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1. Hawaiian honeycreepers are a group of birds with similar body shape and size. However, they vary greatly in color and beak shape. Each species occupies its own niche and is adapted to the foods available in its niche. The evolution from a common ancestor to a variety of species is an example of _____.
divergent evolution
cross-pollination
vegetative propagation
convergent evolution
2. _____ selection favors one extreme form of a trait in a population.
Directional
Stabilizing
Disruptive
Natural
3. Which answer BEST shows an animal’s adaptation to the tropical rain forest?
camouflage in a tree frog
the long neck of a giraffe
an elephant’s long trunk
migration of birds in winter
4. Upon close examination of the skeleton of an adult python, a pelvic girdle and leg bones can be observed. These features are an example of _____.
artificial selection
homologous structures
vestigial structures
comparative embryology
5. Which of the following is not a factor that causes changes in the allelic frequencies of individuals in a population?
stabilizing selection
directional selection
random selection
disruptive selection

An evolutionary biologist is studying several species of closely related lizards found on Cuba and surrounding islands. Each species occupies a somewhat different niche, but in some ways they all look similar to the green anole lizard found in Florida. Suggest the pattern of lizard evolution?
Thanks for the help!

Meaning, does evolution occur with a purpose? I understand that there is no true purpose as to why evolution takes place, but, to my knowledge, it can be labeled as a process. For example, the panda bear with the “thumb” (a.k.a. the sesamoid bone). Would the panda acquire that trait that would cause the bone to evolve if he had not migrated away from his original niche? The environment does stem to the members of the species adapting some physical traits, but their offspring will not automatically be born with those traits. Thus, what I am essentially asking is does evolution occur for a reason? Does variation play a significant role since without variation, all species members of a species would be the same and if they were all identical and they shared traits selected for, then that would cause that group of species to disappear? Therefore, evolution occurs to prevent extinction? Am I right? I know this is kind of confusing, but some please, please help me!!

All the best evidence I can find indicates that Darwinian evolution is real, that man-made global warming is real, that America’s economic problems are primarily caused by excessive government spending and regulation, that free-market capitalism is the only answer to America’s economic problems, and that women are more oppressed by the so-called “Feminist” movement than they have ever been by anything men have ever done.
Why then do most people who accept Darwinian evolution and man-made global warming, also usually advocate state-socialism and wealth redistribution, and usually believe that women are oppressed by being wives and mothers, rather than seeing being a wife and mother for the glorious, beautiful privilege which it is?
Also, why do the same people who so rationally believe in private property, capitalism, free markets, limited government and traditional family values, also tend to think that man-made global warming is a hoax and that Charles Darwin was an agent of the Devil?
Also, why do so many of those same people think that the devaluation of the US dollar by means of money creation is some sort of conspiracy by secret organizations to take over the world and establish a one-world government, as opposed to seeing it as merely the actions of corrupt politicians trying to temporarily bribe the American people into voting for them without regard for the long-term consequences of their actions?
P.S. I realize that I have touched on many controversial topics, so please keep it civil.

The college is private and is affiliated with Catholicism. It is rather liberal in regards to religion and does not require students to be religious. Teaches evolution, rejects literal creationism, and is a well-respected institution.

Monkeys have evolved into their niche nicely, and are surviving quite well.
There is no need to pick on innocent monkeys when claiming evolution is false.