Abiotic selection pressures in an organism's environment include:

• grass, humans, salinity, oxygen

• fire, soils, pH, trees

• air temperature, light, oxygen, water

• soil temperature, light, trees, insects

An example of physiological adaptation of the red kangaroo is:

• blood vessels in the forelimbs which dilate in hot weather

• licking the forelimbs in hot weather

• a powerful tail to assist balance when hopping

• a dense network of blood vessels close to the skin in forelimbs

In Australia, the cane toad is an introduced species which has undergone a population explosion and has an extensive distribution. This is a result of their:

• evolutionary change within an ecosystem

• rapid reproduction and lack of predators

• large sole food source in the cane beetle

• rapid dispersal and ability to hop

The fossil record demonstrates:

• an increase in the number of organisms over small expanses of geological time

• a decrease in the diversity of organisms over large expanses of geological time

• an increase in the number and diversity of species over large expanses of geological time

• an increase in the diversity of species over small expanses of geological time

The relatively rapid speciation of 13 different species of finches on the Galapagos Islands from a single ancestral species is an example of:

• instant speciation by polyploidy

• microevolution

• macroevolution

• adaptive radiation

According to theories about early life, the earliest organisms on Earth were single-celled. What were these organisms mostly likely to be?

• Photosynthetic autotrophs

• Chemosynthetic autotrophs

• Heterotrophic prokaryotes (aerobic respirers)

• Heterotrophic prokaryotes (fermenters)

Identify the statement that is most accurate for the relationship between evolution and natural selection.

• Evolution is the mechanism for natural selection

• Natural selection is the mechanism for evolution

• Evolution results in natural selection

• Natural selection results in evolution

Identify a change that has occurred in the distribution of Australian flora and fauna over time.

• Platypus are extinct in all states except Tasmania

• Kangaroos have become restricted to desert areas

• Eucalypts have become more widespread

• Rainforest species have become more widespread

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

• individual
• population
• species
• fossil

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

In natural selection, the selective agent is the

• humans
• mutations
• breeders
• environment

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

NGSS.HS-LS4-5