Unit 7 Evolution

Genetic variability is a measure of the tendency of individual genotypes in a population to vary from one another. Why is genetic variability important to the survival of a species?

• genetic variability allows for organisms to survive when environmental conditions change

• genetic variability allows for the weakest organisms to become stronger

• genetic variability does not allow for species to survive

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Which is illustrated in the diagram of the fossil record?

• Crocodiles appear in the fossil record before lizards.

• Birds are a common ancestor of snakes and lizards.

• Birds and crocodiles developed separately from lizards.

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Which is the best conclusion that can be made about these horses over time?

• The environments in which the horses lived have remained unchanged.

• Favorable mutations in genes resulted in physical changes to the horses.

• Dietary changes caused the physical changes to the horses.

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Which moth has a biological adaptation for survival in this environment?

• The darker colored moth, due to its larger wing size

• The lighter colored moth, due to its decreased visibility

• The darker colored moth, because it has more predators

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When Darwin observed finches on islands in the Pacific, he noted that the beaks of the birds on islands with lots of seeds were different from the beaks of the birds on islands with lots of insects. How did their beaks come to match the food in their environments so well?

• The food supply on the islands changed to match the birds’ beaks.

• The predators on the islands eliminated the birds with the “wrong” beaks.

• The birds with the “right” beaks for the food supply had more young.

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Which of the following statements best explains why the adaptation for regrowing a tail is a favorable trait for some lizards?

• Lizards with this adaptation can camouflage themselves more easily in vegetation.

• Lizards with this adaptation are more likely to escape from predators.

• Lizards with this adaptation can use their tails as lures to attract more food.

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Environmental changes may lead to the evolution of a species. Polar bears live in the Arctic. Ice in the Arctic is melting fast, reducing the range where the polar bear can live. If polar bears do not have adaptations that allow them to survive environmental changes, what may happen to

them?

• they may become another species

• they may overpopulate

• they may become extinct

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The bark of the trees appears white because of light-colored lichen (a plant) that also lived on the tree. Disease destroyed the lichen. The tree bark is now dark-colored. How will this environmental change affect the number of light-colored insects that live on the trees?

• The number of light colored insects will decrease because predators will see the light-

  colored insects on the dark bark more easily.

• The number of light colored insects will increase because, with the lichen gone, the

  insects will no longer have to compete with the lichen for space.

• The number of light colored insects will increase because the insect predators that also eat the diseased lichen will become ill and decrease in number.

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A certain reptile species is a herbivore and exists only on an isolated island. Which of the following would most likely result in the extinction of the reptile species over a period of twenty thousand years.

• The reptile species produces many offspring with some unique traits, and the vegetation

  changes slowly.

• The reptile species produces few offspring with no unique traits, and the vegetation

  changes quickly.

• The reptile species produces many offspring with many unique traits, and the vegetation

  remains constant.

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The term extinct means no longer existing or living. Which of the following is a situation that could lead to extinction of a species?

•  increased habitat in a larger area

• increased food supply including a large variety

• increased competition between organisms for the same food source

• increased height of next generation of organisms

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