Geology 105: History of Life Final Exam	May 29, 1998 Version 1
I. Write your name and social security number on your scantron form. II. Write the version number of your exam on the scantron form. III. There are 75 questions on the exam worth one point each. Be sure to read the questions carefully before answering.

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1) Based on the principle of superposition, older fossils will be found beneath younger fossils. A. True B. False   2) Evolution of new species through time results in: A. deposition of horizontal beds of sedimentary rocks. B. uniformity of beds in sedimentary rocks. C. faunal succession upward through beds of sedimentary rocks. D. lateral continuity of beds in sedimentary rocks. E. deposition of laterally adjacent facies in sedimentary rocks.   3) The stratigraphic principles of original horizontality, lateral continuity, and faunal succession allow geologists to correlate rocks throughout the world and build the geologic time scale. A. True B. False   4) Which of the following is an example of co-evolution? A. evolution of pelycosaurs and therapsids. B. evolution of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. C. evolution of rhipidistians and amphibians. D. evolution of rhyniophytes and pteridiosperms. E. evolution of interactions between flowering plants and insects.   5) Which of the following is an example of adaptive radiation? A. flowering plants and insects. B. evolution of 70 mammal families in the early Tertiary C. the drop in trilobite diversity at the end of the Cambrian. D. the progressive evolution of the horse. E. extinction of 90% of all marine life at the end of the Permian.   6) The history of life is an example of co-evolution with the earth because: A. life has not greatly affected the planet. B. life has caused the earth to change which in turn caused life to evolve further. C. evolution has continued gradually through time. D. changes in the earth have not affected life. E. only external forces, like asteroid impacts, have caused major changes in life.   7) When life formed, the earth's atmosphere was rich in O2. A. True B. False   8) Abiotic synthesis of amino acids: A. was not possible around 3.8 to 4.0 billion years ago. B. is likely in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. C. is the formation of amino acids by living organisms D. is the formation of amino acids through non-biologic reactions E. was likely in the oceans 570 million years ago.   9) What potential roll did clay minerals play in the origin of life? A. Proteins are generated by combining two clay minerals. B. DNA is composed of clay minerals. C. Viruses are a type of clay mineral. D. Clay minerals may have acted as a catalyst for reactions that build proteins and DNA. E. Clay minerals increase turbidity in the oceans, thereby decreasing rates of photosynthesis.   10) Protiens can be build abiotically from a solution of amino acids through: A. melting and differentiation. B. agitation and evaporation. C. photosynthesis. D. adaptive radiation. E. osmosis.   11) The origin of life is well documented in the fossil record. A. True. B. False.   12) Bacterial photosynthesis was important in the Archean because: A. it reduced levels of oxygen in the early atmosphere. B. it resulted from the evolution of the eukaryotes. C. it produced oxygen. D. it did not provide food for early bacteria. E. it produced amino acids.   13) Oxygen levels in the atmosphere were probably low before 2.3 billion years ago because: A. uraninite is stable in presence of oxygen. B. diatoms flourished before 2.3 billion years ago. C. terrestrial red-beds are common in rocks older than 2.3 billion years. D. bacterial photosynthesis did not occur before 1.8 billion years ago E. uraninite placer deposits are present in rocks older than 2.3 billion years.   14) Eukaryotes evolved after O2 levels were relatively high, because O2 is used in eukaryote biochemistry. A. True B. False   15) Increasing oxygen levels in the Archean led to the evolution of less efficient biochemical pathways. A. True B. False   16) Banded-iron formations are thought to result from: A. volcanic activity on the early continents. B. increasing levels of oxygen in the atmosphere and oceans. C. Precambrian glaciations. D. the need for steel mills near Detroit E. the formation of uraninite placer deposits.   From: http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/   17) The organism shown above is a: A. ammonite. B. archeocyathid. C. nautiloid. D. bivalve. E. trilobite.   18) This animal group (shown in the photo above) is important in the evolution of life because: A. it is the one of the first metazoan groups to evolve hard parts. B. it was an important predator in the Cambrian. C. it was the dominant group in the Ediacaran fauna. D. it was the dominant group in the Paleozoic fauna. E. it died off in the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event.   19) Which of the following has not been suggested as a cause of the Cambrian explosion of metazoan life: A. increased oxygen levels. B. evolution of a "super-predator". C. evolution of land plants. D. evolution of infauna. E. simple gene structure of early metazoans.   © University of Adelaide, used with permission of Tate Geological Museum   20) The organism pictured above is a member of the Ediacaran fauna. A. true B. false   From: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/pfoslidx.htm   21) The organism pictured above is: A. Olenellus B. Hallucigenia C. Aysheaia D. Pikaia E. Wiwaxia   From: http://www.lenet.fr/vegetal/banque/cormo-cooksonia.html   22) In the illustration above, what are the structures at the tips of this plants branches? A. branches B. sporangia C. leaves D. water sacs E. gametophytes   23) This plant fossil is important because: A. it is an early type of phytoplankton B. it was the first fossilized vascular land plant C. it provided food for Triceratops D. it preyed on insects and gastropods E. it was the first seed bearing plant   24) The land plants affected the worlds climate by: A. increasing atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis. B. increasing atmospheric O2 through photosynthesis. C. removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in sedimentary deposits like coal. D. building new habitats for land animals to colonize. E. co-evolving with insects.   25) Airborne pollination and seeds were important to plants because: A. they required the presence of water. B. they allowed plants to move into upland areas, away from lakes, rivers, and swamps. C. they caused hayfever in dinosaurs. D. they allowed active transport of food from the leaves to the roots. E. they provided support, allowing plants to grow into trees.   26) The evolution of land plants opened up new environments for animals to colonize. A. True B. False   27) The climate in North America gradually cooled throughout the Mesozoic because of: A. the impact event at the end of the Cretaceous. B. the northward drift of the continent. C. deposition of organic material in the Carboniferous coal swamps. D. methane produced by bacteria in sauropod stomachs. E. the evolution of flowering plants.   28) Following the Permo-Triassic extinctions, the marine biosphere was dominated by: A. trilobites, archeocyathids, and brachiopods. B. cynodonts and thecodonts. C. ammonites, gastropods, bivalves, fish, and corals. D. rhyniophytes, pteridiosperms and progymnosperms. E. nautiloids, corals, and brachiopods.   29) Diversity in the Marine Biosphere decreased throughout the Mesozoic. A. True B. False   30) Terrestrial life in the Jurassic was dominated by dinosaurs and gymnosperms A. True B. False   31) The sauropods were a group of dinosaurs that: A. were bipedal and carnivorous. B. were bipedal and herbivorous. C. were quadrupedal and carnivorous. D. were quadrupedal and herbivorous. E. were tripedal and carnivorous.   32) What evidence do we have that hadrosaurs provided extensive parental care? A. hatchlings (baby dinosaurs) with worn teeth. B. multicolored gastroliths. C. dinosaur nests lined with feathers. D. hatchling bones with teeth marks on them. E. boney plates on the backs of stegosaurs.   33) Hadrosaurs appear to have been social animals, living in herds with other members of their species A. True. B. False.   34) Which of the following was a member of the carnosaurs A. Triceratops B. Olenellus C. Allosaurus D. Seismosaurus E. Iguanodon   35) Why did some sauropods swallow rocks? A. They had poor eye sight. B. They had brains the size of a walnut. C. They thought that the rocks were bird eggs. D. They thought that the rocks were seeds. E. They used the rocks to assist in digesting plants.   36) The plates on the backs of stegosaurs were probably used to: A. impress members of the opposite sex. B. radiate heat. C. provide shade. D. transmit wireless messages. E. hinder movement through dense brush.   37) The crests on some hadrosaurs were probably used to: A. store water. B. radiate heat. C. hinder movement through dense brush. D. impress members of the opposite sex E. provide shade.   38) Pterosaurs were a group of: A. flying reptiles that evolved in the Triassic. B. swimming reptiles that evolved in the Cretaceous. C. herbivorous dinosaurs that dominated the Jurassic. D. carnivorous dinosaurs that lived in the Cretaceous. E. Late Cretaceous ammonites.   39) The theropods were a group of dinosaurs that: A. were bipedal and carnivorous. B. were bipedal and herbivorous. C. were quadrupedal and carnivorous. D. were quadrupedal and herbivorous. E. were tripedal and carnivorous.   40) Ornithischians were are group of: A. bipedal carnivores. B. carnivorous dinosaurs. C. marine reptiles. D. herbivorous dinosaurs. E. late Cretaceous ammonites.   41) Birds evolved from ornithischians. A. True B. False   42) Birds evolved from pterosaurs. A. True B. False   43) In response to competition by thecodonts, therapsids (mammal-like reptiles) evolved: A. into large, predatory carnosaurs. B. into large, herbivorous sauropods. C. into large, marine lizards. D. into arthropods. E. into small, nocturnal animals.   44) Mammalian traits, including warm-bloodedness, live birth, and parental care, may have evolved in response to living as small, nocturnal organisms. A. True B. False   45) Birds evolved from dinosaurs during the Jurassic. A. True B. False   46) In what geologic time period did mammals evolve from therapsids? A. Cambrian B. Cretaceous C. Jurassic D. Permian E. Tertiary   47) Archaeopteryx is: A. a tabulate coral. B. a Devonian trilobite. C. a late Cretaceous ammonite D. a species of Carboniferous tree. E. the oldest known bird fossil.   48) Mosasaurs were: A. a group of legless lizards that evolved into snakes. B. an early family of birds. C. large marine lizards. D. a type of dinosaurs related to Allosaurus. E. a type of sauropod.   49) Which marine reptile group evolved in the Triassic and occupied a niche similar to modern walruses. A. ichthyosaurs. B. mosasaurs. C. placodonts. D. plesiosaurs. E. sea turtles.   50) Which mollusc group was an important reef forming organism in the Cretaceous A. ammonites B. gastropods C. nautiloids D. oysters E. rudist clams   51) Modern corals evolved during the Triassic A. True. B. False.   52) Which of the following marine reptile groups became extinct before the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctions. A. ichthyosaurs. B. mosasaurs. C. carnosaurs. D. plesiosaurs. E. sea turtles.   53) The marine reptiles in the Mesozoic occupied niches that would be later exploited by whales and dolphins. A. True B. False   54) Early Mesozoic floras (plant communities) were dominated by: A. flowering plants (angiosperms). B. rhyniophytes. C. conifers and cycads (gymnosperms). D. seed ferns. E. plesiosaurs.   55) Flowering plants first appear in the Triassic A. True B. False   56) Which of the following gave flowering plants a competitive advantage over gymnosperms in the Mesozoic? A. the development of seeds B. the development of xylem and phloem. C. the development of animal-assisted fertilization. D. the development of true roots. E. the development of a separate haploid stage.   57) Why did flowering plants develop partnerships with small animals and not dinosaurs? A. large herbivores like dinosaurs would probably harm the plant by consuming too much of it. B. small animals don't eat plants. C. dinosaurs don't eat plants. D. dinosaurs were too intelligent to cooperate with plants. E. mammals are warm-blooded, so do not need to eat large volumes of plants to survive.   58) Which of the following is not a benefit of animal-assisted fertilization: A. members of a plant species can be widely spaced. B. insect species can be programed to look for specific flowers. C. plants have to build structures that attract insects. D. pollen distribution is directed, not random. E. plants can localize the parts of the plant that are used by insects.   59) All land animals larger than 25 kg (55 lbs) went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous. A. True. B. False.   60) What element that is common in asteroids is concentrated in the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sediments. A. calcium B. helium C. hydrogen D. iridium E. silica   61) The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctions had minimal impact on Mesozoic marine communities. A. True B. False   62) Which of the following groups were generally unaffected by the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctions. A. dinosaurs, ammonites, corals. B. zooplankton, sponges, marine reptiles C. pterosaurs, sauropods, theropods. D. birds, mammals, land plants. E. ornithischians, carnosaurs, mosasaurs.   63) Land plants and phytoplankton may have survived the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctions as seeds and resting spores. A. True B. False   64) Which of the following is not used as evidence for an asteroid impact at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. A. iridium concentrations. B. shocked quartz. C. microtectites. D. global distribution of the boundary clay. E. a concentration of fern spores.   65) The probable site of the asteroid impact is buried beneath Tertiary sediments on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico A. True. B. False.   66) Evolution of the grasses allowed: A. evolution of browsing horses. B. evolution of large predatory birds. C. evolution of whales and dolphins. D. the evolution of large grazing herbivores. E. evolution of the marsupials.   67) We have a much better understanding of evolution during the Cenozoic because: A. the fossil record is poor compared to earlier periods. B. the fossil record for this period is much better than earlier periods. C. mammalian evolution is easier to understand. D. climate did not affect evolution. E. plate tectonics did not affect evolution.   68) At the start of the Cenozoic, mammals underwent a major radiation A. True B. False   69) The evolution of the horse provides an example of: A. adaptive radiation B. convergent evolution C. divergent evolution D. gradual evolution. E. punctuated equilibrium.   70) Patterns of animal migrations during the Cenozoic can be related to plate tectonics and climatic changes A. True B. False   71) The migration of man to North America appears to have had no effect on the existing large mammal faunas. A. True B. False   72) Fossil evidence suggests that "Lucy" (Australopithicus afarensis) was bipedal A. True B. False   73) Chimpanzee and Human lineages appear to have diverged A. 2 million years ago B. 5 million years ago C. 10 million years ago D. 25 million year ago E. 50 million years ago   74) What plate tectonic event led to the change from rain forest to savanna environments in Africa A. opening of the Atlantic Ocean B. collision of India and Asia C. initiation of the San Andreas Fault D. uplift of the East African Rift Zone. E. subduction of the Farallon plate.   75) Homo erectus was probably the first hominid capable of advanced speech. A. True B. False