Natural Selection/Adaptations

A certain reptile species is a herbivore and exists only on an isolated island.

Which of the following would most likely result in the extinction of the reptile species over a period of twenty thousand years?

• The reptile species produces many offspring with many unique traits, and the vegetation remains constant

• The reptile species produces few offspring with some unique traits, and the vegetation remains constant

• The reptile species produces few offspring with no unique traits, and the vegetation changes quickly

• The reptile species produces many offspring with some unique traits, and the vegetation changes slowly

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Male crickets chirp to attract a mate. Chirping is dangerous because it can attract predators of the crickets like birds or bats. Sometimes, other male crickets will wait quietly and intercept the female on her way to a chirping male.

How is the cricket that intercepts the female cricket at an advantage?

• The male will be more attractive to females and predators

• The female is more attracted to the male and the predator

• The female is less likely to get eaten and less likely to reproduce

• The male will be less likely to attract predators and more likely to reproduce

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NGSS.MS-LS1-4

Which of the following is least likely to cause a species to become extinct due to changes in the environment?

• 
  

  less genetic variation

• more genetic variation

• specific food preferences

• more competition for food

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

A species of rodent lives in a moist forest climate. Over time, the climate becomes drier and more desert-like.

Which of these adaptations would most likely will improve the chances that the rodent species could survive as its environment changes?

• being able to eat plants that survive in the changed environment

• being able to eat only type of berry

• living above ground in damp areas

• having dark hair and small ears

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A species of baby sea turtles are known to hatch on sandy beaches and walk toward light source A.  However, in recent years, many of them hatch and walk toward light source B instead. Which statement best relates this scenario to Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection?

• the population of sea turtles will not be affected as long as some of them reach the ocean

• the turtles that continue to follow the light source toward the ocean will have a better chance of surviving to reproduce

• baby turtles are the superior members of the species because they have more advantages over adult turtles

• natural selection will gradually eliminate baby turtles altogether

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The Tyrannosaurus rex is most closely related to chickens and ostriches.  The table compares some traits of the Tyrannosaurus rex, chicken and ostrich. What statement best explains the difference found in the chart between a Tyrannosaurus rex, a modern chicken and an ostrich?

• they all have different traits because their ancestors did not have teeth

• none of these animals have teeth because they are not mammals

• teeth are a trait that comes from having two recessive genes

• the environment of the ostrich and chicken ancestor favored organisms without teeth

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Green anoles are native to Florida.  They live on low branches of trees.  Anoles have a difficult time holding on to branches at the top of the tree which are thin and have slippery leaves.  An invasive species of brown anole arrives, which also tends to live on low branches.  Within months, the green anoles abandon the lower branches, moving to the higher branches of the trees. Which of the following most likely describes what happened to the green anoles?

• climate change caused the characteristics of the tree leaves to change so that they were no longer slippery

• they used their green color to blend in with the leaves at the top of the trees

• an adaptation allowed them to hold on to the slippery leaves at the top of the tree

• they changed their diet and no longer needed to live toward the bottom of the tree near the ground

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

During the Industrial Revolution, coal was burned to run machines. The pollution from coal burning resulted in frequent, heavy fog and soot depositis on many surfaces. There are two forms of the peppered moth. One is white with black speckles. Another form, a mutant form, is black with light speckles. Populations of the two forms of this moth are shown in the graph. Based on the data for 1850 to 1900, what inferences can you make about the white peppered moth and the mutant black peppered moth?

• white moths were easier for predators to see

• black moths were unable to find sources of food

• white moths were unable to absorb heat from sunlight

• black moths were less likely to migrate to other places

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

During the Industrial Revolution, coal was burned to run machines. The pollution from coal burning resulted in frequent, heavy fog and soot depositis on many surfaces. There are two forms of the peppered moth. One is white with black speckles. Another form, a mutant form, is black with light speckles. Populations of the two forms of this moth are shown in the graph. Based on the graph, how would you expect the populations of the peppered moth predators to change throughout the years?

• increase, because there are more black moths to eat

• decrease, because there are fewer white moths to eat

• stay the same, because the number of moths was the same

• evolve, because the food source was changing

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

During the Industrial Revolution, coal was burned to run machines. The pollution from coal burning resulted in frequent, heavy fog and soot depositis on many surfaces. There are two forms of the peppered moth. One is white with black speckles. Another form, a mutant form, is black with light speckles. Populations of the two forms of this moth are shown in the graph. Recently, people are reporting seeing more of the white form of moth again.  What is the best explanation for these observations?

• predatory birds have now discovered the black moths

• climate change has made it easier for the white moths to survive

• the mutant allele that codes for black coloring is recessive

• without soot deposits the white moths are better camouflaged

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4