Question

A) A repeated pattern in the history of life is:

a.

life progressively became better and better

b.

bigger units fragment to form smaller units

c.

small organisms are favored by selection

d.

small units band together to form bigger units

e.

all of the above

B) Mechanisms that mediate evolutionary conflict typically:

a.

decrease variation among lower-level units and decrease variation among higher-level units

b.

decrease variation among lower-level units and increase variation among higher-level units

c.

increase variation among lower-level units and decrease variation among higher-level units

d.

increase variation among lower-level units and increase variation among higher-level units

e.

all of the above

Answer 1

A. The repeated pattern in the history of life is "small organisms are favoured by natural selection", because there are various costs associated with larger size like 1) viability costs in juveniles due to long development and/or fast growth; (2) viability costs in adults and juveniles due to predation, parasitism, or starvation because of reduced agility, increased detectability, higher energy requirements, heat stress, and/or intrinsic costs of reproduction; (3) decreased mating success of large males due to reduced agility and/or high energy requirements; and (4) decreased reproductive success of large females and males due to late reproduction.

Hence, option, "c" is the correct answer.

B. mechanisms that mediate evolutionary conflict increase variations at lower and decreases at higher levels, because of relatively small size and very basic or lower complexity of the organisms at lower level and higher size and higher complexity of the organisms at higher levels.

Hence, option, "c" is the correct answer.