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Born on 5 July 1904, in Kempten, Germany, ERNST MAYR, the
Harvard University evolutionary biologist who has been called
‘The Darwin of the 20th century’, was one of the 100 greatest
scientists of all time. Mayr joined Harvard’s Faculty of Arts
and Sciences in 1953 and retired in 1975, assuming the title
Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology Emeritus. Throughout
his nearly 80-year career, his research spanned ornithology,
taxonomy, zoo-geography, evolution, systematics, and the
history and philosophy of biology. He almost single-handedly
made the origin of species diversity the central question of
evolutionary biology that it is today. He also pioneered the
currently accepted definition of a biological species. Mayr was
awarded the three prizes widely regarded as the triple crown of
biology: the Balzan Prize in 1983, the International Prize for
Biology in 1994, and the Crafoord Prize in 1999. Mayr died at
the age of 100 in the year 2004
This paragraph summarizes the life and achievements of Ernst Mayr, a highly influential evolutionary biologist. Here's a breakdown to help you understand it better:
Introduction:
- Ernst Mayr was a prominent evolutionary biologist nicknamed "The Darwin of the 20th century."
- He was highly regarded, considered one of the 100 greatest scientists ever.
Career Highlights:
- Worked at Harvard University for many years.
- Studied various fields related to evolution and biology, including birds (ornithology), classification (taxonomy), and geographical distribution of animals (zoogeography).
- His research significantly impacted evolutionary biology by making the origin of species diversity a central focus.
- He developed the widely accepted definition of a biological species.
Recognition and Legacy:
- Received three prestigious awards in biology, considered the "triple crown."
- Lived a long life, passing away at the age of 100 in 2004 (there's a minor error here, it should be 2005).
Overall, the paragraph highlights Ernst Mayr's immense contributions to our understanding of evolution and the concept of species.
Ernst Mayr MCQs
Ernst Mayr, a prominent evolutionary biologist, was nicknamed:
- a) "The Wallace of the 20th century"
- b) "The Darwin of the 20th century" (CORRECT)
- c) "The Mendel of the 20th century"
- d) "The Lamarck of the 20th century"
Which of the following fields did Ernst Mayr NOT contribute to significantly?
- a) Ornithology
- b) Taxonomy
- c) Microbiology (CORRECT)
- d) Evolution
Ernst Mayr is credited with pioneering the definition of:
- a) Natural selection
- b) Genetic drift
- c) Biological species (CORRECT)
- d) The theory of evolution
How many of the following prestigious awards did Ernst Mayr receive?
- a) One
- b) Two
- c) Three (CORRECT)
- d) Four
In which year did Ernst Mayr pass away?
- a) 2003
- b) 2004 (CORRECT) (This corrects the discrepancy in the passage)
- c) 2005
- d) 2006
The year Ernst Mayr was born is:
- a) 1903
- b) 1904 (CORRECT)
- c) 1905
- d) 1906
Ernst Mayr's research career spanned for approximately:
- a) 40 years
- b) 50 years
- c) 60 years (CORRECT)
- d) 70 years
Which of the following statements about Ernst Mayr is NOT true?
- a) He was a professor at Harvard University.
- b) He focused primarily on the study of plants. (CORRECT)
- c) He is considered a key figure in modern evolutionary biology.
- d) His work helped shape our understanding of species diversity.
One of Ernst Mayr's major contributions was:
- a) Developing a microscope with higher magnification.
- b) Defining geographical barriers to species reproduction (CORRECT)
- c) Discovering a new antibiotic drug.
- d) Proving the existence of spontaneous generation.
The concept of Biological Species according to Ernst Mayr emphasizes:
- a) Similarities in morphology only.
- b) Reproductive isolation between populations (CORRECT)
- c) Shared ancestry as the sole criterion.
- d) The ability to survive in a specific environment.
Ernst Mayr's retirement title at Harvard was:
- a) Professor Emeritus of Evolutionary Biology
- b) Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology Emeritus (CORRECT)
- c) Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology
- d) Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Which of the following prizes is NOT included in the "triple crown of biology" that Mayr received?
- a) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- b) Nobel Prize in Chemistry (CORRECT)
- c) Balzan Prize
- d) Crafoord Prize
Ernst Mayr's research on bird diversity contributed to the field of:
- a) Histology
- b) Ornithology (CORRECT)
- c) Ecology
- d) Genetics
The concept of isolating mechanisms, crucial to the Biological Species concept, refers to:
- a) Similarities in behavior between species.
- b) Barriers that prevent successful reproduction between species (CORRECT)
- c) The ability of a species to adapt to environmental change.
- d) The presence of shared anatomical features.
Ernst Mayr's work on the history of biology explored the development of ideas like:
- a) The laws of thermodynamics.
- b) Natural selection and evolution (CORRECT)
- c) The structure of the atom.
- d) The principles of genetic inheritance
Ernst Mayr's focus on the origin of species diversity helped establish it as a central question in:
- a) Genetics
- b) Evolutionary Biology (CORRECT)
- c) Paleontology
- d) Microbiology
Which of the following statements accurately reflects Ernst Mayr's views on evolution?
- a) Evolution is a slow and gradual process only.
- b) Evolution is driven solely by mutations in DNA.
- c) Evolution can occur through both gradual and rapid changes (CORRECT)
- d) The environment plays no role in the evolutionary process.
Ernst Mayr's book "Systematics and the Origin of Species" is considered a major contribution to the field of:
- a) Biochemistry
- b) Taxonomy (CORRECT)
- c) Ecology
- d) Physiology
Ernst Mayr's collaboration with other scientists helped to:
- a) Develop the first computers.
- b) Refine the modern theory of evolution (CORRECT)
- c) Discover a cure for cancer.
- d) Map the human genome.
Ernst Mayr's legacy in biology is primarily due to his contributions in:
- a) Developing new laboratory techniques.
- b) Shaping our understanding of species and evolution (CORRECT)
- c) Discovering new species of plants and animals.
- d) Advocating for environmental conservation
Assertion (A) and Reason (R) Questions about Ernst Mayr:
- Assertion (A): Ernst Mayr was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his contributions to evolutionary biology.Reason (R): The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognizes outstanding discoveries in the field of life sciences.
Answer: (d) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
- Assertion (A): Ernst Mayr's concept of Biological Species emphasizes reproductive isolation between populations.Reason (R): Species with similar appearances can still be distinct if they cannot interbreed.
Answer: (a) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is a correct explanation of Assertion (A).
- Assertion (A): Ernst Mayr's research career had a significant impact on the field of genetics.Reason (R): He helped define the concept of a biological species, which is a fundamental unit in genetics.
Answer: (b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not a correct explanation of Assertion (A).
While Mayr's work on species is relevant to genetics, his main contribution wasn't directly in that field.
How wonderful is the living world ! The wide range of living types is amazing. The extraordinary habitats in which we find living organisms, be it cold mountains, deciduous forests, oceans, fresh water lakes, deserts or hot springs, leave us speechless. The beauty of a galloping horse, of the migrating birds, the valley of flowers or the attacking shark evokes awe and a deep sense of wonder. The ecological conflict and cooperation among members of a population and among populations of a community or even the molecular traffic inside a cell make us deeply reflect on – what indeed is life? This question has two implicit questions within it. The first is a technical one and seeks answer to what living is as opposed to the non-living, and the second is a philosophical one, and seeks answer to what the purpose of life is. As scientists, we shall not attempt answering the second question. We will try to reflect on – what is living?
1. The paragraph expresses a sense of wonder about:
a) Technology
b) The living world
c) Art
d) History
2. The wide range of refers to:
a) Colors
b) Living things
c) Sounds
d) Temperatures
3. Examples of extraordinary habitats mentioned in the passage include:
a) Cities and towns
b) Cold mountains, oceans, and deserts
c) Farmlands and factories
d) Schools and hospitals
4. The beauty of a galloping horse exemplifies:
a) Fear
b) Wonder
c) Sadness
d) Anger
5. The ecological conflict refers to:
a) Competition between organisms
b) Harmony between all living things
c) Lack of resources on Earth
d) Importance of pollution
6. Molecular traffic refers to the movement of:
a) Cars on a highway
b) Information within a cell
c) Animals migrating across continents
d) Money flowing through an economy
7. The main question the paragraph asks is:
a) How can we improve life on Earth?
b) What is the purpose of technology?
c) What is life?
d) How can we travel faster?
8. The technical aspect of the question "what is life?" focuses on:
a) The meaning of life
b) The characteristics of living things
c) How to improve ecosystems
d) The dangers of extinction
9. The philosophical aspect of the question "what is life?" focuses on:
a) How life began on Earth
b) The purpose of life
c) How to classify living things
d) The dangers of pollution
10. The passage suggests that science is primarily concerned with:
a) The meaning of life
b) Understanding the nature of life
c) Religious beliefs about life
d) How to control nature
1.1 DIVERSITY IN THE LIVING WORLD
If you look around you will see a large variety of living organisms, be it potted plants, insects, birds, your pets or other animals and plants. There are also several organisms that you cannot see with your naked eye but they are all around you. If you were to increase the area that you make observations in, the range and variety of organisms that you see would increase. Obviously, if you were to visit a dense forest, you would probably see a much greater number and kinds of living organisms in it. Each different kind of plant, animal or organism that you see, represents a species. The number of species that are known and described range between 1.7-1.8 million. This refers to biodiversity or the number and types of organisms present on earth. We should remember here that as we explore new areas, and even old ones, new organisms are continuously being identified.
1. Variety of Life:
- It starts by highlighting the vast diversity of living things around us, from easily visible plants and animals to microscopic organisms.
2. Impact of Observation Area:
- It explains how the number and types of observed organisms increase with a larger observation area. Dense forests are mentioned as an example of a habitat rich in biodiversity.
3. Species:
- It introduces the concept of a "species" as a distinct kind of living organism.
4. Biodiversity:
- It defines biodiversity as the "number and types of organisms present on Earth." Estimates suggest 1.7-1.8 million known and described species.
5. Continuous Discovery:
- It emphasizes that new species are constantly being discovered as we explore different environments, even familiar ones.
In essence, the paragraph talks about the incredible variety of life on Earth (biodiversity) and how much remains to be discovered
If you observe a wider area, what would you likely see?
- a) Fewer living organisms
- b) Less variety of living organisms
- c) More living organisms (correct)
- d) Only microscopic organisms
What does the term "species" refer to in the passage?
- a) Any living organism
- b) A specific type of living organism (correct)
- c) The total number of living organisms
- d) A microscopic organism
The estimated number of known and described species on Earth falls between:
- a) 10,000 - 50,000
- b) 100,000 - 500,000
- c) 1.7 million - 1.8 million (correct)
- d) 10 million - 50 million
What is the main concept discussed in the passage?
- a) The importance of potted plants
- b) How to care for pets
- c) Biodiversity (correct)
- d) The dangers of deforestation
According to the passage, why might new species still be discovered?
- a) All existing species are already known. (incorrect)
- b) We haven't explored all areas of Earth (correct)
- c) Microscopic organisms are constantly evolving.
- d) The number of species is constantly increasing.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an example of a living organism in the passage?
- a) Insects
- b) Birds
- c) Rocks (incorrect)
- d) Potted plants
What does "naked eye" most likely refer to in the passage?
- a) A microscope
- b) Unaided vision (correct)
- c) A special camera
- d) A magnifying glass
Biodiversity refers to:
- a) The beauty of nature
- b) The number and types of organisms on Earth (correct)
- c) The importance of conservation efforts
- d) The impact of pollution
The passage suggests that biodiversity is likely higher in:
- a) A barren desert
- b) A dense forest (correct)
- c) A single pond
- d) A farmyard
Which of the following statements is NOT supported by the passage?
- a) All living organisms can be seen with the naked eye. (incorrect)
- b) There are many more species than we currently know about. (correct)
- c) The number of species is constant and not changing.
- d) Observing a larger area can reveal more diversity of life.
The passage mentions microscopic organisms. What does this suggest about the limitations of our observations?
- a) All members of a species share some common characteristics.
- b) Species can be found in various habitats.
- c) Species are never further divided into smaller groups.
- d) Species are completely unchanging over time.
Biodiversity is a complex concept. Based on the passage, which of the following is NOT likely to be a factor contributing to biodiversity?
- a) The presence of different types of ecosystems
- b) The unique adaptations of living organisms
- c) The availability of resources in a particular environment
- d) The weather patterns on a global scale (correct)
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