8.6B - Grade Boost - Rock Pocket Mouse Evolution Evidence Video

Multiple Choice

What is the Valley of Fire known for?

• Golden deserts

• Volcanic eruptions

• Cacti and brush

• Black rock

Multiple Choice

Why does the light-colored fur of the rock pocket mouse make it stand out on dark lava?

• It attracts predators

• It provides camouflage

• It helps it blend in

• It reflects sunlight

Multiple Choice

What are the main predators of the rock pocket mouse?

• Foxes and coyotes

• Owls and hawks

• Rattlesnakes

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

What drives the change in color of the pocket mice population over evolutionary time?

• Mutation

• Natural selection

• Predator-prey interactions

• Genetic drift

Multiple Choice

What is the genetic basis for the dark fur color in the rock pocket mice?

• Mc1r gene

• Multiple genes

• Mutation in the fur gene

• Unknown genetic basis

Multiple Choice

How long does it take for a new mutation to spread and turn the whole population of mice on a lava flow black?

• 100 years

• 500 years

• 1,000 years

• 10,000 years

Multiple Choice

What is the role of natural selection in the process of evolution?

• It causes random mutations

• It determines the genetic changes

• It selects the fittest individuals

• It creates new species

Multiple Choice

What did the study of rock pocket mice from different lava flows reveal?

• They have the same genes for dark color

• They have different genes for dark color

• They have no genetic differences

• They have different fur patterns

Multiple Choice

What does the evolution of rock pocket mice on different lava flows demonstrate?

• Evolution is a random process

• Evolution can repeat itself

• Evolution only occurs in mice

• Evolution is driven by genetic drift

Multiple Choice

Why is the study of rock pocket mice important for understanding evolution?

• It proves that evolution is a random process

• It shows how mutations occur in mice

• It provides a clear example of natural selection

• It explains the genetic basis of fur color

Multiple Choice

Where do rock pocket mice live geographically?

• Northwestern U.S.
• Southwestern U.S.
• Southeastern U.S.
• Northeastern U.S.

Multiple Choice

Why did the MCr1 gene mutation become prevalent in the rock pocket mouse populations?

• The mutation produced dark colored mice who were better able to survive and reproduce in basalt environments.
• The mutation produced light colored mice who were better able to survive and reproduce in basalt environments.

Multiple Choice

The same mutation could be advantageous in some environments but deleterious in others.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The appearance of dark-colored volcanic rock caused the mutation for black fur to appear in the rock pocket mouse population.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Dark mice are more likely to survive in the dark rocks because the predators cannot see them as easily.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The Rock Pocket mice move to the environment that matches their fur.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which visual shows the distribution of fur color traits you would expect BEFORE the lava?

• A

  Dark fur would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• B

  Golden would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• C

  Dark fur would be growing more common, and light fur would be growing less common.

Multiple Choice

Did dark mice from different lava flows always have the same genetic mutation?

• Yes - there's only one kind of mutation that can result in dark fur.

• No - different mutations appeared randomly, and the ones that resulted in dark fur became more common. 

Multiple Choice

What has caused the fur color traits of the rock pocket mice to change over time?

• Individual mice changed their traits in order to survive. 

• Mice with light fur color moved to golden desert and mice with dark fur color moved to black lava rock.

• Mice with that fur that matched their environment were more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on their genes to the next generation. 

• In order to survive, the mice passed on genes that allowed their offspring to blend into their environment.

Multiple Choice

Every mouse living on the black lava rock today has the black fur gene because...

• The original black mouse survived longer and reproduced more, causing the trait to become more common over time. 

• Parent mice gave helpful genes to their offspring. 

• Brown and golden mice that lived on the black lava changed their genes to survive. 

• Black mice moved to the black lava where they could blend in.