Natural Selection & Evolution

Which statement is true about evolution?

• 
  It is a theory that describes how and when the Earth was formed.

• 
  It explains how mutations occur in animals and plants

• It is a theory that describes the changes that life on Earth has undergone throughout time. 

Darwin said that he could tell which island a tortoise came from based on the shape of its shell.

Which type of adaptation is the shape of the shell?

• Structural

• Physiological

• Behavioral

Which of the following would be an example of a physiological adaptation?

• 
  plants producing poison (ex: poison ivy, poison oak)

• 
  spines of a cactus

• 
  a birds colorful feathers to attract a mate

How well an organism can survive and reproduce is

• Fitness
• Survivability
• Adaptability
• Resilience

Natural Selection is best described as

• The process by which organisms worse adapted to their environment tend to survive
• The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
• The process by which organisms choose their environment
• The process by which organisms randomly change their environment

Which of the following best describes the common phrase "survival of the fittest"?

• Survival of the weakest
• Natural selection
• Evolutionary advantage
• Natural competition

Which of the following correctly describe what WILL happen in the situation shown in the picture:

• Both light and dark fish will be eaten and become extinct.

• The dark fish are better adapted and the population will eventually become darker. 

• The dark fish swim faster so they will win the race.

• The number of both light and dark fish will not change.

Beluga whales have layers of blubber (fat) in their bodies for warmth.  Some belugas have a thin layer, some have a medium layer and some have a thick layer of blubber (fat).  Due to the availability of food, belugas have had to migrate north towards the Arctic Ocean near the North Pole, which has much colder temperatures than their normal habitat.

• Beluga whales have no blubber layers in their bodies.
• Layers of blubber help beluga whales stay warm in the colder waters of the Arctic Ocean.
• Beluga whales have blubber layers to help them fly.
• Beluga whales have blubber layers to help them camouflage.

When you consider all the students in the freshmen class at LTHS the difference between individuals in this population is called:

• Discrepancy
• Variation
• Disparity
• Deviation

Given the tortoises' structural adaptations, which other tortoise might survive more successfully on Hood Island?

• Pinta Island

• Isabella Island