Natural Selection with graphs

Scientists measured the spot size of guppies (small fish) in two different populations. Which population has more guppies with large spots?

• They both have the same number of guppies with large spots.

• The population in Brazil has more guppies with large spots.

• The population in Venezuela has more guppies with large spots.

• These bar graphs do not show which population has more guppies with large spots.

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Hummingbirds can have different beak lengths.

They use their beaks to reach to the nectar (their food) at the bottom of flowers. Hummingbirds with longer beaks can get food from long flowers. Hummingbirds with shorter beaks cannot reach the nectar in long flowers. If a hummingbird can’t easily reach its food, it will die.

The diagrams below show three possible hummingbird populations.

If their environment changes to have only long flowers, which of the following hummingbird populations will most likely survive?

• Only population 2 will survive because it is the only population with variation.

• All the populations will survive because the hummingbirds will change the length of their beaks if they need to.

• Populations 1 and 2 will survive.

• Populations 2 and 3 will survive.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists measured the height of the giraffes in two different populations. Which population has the largest number of tall giraffes?

• The population in Niger has the largest number of tall giraffes.

• The population in Somalia has the largest number of tall giraffes.

• Both populations have the same number of tall giraffes.

• These bar graphs do not show which population has more tall giraffes.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Harbor seals live in northern oceans and a have layer of blubber (fat) that keeps them warm. Seals can have blubber of different thicknesses.

Seals with thicker blubber are more likely to stay warm and survive in cold ocean waters. But, in warm ocean waters, thicker blubber can make the seals overheat and die.

The diagrams below show three possible seal populations.

If their environment changes to have warm water, which of the following seal populations will most likely survive?

• Populations 1 and 2 will most likely survive.

• Populations 2 and 3 will most likely survive.

• Only Population 2 will survive because it is the only population with variation.

• All the populations will survive because the seals will change the thickness of their blubber if they need to.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Scientists measured the spine size of a population of cactuses found in an area in 1970. They measured the spine size of the cactus population again in 2015. Which of the statements below best describes the difference in the cactuses at the two time points?

• The cactuses in 1970 had smaller spines than the cactuses in 2015.

• The cactuses in 1970 had larger spines than the cactuses in 2015.

• There were more cactuses in 1970 than there were in 2015.

• There was more variation in spine size in 1970 than there was in 2015.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Blue jays are birds that live in the forest. They can have thick beaks, medium beaks, or thin beaks.

Blue jays use their beaks to get to the seeds they eat. Blue jays with thinner beaks can easily reach and eat the seeds inside pinecones. Blue jays with thicker beaks can easily open and eat seeds with hard shells.

The population of blue jays shown above lives in an environment that has always had seeds with hard shells. Could there ever have been blue jays with thin beaks in this population?

• No blue jays could have been born with a thin-beak trait because none of the adult blue jays had that trait to pass down.

• No blue jays could have been born with a thin-beak trait in the past, but some with that trait could be born in the future if the environment changes to have pine cones with seeds.

• A blue jay could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the thin-beak trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had offspring.

• A blue jay could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the thin-beak trait, but having a mutation in its genes would have caused it to die when it was born.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

Scientists measured the spot size of all the guppies (small fish) that lived in a river 40 years ago. They measured the spot size of the guppy population again last year. When was there more variation in the spot size of guppies in the river?

• These bar graphs do not show the amount of variation in the population.

• There was the same amount of variation in spot size 40 years ago and last year.

• There was more variation 40 years ago.

• There was more variation last year.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Eider ducks live in the ocean and have a layer of warm feathers underneath their regular feathers. They can have thin feathers, medium feathers, or thick feathers.

These feathers help the ducks stay warm in cold water. Ducks with thicker feathers are more likely to stay warm and survive in cold water. But, in warm water, thicker feathers can make the ducks overheat and die.

The population of ducks shown above lives in an environment that has always had very cold water. Could there ever have been ducks with thin feathers in this population?

• No ducks could have been born with the thin-feather trait because none of the adult ducks had that trait to pass down.

• No ducks could have been born with the thin-feather trait in the past, but some with that trait could be born in the future if the environment changes to be warmer.

• A duck could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the thin-feather trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had offspring.

• A duck could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the thin-feather trait, but having a mutation in its genes would have caused it to die when it was born.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

Which of the following layers contains more recent fossils?

• Layer A

• Layer D

• Layer F

• Layer G

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

What may explain the change in the deer population at year 6?

• The environment may have changed color so that the deer blended better with its surroundings

• The environment may have changed color so that the deer were easier to be seen

• Hunters in the area began to hunt other animals instead of deer

• The deer began to reproduce more

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