266 ■ CHAPTER 14 The History of Life
EVOLUTIONARY
TREE- A diagram showing the evolutionary relationships
among a related group of organisms.
SHARED DERIVED
TRAIT - The line of descent of a group of organisms.
(^6) Select the correct terms:
The domains Archaea and Bacteria are referred to as (prokaryotes /
eukaryotes). The domain (Eukarya / Prokarya) includes four
kingdoms. The kingdom (Plantae / Fungi) was first to make the
transition to land. The kingdom (Animalia / Plantae) is most closely
related to the kingdom Fungi.
(^7) All of the following are considered possible causes of the five
mass extinctions except
(a) climate change.
(b) change in the composition of atmospheric or marine gases.
(c) comet or asteroid strike.
(d) worldwide thunderstorms.
(e) volcanic eruptions.
Challenge Yourself
(^8) Archaeopteryx
(a) belongs to the domain Prokarya.
(b) belongs to the kingdom Protista.
(c) lived during the Precambrian period.
(d) was much larger than modern birds.
(e) is an early example of the evolution of birds.
(^9) Identify the domain and kingdom for each of the following
organisms.
(a) Archaeopteryx
(b) chanterelle mushrooms
(c) palm tree
(d) green algae
(e) you
(^10) “King Philip came over for good soup” is a mnemonic to
remember each level of the Linnaean hierarchy.
a. List each level of the Linnaean hierarchy, in the order indicated
by the mnemonic.
b. What level of the Linnaean hierarchy is missing from the mnemonic?
c. Create your own mnemonic to remember the Linnaean hierarchy.
(^11) Place the following evolutionary events in the correct order
from earliest to most recent by numbering them from 1 to 5.
a. Cambrian explosion
b. origin of life on Earth
c. plants’ transition to land
d. oxygen-rich environment created by bacteria
e. evolution of birds from dinosaurs
take on new ecological roles and form new species and higher
taxonomic groups.
● (^) The land was first colonized by plants (about 480 mya), fungi
(about 460 mya), and invertebrates (insects about 400 mya),
which were followed later by vertebrates (about 365 mya).
Each group evolved unique adaptations that enabled life to
flourish on land.
● (^) There have been five mass extinctions during the history of life
on Earth. The extinction of a dominant group of organisms may
provide new opportunities for other groups.
THE QUESTIONS
The Basics
(^1) The first single-celled organisms on Earth probably evolved
(a) 3,700 years ago
(b) 3.7 million years ago
(c) 3.7 billion years ago
(d) We have no idea when the first life on Earth appeared.
(^2) The production of by prokaryotes increased its
atmospheric concentration and enabled more complex forms of life
to evolve.
(a) carbon dioxide
(b) oxygen
(c) nitrogen
(d) all of the above
(^3) The term “Cambrian explosion” refers to
(a) an increase in biodiversity.
(b) a mass extinction.
(c) an atmospheric detonation due to increasing gas
concentrations.
(d) an oceanic eruption caused by underwater volcanic activity.
(^4) Which of the following terms most specifically describes what
occurs when a group of organisms expands to take on new ecological
roles, forming new species and higher taxonomic groups in the process?
(a) speciation
(b) mass extinction
(c) evolution
(d) adaptive radiation
(^5) Match each term with its definition.
CLADE 1. A distinctive feature that originated in two
groups’ most recent common ancestor.
NODE 2. An ancestor and all its descendants.
LINEAGE 3. The point at which an ancestral group splits into
two separate lineages.