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A Level H1 Biology Evolution Diversity Quiz
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Questions
A-Level Biology H1 Quiz - Evolution Diversity
Name: ________________________
Class: ________
Date: ________
Score: ________ / 60
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Marks: 60
Instructions:
- Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
- Refer to figures and tables where indicated.
- Marks for each question/sub-question are shown in brackets.
- Write your answers clearly and use appropriate biological terminology.
Section A: Multiple Choice (5 × 1 mark)
Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.
1. Which statement about natural selection is most accurate?
A. Individuals adapt to their environment during their lifetime and pass these changes to their offspring.
B. Natural selection acts on existing heritable variation in a population.
C. Natural selection always results in the formation of new species.
D. Mutations are directed towards producing beneficial traits.
2. A single population is split by a river and eventually becomes two species that cannot interbreed. This is an example of
A. sympatric speciation.
B. convergent evolution.
C. allopatric speciation.
D. adaptive radiation.
3. The wing of a bird and the wing of an insect are
A. homologous structures because they have the same function.
B. analogous structures because they evolved from a common ancestor.
C. homologous structures because they share a similar embryonic origin.
D. analogous structures because they evolved independently for flight.
4. In the taxonomic hierarchy, which rank comes immediately above ‘family’?
A. Phylum
B. Order
C. Class
D. Genus
5. The universal genetic code (the same codons specify the same amino acids in almost all organisms) is considered strong evidence for
A. convergent evolution.
B. common ancestry of all life.
C. horizontal gene transfer.
D. the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
Section B: Short Answer (5 × 2 marks)
6. Define evolution. [2]
7. Explain why the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an example of evolution by natural selection. [2]
8. State two types of reproductive isolating mechanisms that can lead to speciation. [2]
9. What is meant by a binomial name? Give one example. [2]
10. Give one structural or biochemical difference between the cell walls of organisms in Domain Archaea and Domain Bacteria. [2]
Section C: Structured Questions (5 × 4 marks)
11. Fig. 1.1 shows the forelimb bones of a human, a bat, a whale and a cat. Although these limbs perform different functions (grasping, flying, swimming, running), the underlying arrangement of bones is remarkably similar.
(a) Name the type of structure illustrated by these forelimbs. [1]
(b) Explain how such structures provide evidence for divergent evolution. [3]
12. Fig. 1.2 is a phylogenetic tree showing the evolutionary relationships among four species (P, Q, R, S). Species P and Q share a recent common ancestor that is not shared by R and S. R and S share a different, more recent common ancestor.
(a) Identify the most recent common ancestor of species P and Q. [1]
(b) Explain what a phylogenetic tree reveals about the evolutionary history of these species. [3]
13. A population of wild lettuce consists of both tall-stemmed and short-stemmed plants. In an area with high predation by ground-dwelling herbivores, the tall-stemmed variety survives and reproduces more successfully than the short-stemmed variety. Over many generations, the tall-stemmed form becomes much more common.
Use the principles of natural selection to explain this change. [4]
14. Distinguish between homologous and analogous structures. In your answer, give one named example of each. [4]
15. Table 1.1 shows the percentage similarity of a particular gene sequence between humans and selected primate species.
| Species | Percentage similarity to human |
|---|---|
| Chimpanzee | 98.8% |
| Gorilla | 98.4% |
| Orangutan | 96.5% |
| Gibbon | 94.7% |
(a) Which species is most closely related to humans according to this data? [1]
(b) Explain how molecular evidence from DNA sequences supports the theory of evolution. [3]
Section D: Extended Response (5 × 5 marks)
16. Describe the process of allopatric speciation. Use a named example to illustrate your answer. [5]
17. Discuss the role of genetic variation and natural selection in the evolution of pesticide resistance in an insect pest population. [5]
18. The three-domain system of classification (Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya) has largely replaced the older five-kingdom system. Explain the basis of the three-domain system and discuss why it is considered more accurate than the five-kingdom system. [5]
19. Embryos of different vertebrate groups (e.g., fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) show striking similarities during early development. Using a named vertebrate group, explain how comparative embryology provides evidence for evolution. [5]
20. A small population of finches colonises a newly formed volcanic island. Over thousands of years, the finches diversify into several species, each with a beak shape suited to a different food source (e.g., seeds, insects, nectar).
Explain how adaptive radiation led to this diversity. [5]
End of Quiz
Answers
A-Level Biology H1 Quiz - Evolution Diversity
ANSWER KEY
Section A: Multiple Choice
| Q | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Natural selection acts on existing heritable variation; individuals do not adapt within their lifetime (A); speciation does not always result (C); mutations are random (D). |
| 2 | C | Geographic separation by a river leading to speciation = allopatric speciation. |
| 3 | D | Bird and insect wings evolved independently for flight; they are analogous, not homologous (different embryonic origin, different structure). |
| 4 | B | Taxonomic hierarchy: Domain → Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species. Order is above family. |
| 5 | B | A nearly universal genetic code suggests all life shares a common ancestor from which the code originated. |
(1 mark each, total 5 marks)
Section B: Short Answer
6. Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of a population over successive generations [1], driven by processes such as natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift [1]. (Accept: “descent with modification”.)
7.
- Variation exists in a bacterial population; some bacteria carry genes that confer resistance to the antibiotic. [1]
- When exposed to the antibiotic, susceptible bacteria die while resistant ones survive and reproduce, passing the resistance alleles to offspring. Over generations, the frequency of resistant alleles increases – evolution by natural selection. [1]
8. Any two of: geographical isolation, temporal isolation, behavioural isolation, mechanical isolation, gametic isolation, hybrid inviability, hybrid sterility. (2 separate mechanisms, 1 mark each.)
9. A binomial name is the two-part Latin scientific name of a species, consisting of the genus name (capitalised) and the species epithet (lowercase), e.g., Homo sapiens. [1 for definition, 1 for correct example italicised/underlined.]
10. Archaeal cell walls lack peptidoglycan [1]; many contain pseudopeptidoglycan or other polymers. Bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan (murein) [1]. (Or: Archaeal membrane lipids have ether-linked isoprenoid chains; Bacteria have ester-linked fatty acids – 2 marks for any clear difference.)
(Total 10 marks)
Section C: Structured Questions
11.
(a) Homologous structures. [1]
(b) The forelimbs have a similar basic bone arrangement (pentadactyl limb) [1], indicating they were inherited from a common ancestor. [1] Over time, different selection pressures in different environments led to modifications of the limb for different functions (e.g., flying, swimming). This divergence from a common ancestral form is evidence for divergent evolution. [1]
12.
(a) The node/most recent common ancestor that connects only P and Q. (Accept “the common ancestor of P and Q” or “node X” if labelled. Must not be the ancestor of all four.) [1]
(b) A phylogenetic tree shows ancestry and descent relationships [1]; each branching point (node) represents a common ancestor [1]; the pattern of branching indicates the order in which lineages diverged, allowing inference of evolutionary history and relative times of divergence. [1]
13.
- Variation existed in the population: some plants genetically tall, some short. [1]
- Ground-dwelling herbivores exerted a selection pressure, eating short plants more heavily. [1]
- Tall plants were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on the alleles for tallness to their offspring. [1]
- Over many generations, the frequency of tall-stem alleles increased in the population – evolution by natural selection. [1]
14.
- Homologous structures have a similar underlying anatomy and embryonic origin, indicating common ancestry, but may serve different functions (e.g., pentadactyl limb of mammals). [1.5]
- Analogous structures perform a similar function but have different anatomical origins and do not derive from a common ancestor; they arise via convergent evolution (e.g., wing of a bird and wing of a butterfly). [1.5]
- Two clear named examples with correct categorisation = 1 mark. (e.g., human arm and whale flipper are homologous; eye of octopus and eye of human are analogous – accept any correct pair.) [1]
15.
(a) Chimpanzee (98.8% similarity). [1]
(b) DNA sequences are inherited from ancestors [1]; the greater the similarity in sequence, the more recently two species shared a common ancestor [1]; the pattern of decreasing sequence similarity from chimpanzee → gorilla → orangutan → gibbon mirrors the pattern of evolutionary divergence predicted by descent with modification. This molecular evidence corroborates the evolutionary relationships inferred from other lines of evidence (fossils, morphology). [1]
(Total 20 marks)
Section D: Extended Response
16. Description of allopatric speciation (5 marks):
- A physical/geographical barrier (e.g., mountain range, river, sea) separates a population into two or more isolated groups. [1]
- Each group experiences different selection pressures in its environment. [1]
- Natural selection acts on heritable variation, leading to different adaptations over time. [1]
- Accumulated genetic differences eventually result in reproductive isolation – even if the groups come back into contact they cannot interbreed and produce fertile offspring. [1]
- Named example clearly linked to the above, e.g., Darwin’s finches on Galápagos Islands separated by ocean, or squirrels separated by the Grand Canyon. [1]
(5 marks maximum)
17. Discussion of pesticide resistance (5 marks):
- Pre-existing genetic variation in the insect population means some individuals naturally carry alleles that confer resistance to a pesticide (e.g., via detoxifying enzymes or altered target site). [1]
- Application of the pesticide acts as a strong selection pressure: susceptible insects die, resistant insects survive. [1]
- Resistant survivors reproduce, passing on resistance alleles to the next generation; the frequency of these alleles increases. [1]
- With repeated pesticide use, the population becomes predominantly resistant – a clear example of directional natural selection. [1]
- The process can occur rapidly in large populations with short generation times, demonstrating how human-induced selection pressures drive evolutionary change. [1]
(5 marks maximum)
18. (5 marks)
- The three-domain system classifies life into Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya based primarily on differences in ribosomal RNA sequences [1]. Domain Archaea includes prokaryotes often found in extreme environments; Bacteria includes typical prokaryotes; Eukarya contains all eukaryotes (protists, fungi, plants, animals). [1]
- The older five-kingdom system (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia) grouped all prokaryotes together as Monera and did not recognise the deep genetic divide between Bacteria and Archaea. [1]
- Molecular (rRNA and protein sequences) and biochemical evidence (cell wall composition, membrane lipids, transcription machinery) shows that Archaea are more closely related to Eukarya than to Bacteria [1].
- Thus, the three-domain system better reflects true evolutionary relationships and common ancestry. [1]
(5 marks maximum; accept any 5 valid, well-explained points)
19. Comparative embryology evidence (5 marks):
- Named vertebrate group: e.g., all vertebrate embryos (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) exhibit pharyngeal pouches/arches and a post-anal tail at early stages. [1]
- These structures are homologous, suggesting inheritance from a common vertebrate ancestor. [1]
- In different groups, these structures develop into different adult forms (e.g., gill slits in fish, parts of the ear and throat in mammals) – an example of divergent evolution. [1]
- The similarity of early embryos indicates shared developmental genes (e.g., Hox genes) and a conserved body plan [1].
- Such shared embryonic features cannot be easily explained by adaptation to similar environments; they provide strong evidence for descent with modification from a common ancestor. [1]
(5 marks maximum)
20. Adaptive radiation in finches (5 marks):
- Adaptive radiation is the rapid diversification of a single ancestral species into many species, each adapted to exploit different ecological niches. [1]
- On the newly formed island, many unoccupied niches were available (different food sources: seeds, insects, nectar). [1]
- The original finch population showed genetic variation in beak size/shape. [1]
- Different food sources imposed different selection pressures; finches with beak traits best suited to a particular food survived and reproduced. [1]
- Over many generations, these selection pressures led to reproductive isolation and the evolution of several distinct species, each with a beak morphology adapted to its specific niche – classic adaptive radiation. [1]
(5 marks maximum)
(Total 25 marks)
Grand Total: 60 marks