Natural Selection

What is evolution?

• The study of human genetics.

• The process of biological change in populations over time that makes future generations genetically different from their ancestors.

• A theory that describes the creation of the earth.

• The process by which children learn from their parents.

What specifically changes in populations according to the concept of evolution?

• The physical environment they live in.

• The traits organisms inherit.

• The social behavior of organisms.

• The number of individuals in a population.

What term is used to describe organisms with the best traits that live longer and reproduce more than others?

• Genetic mutation

• Natural selection

• Survival of the Fittest

• Evolutionary adaptation

What does an adaptation refer to in the context of natural selection?

• A genetic mutation that harms an organism

• A trait that could improve an organism's chance of survival

• The process by which organisms develop immunity

• A random change in the environment

What does "fitness" mean in scientific terms?

• The physical strength of an organism

• The ability to run fast

• Measuring how well you can survive in your environment

• The number of offspring an organism produces

Natural Selection is the mechanism __________________.

• Ecology

• Evolution

• Biology

• Genetics

What does "overproduction" mean in evolution?

• The production of more resources than the environment can provide

• The production of more offspring than can survive

• The production of more food than is necessary for the population

• The production of more waste than the ecosystem can decompose

What does overproduction lead to in a natural environment?

• Decreased competition for resources

• Increased cooperation among species

• Competition for limited resources

• A stable population with no changes

What word best describes a population of bird that have different beak shapes or different colored feathers?

• Reproduction

• Variation

• Competition

• Selection

What is an adaptation in the context of natural selection?

• A change in the environment that organisms must cope with.

• A trait that allows an organism to survive better in its environment.

• A random mutation that does not affect the organism's survival.

• A learned behavior that an organism passes on to its offspring.