Natural Selection and Speciation

How did the environment change between time 1 and time 2? How did the population change?

• You cannot tell how the environment changed. With each generation, more squirrels passed on the gene for black fur to their offspring.

• There were more black trees. Squirrels with black fur are more likely to survive, so the squirrels with gray fur changed to have black fur.

• There were more black trees. Squirrels with black fur are more likely to survive, so both types of squirrels passed on the gene for black fur to their offspring.

• There were more black trees. With each generation, more squirrels with black fur survived long enough to pass on the gene for black fur to their offspring.

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The phrase "Survival of the Fittest" would best describe...

• Natural selection

• Artificial selection

• Selective breeding

• None of the above

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Guppies are small fish that live in South American rivers. They can have different- sized spots on their bodies. The river bottoms are covered in rocks. Guppies with spots that are the same size as the rocks on the bottom are harder for bigger fish to see and catch. The diagram below shows a population of guppies that live in a river. At time 1, the population had the same number of guppies with small and large spots. At time 2, after many generations, there were many more guppies with small spots and fewer guppies with large spots in the population. How did the environment change between time 1 and time 2? How did the population change?

• You cannot tell how the environment changed. With each generation, more guppies passed on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

• The rocks became smaller. With each generation, more guppies with small spots survived long enough to pass on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

• The rocks became smaller. Guppies with small spots are more likely to survive, so the guppies with large spots changed to have small spots.

• The rocks became smaller. Guppies with small spots are more likely to survive, so both kinds of guppies passed on the gene for small spots to their offspring.

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

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What is the process where animals live or die based on their adaptations to their environment.

• Genetic Drift

• Natural Selection

• The Circle of Life

• Mammoth

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When an organism of a species has an adaptation, it will compete for resources better, survive longer and pass that adaptation on to it's offspring. This process is called

• evolution by natural selection

• artificial selection

• inbreeding

• outbreeding

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Do organisms "decide" to evolve and change?

• Yes, they know they need to change to survive 

• No, they change because of natural selection

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According to natural selection, light colored tree trunks would favor

• light colored moths

• dark colored moths

• red colored moths

• red and light colored moths

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A fox with thicker fur than average would have a survival advantage over other foxes if:

• There is more competition for food in the fox population.

• The air temperature significantly decreases in winter.

• A drought occurs, limiting the amount of water available.

• A new disease appears that infects the foxes.

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What is the advantage of having different shaped beaks?

• To look different from other species.

• To protect itself against predators.

• To protect itself against prey

• To be able to eat the food readily available in the environment.

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A variation is . . .

• when organisms have camouflage like spots or stripes

• an organism from a different dimension

• when you order different food than your friend

• differences between organisms in the same species

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