allele is: -
Correct Answer ✔-the number of occurrences of the allele divided by twice the number
of individuals in the sample (2N).
If a population is not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, we can conclude that: -Correct
Answer ✔-evolution has occurred because one or more of the assumptions of the
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium has been violated
The goldenrod gall fly lays its eggs on the buds of goldenrod plants. Larvae hatch from
the eggs and then chew through the goldenrod buds and into the stems. The gall fly
larvae saliva induces the goldenrod to generate a gall (an outgrowth of tissue, a ball-
shaped swelling on the stem). The larva will live inside the gall which provides food and
shelter for the developing larva.
The larvae are prey of both parasitoid wasps and birds. Wasps selectively prey on
larvae inside the smallest galls while birds selectively prey on larvae inside the largest
galls. The size of the gall made by the larvae is a heritable trait. Given this information,
we can
conclude that the trait 'larval gall size' is subject to: -Correct Answer ✔-stabilizing
selection.
A high school student is carrying out a science project. She plants alfalfa seeds, and
encloses an areaplanted with one set of alfalfa seeds within a box covered in red
cellophane (which reflects light of redwavelengths). She leaves another set of planted
alfalfa seeds uncovered. What do you expect she'll findin these two alfalfa populations
when her science project is over? -Correct Answer ✔-The germination rate will be
higher in the uncovered seed set
CAM plants -Correct Answer ✔-harvest CO2 at night
A college student walks down New York City's Fifth Avenue at 8:00 AM. She is late for
class so shecatches the bus for the last 2 miles of her commute. Did she have a larger
ecological footprint when shewas walking or when she was on the bus? -Correct
Answer ✔-More information is needed about, for example, the number of people on the
bus and its fuelsource, to accurately determine her ecological footprint in both situations
BIOL 1108
,BIOL 1108
Under the "business as usual" model of climate change, will temperatures change
uniformly across theglobe? Examine Figure 48.7 in your text and compare the projected
change in temperature in central SouthAmerica and central Africa at the equator (draw
an imaginary line across the globe at its widest point andexamine a spot in the middle of
each continent along that line). Which of the following best describes thepredicted
changes? -Correct Answer ✔-Center South America will warm by an average of 7-8
degrees; central Africa will warm byabout 3-4 degrees.
You find that a wild population of antelope is not in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. From
this information alone, can you determine the mechanism of evolution operating on the
population? -Correct Answer ✔-no
A population with a novel adaptation has evolved that adaptation. -Correct Answer ✔-
True
The peppered moth provides a well-known example of natural selection. The
lightcolored form of the moth was predominant in England before the industrial
revolution. In the mid-nineteenth century, a dark-colored form appeared. The difference
is produced by a dominant allele of one gene. By about 1900, approximately 90% of the
moths around industrial areas were dark colored, whereas light-colored moths were still
abundant elsewhere. Apparently, birds could readily find the light moths against the
soot-darkened background in industrial areas and therefore were eating more light
moths. Recently, use of cleaner fuels has greatly reduced soot in the landscape, and
the dark-colored moths have been disappearing. Should the two forms of moths be
considered separate species? -Correct Answer ✔-No
Four populations of beetles look very similar, but the males have courtship dances that
look different from the dances of the other populations. What function would this
difference in dance likely serve if the populations came in contact? -Correct Answer ✔-a
prezygotic isolating mechanism
How are two different species most likely to evolve from one ancestral species? -
Correct Answer ✔-allopatrically, after the ancestral species has split into two
populations
Which of the following statements is true regarding hybridization? -Correct Answer ✔-All
of these choices are correct - Hybridization can result in fertile offspring;
Hybridization involves the transfer of genetic material between members of similar
species; Natural selection sometimes acts against progeny that result from
hybridization; Hybridization occurs in plants more often than in animals.
It is thought that polar bears originated from a population of brown bears (Ursus arctos)
that became geographically isolated during a glaciation event that occurred about
150,000 years ago (Lindqvist et al., 2010). The origin of polar bears was the result of -
Correct Answer ✔-allopatric speciation
BIOL 1108
,BIOL 1108
The Sunshine periwinkle plant blooms in June while Summer periwinkle, a close relative
of Sunshine periwinkle , blooms in August. A researcher is raising a population of
Summer periwinkle in a controlled growth chamber. Over time the researcher
manipulated the day length in the growth chamber and eventually manages to induce
some individuals of Summer periwinkle to bloom in June. The researcher finds that she
can cross these individuals with Sunshine periwinkle individuals and they produce
viable, fertile offspring. What can she conclude about Sunshine periwinkle and Summer
periwinkle? -Correct Answer ✔-These plants are temporally reproductively isolated from
each other.
Invasive species have particularly devastating effects on islands because -Correct
Answer ✔-island species have typically evolved with few competitors and predators
Banner-tailed kangaroo rats, Dipodomys spectabilis, are rodents endemic to (found only
in) thedeserts of the southwestern United States. Which of the following is the best
description of their niche? -Correct Answer ✔-a seed-eating rodents that compete with
other seed-eating organisms for food
As populations approach carrying capacity, crowding can affect -Correct Answer ✔-a.
birth and death rates through resource limitation, and death rates by increasing
thetransmission of pathogens and parasites.
Bilaterians develop specialized organs because they have: -Correct Answer ✔-three
germ layers
A polytomy is a graphical depiction of what type of relationship between groups? -
Correct Answer ✔-The common ancestor node with no resolution among descendant
groups.
Phylogenetic trees are: -Correct Answer ✔-both a and b are correct - a hypothesis and
built using observed data
Paraphyletic -Correct Answer ✔-includes the most recent common ancestor, but not all
of its descendants.
Polyphyletic -Correct Answer ✔-does not include the common ancestor of all members
of the taxon
Monophyletic -Correct Answer ✔-one that includes the most recent common ancestor of
a group of organisms, and all of its descendants
Place the following in order from broadest to smallest interval (most inclusive to least
inclusive) -Correct Answer ✔-Eon, era, period, epoch
BIOL 1108
, BIOL 1108
When comparing trees with various hypotheses of evolutionary relationships between a
group of animals, the tree with ______ would be the strongest candidate. -Correct
Answer ✔-the fewest changes
A fossil's contribution to phylogenetic trees include: -Correct Answer ✔-all of the above -
time calibration; records of extinct species; correlation between evolution and Earth
history
How does the level of genetic variation in humans typically compare to the other
species? -Correct Answer ✔-lower than other species
Where did Homo sapiens evolve? -Correct Answer ✔-Africa
Cultural traits are transmitted horizontally and vertically through learning. Which of the
examples below shows the horizontal transmission of culture? -Correct Answer ✔-a
teenager teaches her brother how to text
Why do we think male Neanderthals mated with non-African ancestral Homo sapiens? -
Correct Answer ✔-because Neanderthal nuclear DNA sequences are present in the
human gene pool, and Neanderthal mtDNA sequences are not
What is the definition of neoteny? -Correct Answer ✔-retention of juvenile
characteristics in an adult
How does Homo naledi show that he is potentially an intermediate between modern
humans and our more primitive ancestors (watch the video clip)? -Correct Answer ✔-H.
naledi has hands and feet that are very human-like even though his pelvis and
shoulders are much more primitive than modern humans.
If the two guard cells of a stoma decrease their concentration of potassium (K+) ions,
what will happen to the corresponding pore? -Correct Answer ✔-The pore will close,
preventing the diffusion of CO2 out of the leaf.
If water molecules (H2O) suddenly stopped forming hydrogen bonds with one another,
how would water transport in vascular plants change (if at all)? -Correct Answer ✔-It
would stop, as water transport relies on H2O molecules being connected by hydrogen
bonds.
Which of the following are produced by roots in order to increase surface area, allowing
for greater access to nutrients in the soil? -Correct Answer ✔-root hairs
In a sunflower population, a mutation arises that results in vessels 4 times wider than
wild-type. The mutants will have _________ water-transport capacity, but will also be
more susceptible to _________. -Correct Answer ✔-higher; cavitation from freezing
BIOL 1108
BIOL 1108 Final Exam Study Questions with
Correct Answers 2026 Update
You can use Hardy-Weinberg to calculate allele frequencies but not genotype
frequencies. -Correct Answer ✔-false
The term "N" refers to the size of a population, that is, the number of individuals in that
population. In general, in a sample of N individuals, the frequency of an allele is: -
Correct Answer ✔-the number of occurrences of the allele divided by twice the number
of individuals in the sample (2N).
If a population is not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, we can conclude that: -Correct
Answer ✔-evolution has occurred because one or more of the assumptions of the
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium has been violated
The goldenrod gall fly lays its eggs on the buds of goldenrod plants. Larvae hatch from
the eggs and then chew through the goldenrod buds and into the stems. The gall fly
larvae saliva induces the goldenrod to generate a gall (an outgrowth of tissue, a ball-
shaped swelling on the stem). The larva will live inside the gall which provides food and
shelter for the developing larva.
The larvae are prey of both parasitoid wasps and birds. Wasps selectively prey on
larvae inside the smallest galls while birds selectively prey on larvae inside the largest
galls. The size of the gall made by the larvae is a heritable trait. Given this information,
we can
conclude that the trait 'larval gall size' is subject to: -Correct Answer ✔-stabilizing
selection.
A high school student is carrying out a science project. She plants alfalfa seeds, and
encloses an areaplanted with one set of alfalfa seeds within a box covered in red
cellophane (which reflects light of redwavelengths). She leaves another set of planted
alfalfa seeds uncovered. What do you expect she'll findin these two alfalfa populations
when her science project is over? -Correct Answer ✔-The germination rate will be
higher in the uncovered seed set
CAM plants -Correct Answer ✔-harvest CO2 at night
A college student walks down New York City's Fifth Avenue at 8:00 AM. She is late for
class so shecatches the bus for the last 2 miles of her commute. Did she have a larger
ecological footprint when shewas walking or when she was on the bus? -Correct
Answer ✔-More information is needed about, for example, the number of people on the
bus and its fuelsource, to accurately determine her ecological footprint in both situations
BIOL 1108
,BIOL 1108
Under the "business as usual" model of climate change, will temperatures change
uniformly across theglobe? Examine Figure 48.7 in your text and compare the projected
change in temperature in central SouthAmerica and central Africa at the equator (draw
an imaginary line across the globe at its widest point andexamine a spot in the middle of
each continent along that line). Which of the following best describes thepredicted
changes? -Correct Answer ✔-Center South America will warm by an average of 7-8
degrees; central Africa will warm byabout 3-4 degrees.
You find that a wild population of antelope is not in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. From
this information alone, can you determine the mechanism of evolution operating on the
population? -Correct Answer ✔-no
A population with a novel adaptation has evolved that adaptation. -Correct Answer ✔-
True
The peppered moth provides a well-known example of natural selection. The
lightcolored form of the moth was predominant in England before the industrial
revolution. In the mid-nineteenth century, a dark-colored form appeared. The difference
is produced by a dominant allele of one gene. By about 1900, approximately 90% of the
moths around industrial areas were dark colored, whereas light-colored moths were still
abundant elsewhere. Apparently, birds could readily find the light moths against the
soot-darkened background in industrial areas and therefore were eating more light
moths. Recently, use of cleaner fuels has greatly reduced soot in the landscape, and
the dark-colored moths have been disappearing. Should the two forms of moths be
considered separate species? -Correct Answer ✔-No
Four populations of beetles look very similar, but the males have courtship dances that
look different from the dances of the other populations. What function would this
difference in dance likely serve if the populations came in contact? -Correct Answer ✔-a
prezygotic isolating mechanism
How are two different species most likely to evolve from one ancestral species? -
Correct Answer ✔-allopatrically, after the ancestral species has split into two
populations
Which of the following statements is true regarding hybridization? -Correct Answer ✔-All
of these choices are correct - Hybridization can result in fertile offspring;
Hybridization involves the transfer of genetic material between members of similar
species; Natural selection sometimes acts against progeny that result from
hybridization; Hybridization occurs in plants more often than in animals.
It is thought that polar bears originated from a population of brown bears (Ursus arctos)
that became geographically isolated during a glaciation event that occurred about
150,000 years ago (Lindqvist et al., 2010). The origin of polar bears was the result of -
Correct Answer ✔-allopatric speciation
BIOL 1108
,BIOL 1108
The Sunshine periwinkle plant blooms in June while Summer periwinkle, a close relative
of Sunshine periwinkle , blooms in August. A researcher is raising a population of
Summer periwinkle in a controlled growth chamber. Over time the researcher
manipulated the day length in the growth chamber and eventually manages to induce
some individuals of Summer periwinkle to bloom in June. The researcher finds that she
can cross these individuals with Sunshine periwinkle individuals and they produce
viable, fertile offspring. What can she conclude about Sunshine periwinkle and Summer
periwinkle? -Correct Answer ✔-These plants are temporally reproductively isolated from
each other.
Invasive species have particularly devastating effects on islands because -Correct
Answer ✔-island species have typically evolved with few competitors and predators
Banner-tailed kangaroo rats, Dipodomys spectabilis, are rodents endemic to (found only
in) thedeserts of the southwestern United States. Which of the following is the best
description of their niche? -Correct Answer ✔-a seed-eating rodents that compete with
other seed-eating organisms for food
As populations approach carrying capacity, crowding can affect -Correct Answer ✔-a.
birth and death rates through resource limitation, and death rates by increasing
thetransmission of pathogens and parasites.
Bilaterians develop specialized organs because they have: -Correct Answer ✔-three
germ layers
A polytomy is a graphical depiction of what type of relationship between groups? -
Correct Answer ✔-The common ancestor node with no resolution among descendant
groups.
Phylogenetic trees are: -Correct Answer ✔-both a and b are correct - a hypothesis and
built using observed data
Paraphyletic -Correct Answer ✔-includes the most recent common ancestor, but not all
of its descendants.
Polyphyletic -Correct Answer ✔-does not include the common ancestor of all members
of the taxon
Monophyletic -Correct Answer ✔-one that includes the most recent common ancestor of
a group of organisms, and all of its descendants
Place the following in order from broadest to smallest interval (most inclusive to least
inclusive) -Correct Answer ✔-Eon, era, period, epoch
BIOL 1108
, BIOL 1108
When comparing trees with various hypotheses of evolutionary relationships between a
group of animals, the tree with ______ would be the strongest candidate. -Correct
Answer ✔-the fewest changes
A fossil's contribution to phylogenetic trees include: -Correct Answer ✔-all of the above -
time calibration; records of extinct species; correlation between evolution and Earth
history
How does the level of genetic variation in humans typically compare to the other
species? -Correct Answer ✔-lower than other species
Where did Homo sapiens evolve? -Correct Answer ✔-Africa
Cultural traits are transmitted horizontally and vertically through learning. Which of the
examples below shows the horizontal transmission of culture? -Correct Answer ✔-a
teenager teaches her brother how to text
Why do we think male Neanderthals mated with non-African ancestral Homo sapiens? -
Correct Answer ✔-because Neanderthal nuclear DNA sequences are present in the
human gene pool, and Neanderthal mtDNA sequences are not
What is the definition of neoteny? -Correct Answer ✔-retention of juvenile
characteristics in an adult
How does Homo naledi show that he is potentially an intermediate between modern
humans and our more primitive ancestors (watch the video clip)? -Correct Answer ✔-H.
naledi has hands and feet that are very human-like even though his pelvis and
shoulders are much more primitive than modern humans.
If the two guard cells of a stoma decrease their concentration of potassium (K+) ions,
what will happen to the corresponding pore? -Correct Answer ✔-The pore will close,
preventing the diffusion of CO2 out of the leaf.
If water molecules (H2O) suddenly stopped forming hydrogen bonds with one another,
how would water transport in vascular plants change (if at all)? -Correct Answer ✔-It
would stop, as water transport relies on H2O molecules being connected by hydrogen
bonds.
Which of the following are produced by roots in order to increase surface area, allowing
for greater access to nutrients in the soil? -Correct Answer ✔-root hairs
In a sunflower population, a mutation arises that results in vessels 4 times wider than
wild-type. The mutants will have _________ water-transport capacity, but will also be
more susceptible to _________. -Correct Answer ✔-higher; cavitation from freezing
BIOL 1108
