Evolution Review

A scientist observed an increase in the population of mallard ducks in a local river and a decrease in pollution levels. He concluded that the increase in the mallard population was a direct result of decreasing levels of toxic chemicals in the river. What is another possible explanation for this increase?

• The amount of available food in the area increased

• The number of mallard predators in the area increased

• The number of parasites that live on the mallards increased

• Emigration (leaving area) of mallards from the area increased

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Bones in this diagram are examples of...

• homologous structures
• vestigial organs
• DNA evidence

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The fossil record provides evidence that

• Fossils cannot be dated.

• All species were formed during Earth's formation and have changed little since then.

• The fossilized species have no connection to today's species.

• Older species gave rise to more recent species.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Use the Dichotomous Key to Identify this plant

• Aesculus hippocastanus

• Betula pendula

• Juglans nigra

• Pinus strobus

Scientists who have examined the fossil record have noted that some species have changed very little over long periods of geologic time. The lack of change in such organisms is most likely because ___________.

• all members of their population were genetically identical, and they lived in a rapidly changing environment

• there was a large amount of variation in their population, and the environment changed frequently

• they could move between different environments when food supplies became scarce

• the environment that they lived in remained the same, and they were well-adapted to it

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which is a model that shows the evolutionary relationships amongst various organisms?

• Karyotype

• Phylogenic Tree

• Dichotomous Key

• Gel Electrophoresis

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

A scientist has compared a group of organisms to one another and constructed a phylogenic tree to show their relatedness. What type of data most likely aided the scientist in this task? 

• Food Web

• DNA comparison

• Punnett Square

• Karyotype

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

What type of information would be best to use for the leads when creating a dichotomous key?

• characteristics that are reliable and convenient to observe

• genetic information that matches to an exact genus or species

• anatomical structures that could lead one to link two species together

• characteristics that are very specific at the beginning of the key and very general at the end of the key

A population of rabbits in an arctic environment includes some rabbits with dark-colored fur and some rabbits with light-colored fur. Which scenario best illustrates natural selection within the population?

• The wolves in the arctic environment are able to prey upon rabbits with dark-colored fur more easily. Over time, the majority of the rabbits in the population are found to have light-colored fur.

• The wolves in the arctic environment compete with the rabbits with light-colored fur. Over time, the majority of the rabbits in the population are found to have dark-colored fur.

• The wolves in the arctic environment are restricted to a small habitat area, reducing the wolf population and allowing the rabbits with dark-colored fur to overpopulate the rest of the environment.

• The wolves in the arctic environment are overhunted by humans, reducing the wolf population and allowing the rabbits with light-colored fur to overpopulate the environment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What was the basis for the most primitive classification systems?

• physical characteristics

• differences in habitat

• evolutionary relationships

• reproductive patterns