- What is the Biological Species Concept (BSC)?
a) A species is defined based on its ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
b) A species is defined based on its morphological traits.
c) A species is defined based on its geographic location.
d) A species is defined by its ecological role.Answer: a) A species is defined based on its ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
- Who is credited with the development of the Biological Species Concept?
a) Charles Darwin
b) Ernst Mayr
c) Alfred Wallace
d) Gregor MendelAnswer: b) Ernst Mayr
- What is the main criterion for determining whether two populations belong to the same species in the BSC?
a) Physical appearance
b) Genetic similarity
c) Ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
d) Habitat preferencesAnswer: c) Ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
- Which of the following is a limitation of the Biological Species Concept?
a) It cannot be applied to extinct species.
b) It only applies to asexual organisms.
c) It is not based on reproductive isolation.
d) It requires genetic data.Answer: a) It cannot be applied to extinct species.
- The Biological Species Concept is primarily based on which of the following?
a) Reproductive isolation
b) Physical traits
c) Genetic distance
d) Ecological nichesAnswer: a) Reproductive isolation
- Which of the following is NOT a criticism of the Biological Species Concept?
a) It is difficult to apply to asexual organisms.
b) It ignores the possibility of gene flow between species.
c) It focuses on the physical characteristics of species.
d) It cannot be applied to fossil species.Answer: c) It focuses on the physical characteristics of species.
- According to the Biological Species Concept, when does speciation occur?
a) When populations undergo genetic drift.
b) When two populations can no longer interbreed successfully.
c) When populations evolve different ecological roles.
d) When two species are geographically isolated.Answer: b) When two populations can no longer interbreed successfully.
- Which of the following is a key feature of the Biological Species Concept?
a) Species are based on ecological roles.
b) Species can only be distinguished by their genetic makeup.
c) Species are isolated from each other by reproductive barriers.
d) Species are defined by their physical characteristics.Answer: c) Species are isolated from each other by reproductive barriers.
- What type of organisms does the Biological Species Concept mainly apply to?
a) Asexual organisms
b) Fossils
c) Sexual organisms
d) Prokaryotic organismsAnswer: c) Sexual organisms
- Which of the following is an example of a pre-zygotic reproductive barrier?
a) Hybrid inviability
b) Temporal isolation
c) Hybrid sterility
d) Reduced hybrid fitnessAnswer: b) Temporal isolation
- Which reproductive barrier occurs when species are geographically separated?
a) Temporal isolation
b) Mechanical isolation
c) Habitat isolation
d) Gametic isolationAnswer: c) Habitat isolation
- Which of the following is an example of a post-zygotic reproductive barrier?
a) Temporal isolation
b) Behavioral isolation
c) Hybrid sterility
d) Ecological isolationAnswer: c) Hybrid sterility
- What does the Biological Species Concept suggest about gene flow between species?
a) Gene flow can occur without affecting speciation.
b) Gene flow must be completely prevented for speciation to occur.
c) Gene flow is irrelevant in determining species boundaries.
d) Gene flow causes species to remain genetically identical.Answer: b) Gene flow must be completely prevented for speciation to occur.
- Which of the following best defines a “species” according to the Biological Species Concept?
a) Organisms with similar physical traits
b) Organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
c) Organisms that occupy similar ecological niches
d) Organisms that share a common geographic areaAnswer: b) Organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
- What is one of the major criticisms of the Biological Species Concept when applied to organisms like bacteria?
a) It is too broad and includes too many species.
b) It cannot account for horizontal gene transfer.
c) It requires detailed morphological analysis.
d) It does not recognize hybridization events.Answer: b) It cannot account for horizontal gene transfer.
- Which of the following statements about the Biological Species Concept is true?
a) It can be applied to both sexual and asexual organisms.
b) It is universally accepted by all biologists.
c) It depends on the ability of organisms to produce viable, fertile offspring.
d) It was developed in the early 20th century by Charles Darwin.Answer: c) It depends on the ability of organisms to produce viable, fertile offspring.
- Which of the following would challenge the Biological Species Concept?
a) A pair of organisms living in the same habitat.
b) Two populations of the same species producing fertile offspring.
c) Two organisms that are genetically identical but cannot interbreed.
d) A hybrid between two closely related species that are sterile.Answer: c) Two organisms that are genetically identical but cannot interbreed.
- In which situation would the Biological Species Concept be difficult to apply?
a) When organisms are geographically isolated
b) When two organisms can produce fertile offspring
c) When organisms reproduce asexually
d) When organisms occupy different nichesAnswer: c) When organisms reproduce asexually
- Which is a post-zygotic barrier under the Biological Species Concept?
a) Temporal isolation
b) Mechanical isolation
c) Hybrid inviability
d) Behavioral isolationAnswer: c) Hybrid inviability
- The Biological Species Concept does NOT address which aspect of speciation?
a) Gene flow between populations
b) Ecological separation
c) Physical barriers preventing interbreeding
d) Evolution of traits within populationsAnswer: b) Ecological separation
- Which reproductive isolation mechanism is most likely to be involved in speciation within the same geographic area?
a) Temporal isolation
b) Behavioral isolation
c) Geographic isolation
d) Mechanical isolationAnswer: a) Temporal isolation
- Which of the following would be classified as a pre-zygotic reproductive barrier?
a) Hybrids die early in development
b) Sperm and egg cannot fuse during fertilization
c) Hybrids are sterile
d) Offspring exhibit poor fitnessAnswer: b) Sperm and egg cannot fuse during fertilization
- Which of the following is a common criticism of the Biological Species Concept?
a) It overemphasizes physical traits of species.
b) It is difficult to apply to organisms with asexual reproduction.
c) It does not account for gene flow between populations.
d) It is overly simple and cannot be applied to complex evolutionary scenarios.Answer: b) It is difficult to apply to organisms with asexual reproduction.
- What would be a problem for the Biological Species Concept in terms of hybridization?
a) Hybrid offspring are always fertile.
b) Hybrid offspring cannot be genetically analyzed.
c) Hybrid offspring are sterile or have reduced fitness.
d) Hybrid offspring form new species.Answer: c) Hybrid offspring are sterile or have reduced fitness.
- Which concept would be more useful for defining species in bacteria than the Biological Species Concept?
a) Phylogenetic Species Concept
b) Morphological Species Concept
c) Ecological Species Concept
d) Hybridization Species ConceptAnswer: a) Phylogenetic Species Concept
- Which is an example of a species that challenges the Biological Species Concept?
a) Two sexually reproducing birds that hybridize
b) Two asexual species that live in the same niche
c) A hybrid mule between a horse and a donkey
d) A pair of mating frogs that share a common ancestorAnswer: b) Two asexual species that live in the same niche
- In the context of the Biological Species Concept, what would be an example of a pre-zygotic isolation mechanism?
a) Hybrid sterility
b) Temporal isolation
c) Ecological isolation
d) Hybrid inviabilityAnswer: b) Temporal isolation
- Which of the following is an essential feature of the Biological Species Concept?
a) Physical appearance
b) Ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
c) Geographical distribution
d) Ecological nicheAnswer: b) Ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring
- What does the Biological Species Concept emphasize as the key to defining species boundaries?
a) Behavioral traits
b) Reproductive isolation
c) Genetic similarity
d) Ecological interactionsAnswer: b) Reproductive isolation
- Which aspect of the Biological Species Concept would make it difficult to classify asexual organisms?
a) Their lack of genetic variation
b) Their inability to reproduce sexually
c) Their large population sizes
d) Their inability to survive in different environmentsAnswer: b) Their inability to reproduce sexually
