More Natural Selection Practice AKS 4b wizer

Bird beaks have many shapes and sizes. One population of owls had a mutation for larger beaks. As a result, they could catch larger rats and mice to feed to their offspring. What will most likely happen to the owls that have the mutation for a bigger beak?

• the owls with the mutation will have better ability to catch and eat food, and will survive and reproduce

• the owls with the mutation will not have a better ability to catch and eat food, and will not survive and reproduce

• the owls with the mutation will eat all of the food in the area

• the owls will become vegetarian

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Impalas are small deer-like creatures that are very fast runners. Sometimes there is a mutation in their feet that makes some impalas run more slowly. Cheetahs are the predators of impalas. Cheetahs can catch and eat the slower impalas. How does this help the population of impalas keep only the fastest individuals in the herd? Check TWO correct answers.

• only the fastest impalas will out run the cheetahs, and survive and reproduce to pass on their fast genes to their offspring

• the slower impalas with the foot mutation will try to run faster and then they adapted

• the slower impalas with the foot mutation will not survive or reproduce because they are too slow

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Before the volcano erupted in the desert, the rock pocket mice were mostly light colored like the sand. There were some dark mice, but not very many. Why were most of the mice light colored before the volcano erupted? Click TWO correct answers.

• there were not many dark mice because their fur changed back to light colored

• any dark mice that were born were quickly eaten by predators because they did not blend in with the light sandy soil.

• the dark mice did not survive and reproduce because they were quickly eaten

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On the Galapagos Islands, there are giant tortoises with strangely shaped shells. Some shells go up very high in the front, allowing their necks to stretch. Tortoises with those types of shells reach high up on cactus plants to eat the fruits. One year there was no rain, and most of the fruits died. Only the highest up fruits survived. What type of mutation would most likely help this type of tortoise to survive?

• a mutation for a higher shell in the front

• a mutation for faster legs to catch food

• a mutation for a lower shell in the front

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There are two types of rabbits: those that only eat grass and those that eat berries and flowers.  A drought occurs one year,  and the plants do not produce berries or flowers. They only produce grasses.  At the beginning of the year, there were 1200 rabbits. By the winter, 300 rabbits have starved to death. Which type of rabbit most likely has the most fitness to its environment?

• rabbits that eat berries and flowers

• rabbits that eat grass

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There are two types of beetles in the farmer's field: those that survive the bug spray, and those that do not survive the bug spray. Every year, the farmer sprays his fields with bug spray, and some beetles survive the spray. At the end of three years, almost all of the beetles survive the bug spray. What has happened to the population of beetles?

• they now have a super mutation

• the beetles that survive the bug spray lived and reproduced, passing on their genes to their offspring

• the beetles that do not survive the bug spray gave extra genes to the survivors

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Which came first, (1) mutations in the population or (2) environmental change?

• (2) environmental change

• (1) mutations

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Over time, what will happen to the mouse population once the environment changes?

• after many years, the genes for light mice will disappear completely

• after many years, there will still be the same amount of light and dark mice

• after many years, there will be a higher amount of dark mice because the light ones are eaten.

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