Evolution and Extinction

Which of these describes a species that has become extinct?

• fewer members of the species are dying than being born
• more members of the species are dying than being born
• very few members of a species are alive
• all members of a species have died

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NGSS.HS-LS4-5

The snail darter is a small fish that used to live in the Little Tennessee River. In 1978, a dam was built on the river.  How did the dam most likely affect the snail darter?

• The dam did not affect the darters in the river.
• The dam changed the climate of the area.
• The dam changed the darter's habitat.
• The number of darters increased.

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The Florida panther is a large cat related to lions. Panthers eat deer, rodents, and farmers' livestock. Panthers once lived in Tennessee. Which of these most likely caused panthers to disappear from Tennessee?

• Panthers in Tennessee were unable to reproduce.
• People hunted panthers and destroyed their habitats.
• Natural predators killed and ate all the panthers in Tennessee.
• Panthers in Tennessee ran out of food. 

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What is a mass extinction?

• When all the species in a particular area on earth suddenly go extinct
• When multiple species from all over the earth suddenly go extinct 
• When one species goes extinct due to habitat changes
• When all life on earth is wiped out 

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What event marks the end of each geologic area?

• 1 million years
• burst of new life forms
• mass extinction
• ice age

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 Which is LEAST LIKELY to push a species toward extinction?  
         

• a.   Cutting down entire forest 
• b.  Putting animals in a zoo 
•  c.   Polluting mountain streams 
• d.   Introducing new species to an ecosystem with no known natural predator    

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NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Humans are causing extiction in which ways?

• By over hunting animals for food or products.
• By destroying the natural habitat of species.
• By polluting the environments of the world.
• All of the above.

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According to most scientists, what is the ultimate cause of most mass extinctions?

• overhunting

• evolution of new species to replace old ones

• major change in environment due to extreme natural events

• asteroid impact

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Why do scientists think that NOT ALL dinosaurs died in the Cretaceous extinction?

• They have photographic evidence

• Because birds are still living today

• A zoo in California has a living dinosaur

• Birds are descendants of dinosaurs

• Only non-birds went extinct.

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When scientists discuss the Sixth Extinction, they are referring to which pattern in the rate of extinction?

• an increased rate caused by human activity

• an increased rate caused by volcanic activity

• a fluctuating rate caused by human activity

• a fluctuating rate caused by volcanic activity

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