Mechanisms of Evolution Scenarios

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

Unnoticed by the crew, a few hundred beetles were transported to an island in a series of crates as part of the ship's cargo. The beetles were not native to that island prior to the event.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

 In a savanna with many tall trees, giraffes with slightly longer necks can reach higher branches and access more food. Shorter-necked giraffes, on the other hand, struggle to reach the food and are less likely to survive during times of drought when food is scarce. Over generations, giraffes with longer necks become more prevalent in the population.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

A series of forest fires burned through the valleys and most of the established population of butterflies were destroyed. The butterflies had been mostly cream colored with black spots. Some members of the population were cream colored with brown spots. After a few years the population had returned to its previous level but now most of the butterflies are cream with brown spots.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

A group of birds from one population migrates to a different region where they mate with a local population. This introduces new genetic material to the local gene pool

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

A new allele of a gene has occurred in the second generation of a population of beetles. This allele was caused by a change in nitrogen bases leading to the production of a different amino acid sequence. All the off spring with this new allele are yellow instead of green.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

In the early 19th century, the northern elephant seal population was heavily hunted by humans, reducing the population to less than 100 individuals by the 1890s. The population has since recovered, but the bottleneck event has decreased the population's genetic diversity.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

Some spotted gecko lizard eggs became wind-borne in a hurricane and were transported to an area where they had not previously been found. Most did not survive the journey, but a few hatched, bred and increased in numbers to form a new colony.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

In a forest near a city during the industrial revolution, light-colored peppered moths are more common, blending in with the pale bark of trees. However, as pollution darkens the tree bark with soot, the lighter moths become easier targets for predators. Over time, dark-colored moths become more common in the population, as they are better camouflaged against the soot-covered trees.

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Identify the Mechanism of evolution in the scenario below:

A bee carries pollen from one flower to another in a different field. The transfer of pollen between two distinct plant populations allows for the exchange of genetic material

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation