Biodiversity in Animals and Evolution

What is the primary reason biodiversity has increased over time?

• Species go extinct at a constant rate.

• New body structures and adaptations allow species to exploit new food sources.

• Larger animals dominate ecosystems, forcing smaller species to disappear.

• Biodiversity remains unchanged due to environmental stability.

How does increased biodiversity strengthen ecosystems?

• It makes ecosystems more fragile to environmental changes.

• It reduces the number of species that can fill important ecological roles.

• It allows ecosystems to adapt better and recover faster from disasters.

• It eliminates the need for species to specialize in their habitats.

Which factor would most likely lead to greater biodiversity on an island?

• The island is small and far from the mainland.

• The island has a variety of habitats and is close to the mainland.

• The island has only one type of habitat.

• The island is in a cold climate with limited resources.

Which of the following best describes adaptive radiation?

• The random extinction of species due to environmental changes.

• The development of different traits in related species to exploit different food sources.

• The sudden decrease in biodiversity due to a lack of genetic diversity.

• The migration of species to new environments without any genetic changes.

Why did Darwin’s finches evolve different beak shapes?

• They needed larger beaks to survive in all environments.

• Natural selection eliminated all finches with small beaks.

• The climate forced all finches to develop similar feeding strategies.

• They developed different beaks to avoid competition for food.

Which factor is most responsible for speciation in animals living in isolated environments?

• Genetic mutations from exposure to sunlight.

• Animals losing the ability to reproduce.

• Lack of competition from mainland species, allowing unique adaptations.

• Predators increasing their population.

How does food specialization contribute to biodiversity?

• It reduces direct competition, allowing different species to coexist.

• It forces all species to develop similar traits.

• It causes mass extinction due to food shortages.

• It decreases biodiversity by limiting the number of species in an ecosystem.

Which of the following is an example of a variation in traits that increases survival?

• All individuals in a species having the same body size.

• Animals being unable to adapt to new food sources.

• A species with only one type of beak for all environments.

• Different fur colors in animals that help with camouflage.

What happens when populations spread into different environments over time?

• They always remain the same species with identical traits.

• They develop specialized traits to adapt, leading to the formation of new species.

• They become extinct due to environmental changes.

• They compete directly with each other until only one survives.

What does DNA sequence comparison tell scientists about evolution?

• Species with more similar DNA share a recent common ancestor.

• DNA sequences always remain unchanged over generations.

• Animals from different species cannot have any genetic similarities.

• DNA sequencing has no role in determining common ancestry.