Evolution

Which of the following statements is true? 

• Natural selection acts directly on phenotype, but populations evolve
• Natural selection acts directly on a population's gene pool, but individuals evolve
• Natural selection acts directly on genotype, but individuals evolve.
• Natural selection acts directly on individuals, but genes evolve

On a remote Pacific island, a species of hares (rabbits) can be found that has very short, reduced ears. During a storm, a package containing live, domesticated rabbits is washed over the side of a ship and eventually washed onto the shore of the island. Within only a few generations, the population of hares has changed so that 50% of the hares have short ears and 50% have long ears. This would be an example of microevolution through

• genetic drift
• mutation
• gene flow
• natural selection

A virus killed most of the seals in the North Sea (e.g., dropped the population from 8000 to 800). In an effort to help preserve the species, scientists caught 20 seals and used them to start a new population in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Which of the following statements would accurately describe the new population? 

• It is genetically more diverse than the original population
• It is genetically less diverse than the original population
• It is equal in its genetic diversity compared to the original population

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-2

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

Which of the following would be an example of behavioral isolation? 

• islands in the Pacific Ocean have been colonised by a species of finch from the mainland 
• varieties of fruit fly use different wing movements during their courtship behaviour
• pollen grains from one variety of a plant species do not germinate on the stigma of another variety
• one variety of a bird species breeds and nests in the lower branches of trees while another occupies the upper branches

When we say that one organism is better adapted than another organism we mean that it –

• mates more frequently than others of its species.
• leaves more offspring than others of its species
• utilizes resources more efficiently than other species occupying the same habitat
• competes for food more successfully than others of its species