Natural Selection and adaptations

In a population of desert plants, the timing of their blooming varies greatly. Some bloom early in the morning, others at mid-day, and others after dark. What environmental pressure might be an advantage for those plants that bloom after dark?

• There is an increase in the population of nocturnal pollinators

• There is a decrease in the strength of solar radiation

• There is an increase in herbivores that forage at night.

• There is a decrease in water for root absorption

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NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Leopard seals are animals adapted to survive in the freezing conditions of Antarctica. Individual leopard seals vary in their different traits. Which of the following variations would give a leopard seal the greatest chance of surviving in its harsh environment?

• More spots on its coat

• Thicker layer of blubber

• More elongated head

• Wider, flatter teeth

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Mountain lions are large cats and the top predator in their habitat. A population of mountain lions may vary in several characteristics. If prey becomes more scarce, which variation would provide an advantage to the individuals that possessed it?

• A spotted coat

• Short fur

• Long legs

• Abundant whiskers

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Peppered moths often hide on white-colored birch trees because they are similarly colored. Which of the following environmental changes would lead to the enhanced survival of darker moths?

• Warm weather causes the birch trees to grow their leaves back early.

• Birch trees become covered in black ash from nearby factories.

• Heavy rainfall causes birch trees to grow taller than normal

• Disease kills off more than half of the birch tree population

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which of the following describes what is meant by Natural Selection?

• An organism will survive no matter what its adaptations may be

• An organism with adaptations that do not allow it to reproduce as effectively as others will survive.

• An organism with adaptations that allow it to obtain resources and reproduce more effectively than others will survive.

• No organisms will survive.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which best describes an adaptation?

• A trait that helps an organism to survive in its environment.
• A trait that the organism can change when he wants.
• A trait that does not help the organism to survive in its environment.
• The place where an organism lives.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which of the following variations would help members of a rabbit population survive if the climate turned very hot?

• Thinner fur
• Ability to run faster
• Ability to jump higher
• Ability to eat more

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What does the term variation mean?

• The same traits in a population.
• The different ways that traits are expressed in a population.
• The same ways traits are expressed in a population.
• The place where an animal lives.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Variations are differences between individuals in a population.

• True
• False

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NGSS.MS-LS3-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Before the industrial revolution the birds were eating more black moths. After the industrial revolution the birds started eating more white moths. Why

• The birds thought the white moths tasted better.

• There were not any black moths to eat

• The white moths stood out on the dark trees so the birds could see them easier.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4