Evolution V1

Who proposed the concept of "inheritance of acquired characteristics"?

• Charles Darwin

• Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

• Alfred Russel Wallace

• Georges Cuvier

What contribution did Erasmus Darwin make to evolutionary thought?

• Provided the first formal theory of evolution through natural selection.

• Suggested that all warm-blooded animals evolved from a single ancestor.

• Classified species using a binomial nomenclature system.

• Argued against the transmutation of species.

Which observation from Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle contributed most to his theory of evolution?

• The uniformity of the finch beaks across all the islands

• Fossil evidence in South America showing that extinct species resembled modern species

• The discovery of unique geological formations in the Galapagos

• Observing the behavior of marine iguanas

How did Thomas Malthus's work influence Darwin's theory?

• Demonstrated that mutations drive evolution.

• Highlighted the importance of geological processes.

• Introduced the concept of survival through competition for resources.

• Described the role of divine intervention in population dynamics.

What is the importance of Alfred Russel Wallace in evolutionary theory?

• Refuted natural selection in favor of divine creation.

• Independently conceived the theory of evolution by natural selection.

• Proposed a theory based on genetic inheritance.

• Developed a classification system for evolutionary relationships.

Why is 'On the Origin of Species' considered groundbreaking?

• It introduced the concept of genetics.

• It reconciled Lamarckian evolution with Mendelian inheritance.

• It provided a comprehensive mechanism of how species evolve over time.

• It described the laws of inheritance in detail.

Which of the following ideas was rejected by Georges Cuvier?

• Extinction of species

• The fixity of species

• Geological uniformitarianism

• Transmutation of species

What key concept did James Hutton and Charles Lyell contribute to evolutionary thought?

• Catastrophism shaped the history of the Earth.

• The Earth changes gradually over immense timescales.

• Organisms adapt through the inheritance of acquired traits.

• Mutations arise randomly to produce variation.

Gregor Mendel's work was significant because:

• He explained how traits are inherited.

• He demonstrated that acquired traits can be transmitted.

• He disproved the role of competition in natural selection.

• He supported catastrophism in evolution.

What characteristic of Darwin's finches best illustrates adaptive radiation?

• Differences in coloration based on predators

• Variation in beak shapes adapted to specific diets

• Divergent mating behaviors

• Geographic isolation of the finches from the main island