Mechanisms of Evolution Quiz

What is natural selection and how does it contribute to evolution?

• Natural selection is the process by which organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the increase of those traits in a population over time.

• Natural selection is the process of organisms randomly developing new traits that are passed on to future generations.

• Natural selection is the process of humans selecting which organisms will survive and reproduce based on their personal preferences.

• Natural selection is the process of all organisms in a population having the same traits and not evolving over time.

Explain the concept of fitness in the context of natural selection.

• The number of offspring produced by an organism

• The attractiveness of an organism to potential mates

• Ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment

• Ability of an organism to perform well in a gym

How does genetic drift differ from natural selection in driving evolution?

• Genetic drift is intentional, while natural selection is random

• Genetic drift only occurs in plants, while natural selection only occurs in animals

• Genetic drift is a slow process, while natural selection is a fast process

• Genetic drift is a random process, while natural selection is a non-random process based on the environment.

What are the different types of genetic drift and how do they impact populations?

• Adaptation and speciation

• Bottleneck effect and founder effect

• Natural selection and mutation

• Gene flow and genetic mutation

What is a mutation and how does it introduce genetic variation in a population?

• A mutation is a process where genes are removed from the DNA sequence, reducing genetic variation in a population.

• A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence, and it introduces genetic variation in a population by creating new alleles or versions of genes.

• A mutation is a type of virus that spreads through a population, introducing genetic variation by infecting individuals.

• A mutation is a type of genetic disorder that reduces genetic variation in a population.

Explain the role of mutations in the process of evolution.

• Mutations introduce genetic variation

• Mutations cause extinction of species

• Mutations have no impact on evolution

• Mutations always lead to harmful traits

How does adaptation contribute to the survival of a species in its environment?

• Adaptation only occurs in controlled environments

• Adaptation makes a species more vulnerable to predators

• Adaptation has no impact on the survival of a species

• Adaptation helps a species to better fit its environment, increasing its chances of survival and reproduction.

Provide an example of an adaptation in a specific species and explain how it enhances its survival.

• Hibernation in polar bears

• Migration in elephants

• Echolocation in bats

• Camouflage in the peppered moth

What is gene flow and how does it affect the genetic diversity of populations?

• Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another through migration and interbreeding. It can increase genetic diversity by introducing new alleles into a population.

• Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another through natural disasters. It can decrease genetic diversity by limiting the gene pool.

• Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another through photosynthesis. It has no effect on genetic diversity.

• Gene flow is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another through genetic mutations. It can decrease genetic diversity by introducing harmful alleles.

Discuss the impact of gene flow on the evolution of isolated populations.

• Gene flow always leads to the extinction of isolated populations.

• Gene flow can introduce new genetic variation into isolated populations.

• Gene flow has no impact on the evolution of isolated populations.

• Gene flow only occurs between closely related populations.