8th grade 4th quarter assessment

The table displays data about the presence of certain traits in a population of chickens over several generations. The data provide evidence that best supports the claim that these chickens are being bred for which characteristic?

• fewer white feathers

• larger bodies

• shorter beaks

• more tail feathers

Greyhounds are dogs with long, powerful legs and slim bodies that make them very fast runners. Which of the following best describes how humans were able to engineer this breed of dog?

• For many generations, these dogs were allowed to run freely in large, open fields.

• Dogs that were slower than others were given exercise and trained to run fast.

• Over many years, all the dogs were fed diets high in protein and vitamins.

• In every generation, only those dogs with the desired traits were allowed to reproduce.

Which of the following best describes artificial selection as compared to natural selection?

• In artificial selection, the passing on of traits is determined by survival advantages in nature

• In natural selection, the passing on of traits is determined by choices on the part of the organism

• In artificial selection, the passing on of traits is determined by human choice

• In natural selection, the passing on of traits is determined by human choice

Which of the following is required for a trait to become more common over time in a population?

• There must be many varieties of the trait in the population.

• The trait must allow members of the population to eat only some kinds of food.

• The trait must give individuals an advantage in producing offspring that survive.

• The trait must be the result of an immediate change in the environment.

In a given population of plants there is variation in the time of day when flowers open. Those individual plants with flowers that open at night would be more likely to pass on this trait in an environment dominated by what?

• Solar radiation

• Nocturnal pollinators

• Moist soil

• Grazing animals

A population of a certain kind of fish is introduced into a new habitat. These fish have variations in color from light to dark. Because of the lighting conditions and predators in this new habitat, light colored fish survive better near the surface and dark-colored fish survive better near the bottom. What change would likely result after many generations of these fish living in this environment?

• All the fish would become more similar, something exactly between light-colored and dark-colored.

• None of the fish would be able to survive, because the new habitat is not suited to any of them.

• There would be two populations of fish, light-colored near the surface and dark-colored near the bottom.

• The fish would become smaller over time so that they could more easily defend themselves from predators.

This illustration provides information on four variations in the size and shape of antlers in a population of moose. In order to grow antlers, a male moose must expend a great amount of the energy it gets from food. In an environment where food resources are limited, it would be predicted that there would be an increase in which kind of antlers?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Some plants have developed a thick, waxy coating that helps prevent the loss of water. In order for plants to develop this thick, waxy coating over many generations, what must be true?

• The plants must have variation in the amount of waxy coating.

• The plants must be able to absorb water directly from the air.

• The plants must live an in area with heavy rainfall.

• The plants must produce wax that animals are able to eat.

A diagram of the anatomy of a catfish is provided. Catfish have dorsal fin spines, which help defend against predators, and caudal fins, which help to propel the fish through the water. A swim bladder controls how high or low the fish sits in the water and gills allow the fish to breathe by taking oxygen out of the water. Catfish spend most of their lives at the bottom of freshwater lakes and streams. Which catfish trait may change (over many generations) if the pond habitat in which it lives becomes significantly deeper?

• Dorsal fin

• Caudal fin

• Swim bladder

• gills

The process where organisms best fit for the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce is

• Natural Selection

• Adaptation

• Trait

• Population