Natural Selection and Adaptations

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What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

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What is an adaptation?

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An adaptation is a physical or behavioral trait that an organism is born with that helps it survive in its environment.

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What role do mutations play in evolution?

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Mutations are changes in an organism's DNA that can create new traits, providing variation that may help a species adapt to changing environments.

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How does blubber help penguins?

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Blubber protects penguins from freezing water temperatures by providing insulation.

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Why are dark-colored rock pocket mice more likely to survive in certain environments?

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Dark-colored rock pocket mice have a mutation that affects their fur color, allowing them to blend in with their environment and avoid predators.

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What is the significance of variation in a species?

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Variation increases the likelihood that some individuals in a species will survive environmental changes.

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What characteristic helps giraffes survive better in their environment?

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Having the longest necks allows giraffes to reach leaves high in trees, giving them access to food that shorter giraffes cannot reach.

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What is genetic variation?

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Genetic variation refers to the differences in DNA among individuals within a species, which can lead to different traits.

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What is the difference between a mutation and an adaptation?

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A mutation is a change in DNA that can lead to new traits, while an adaptation is a trait that has evolved over time to help an organism survive.

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How do environmental changes affect species survival?

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Species must adapt to environmental changes to survive; those that cannot adapt may become extinct.

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