Introduction to Evolution

Introduction to Evolution

Biology

Recall the Levels of Organization

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area.

Example: Population of emperor penguins.

Species

Organisms that share common traits and are able to breed with one another, and produce fertile offspring.

Gene Pool

The collection of all genes from a population.

G = brown frog skin

g = green frog skin

Allele

Different forms of the same gene.

Example: Green skin frogs and brown skin frogs.

Allele Frequency

The frequency or number of alleles that appear in a Gene Pool.

Example: Frequency for brown skin frogs = 20; frequency for green skin frogs = 5.

Evolution

The change of heritable traits in a population over a LONG period of time or generations.

Example: The image shows evolution occurring in a population of mice. As generations go by the heritable trait of fur color in mice changes from light to dark.

Natural Selection

Natural selection allows the organisms that have traits that are better adapted to an environment to survive better and reproduce more. Therefore, those good traits get passed down to future generations.

^NATURAL SELECTION

Adaptation

A trait the organism was born with, that helps it to survive better in its environment.

Multiple Choice

What is the term for a feature that allows an organism to survive better in its environment?

• variation
• adaptation
• homologous structure
• vestigial structure

Multiple Choice

Which of the following means "genetic change over time"

• natural selection
• speciation
• evolution
• fitness

Multiple Choice

Do organisms "decide" to evolve and change?

• Yes, they know they need to change to survive 
• No, they change because of natural selection

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a term for a group of similar organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring?

• individual
• population
• species
• fossil

Multiple Choice

All the genes available in a population is known as 

• alleles.
• genotypes.
• gene pool.
• gene flow.

Multiple Choice

A group of organisms of the same species which live in a shared space and reproduce with each other.

• population
• species
• alleles

Multiple Choice

Traits that help an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

• evolution
• adaptation
• selection
• genotypes

Multiple Choice

The change in allele frequencies over time.

• genotype
• crossing over
• evolution
• adaptation

Multiple Choice

What process is being shown in this image?

• Variation
• Natural Selection
• Selective Breeding
• Homeostasis

Multiple Choice

The white feathers of a snowy owl allow it to blend in with its environment during the winter months (snow). This is an example of ________________

• Species
• Environmental Change
• Adaptation
• Variation

Multiple Choice

What makes an organism more "fit" than other organisms in its population?

• It can survive to produce more offspring than others

• It is bigger than the others

• It is able to mate more than others

• It is able to find more food than others

Multiple Choice

What makes an organism more "fit" than other organisms in its population?

• It can survive to produce more offspring than others

• It is bigger than the others

• It is able to mate more than others

• It is able to find more food than others

Multiple Choice

What is natural selection?

• When reproduction occurs and mutations happen.

• When a offspring has the traits from its parents.

• When an organism is able to camoflauge in its environment.

• the process whereby organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more offspring.

Multiple Choice

Suppose a certain species of insect lives in the lush green canopy of the rain forest. Some of the insects are bright green in color, and some are bright yellow. Assume there is a natural predator of the insect in the area. What do you expect to happen to the populations of the green and the yellow insects over time?

• The green insect population will increase and the yellow insect population will decrease.

• The green insect population will decrease and the yellow insect population will increase.

• Both insect populations will remain constant over time.

• Both insect populations will increase over time.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best illustrates natural selection?

• An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.

• A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.

• A community whose members work together utilizing all existing resources and migratory routes.

• The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best illustrates natural selection?

• An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.

• A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.

• A community whose members work together utilizing all existing resources and migratory routes.

• The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.