Natural Selection Test Review

A population of insects lives in an area where a new predator species arrives. Some insects are naturally faster than others due to genetic differences. Over several generations, the average speed of the insect population increases. This is an example of natural selection because:

• Faster insects survived and reproduced more, passing speed genes to offspring

• The predator caused mutations that made all insects faster

• The insects chose to become faster to escape predators

• All insects gradually learned to run faster through practice

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Which of the following scenarios would NOT result in natural selection occurring?

• Organisms with beneficial mutations reproduce more successfully than others

• A trait provides a survival advantage, but it cannot be inherited

• Individuals with a certain trait survive better and pass that trait to offspring

• There is genetic variation in a population and environmental pressure favors certain traits

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Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is considered an example of evolution because:

• Individual bacteria change their DNA when exposed to antibiotics

• The genetic makeup of the bacterial population changes over time

• All bacteria eventually learn to resist antibiotics through experience

• Doctors prescribe the wrong antibiotics

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A scientist observes that after multiple rounds of antibiotic treatment, the percentage of resistant bacteria in a population increases from 2% to 85%. What is the BEST explanation for this change?

• The antibiotic caused mutations in the bacteria, making them resistant

• Bacteria with pre-existing resistance genes survived and reproduced

• The sensitive bacteria learned to become resistant over time

• The bacteria chose to develop resistance to survive

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For natural selection to occur in ANY population, which THREE conditions must be present?

• Large population size, abundant resources, absence of predators

• Genetic mutations, intentional trait selection, learned behaviors

• Variation in traits, heritability of traits, differential survival based on traits

• Identical traits in all individuals, random mating, stable environment

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Why is the overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture a concern for public health?

• It causes bacteria to stop reproducing entirely

• It accelerates the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains

• It makes antibiotics more expensive to produce

• It eliminates all bacteria, including beneficial ones

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A farmer uses the same pesticide on crops for many years. Initially, the pesticide kills 99% of the pest insects. After ten years, the pesticide only kills 30% of the pest population. Which statement BEST explains this observation?

• The insects taught their offspring how to avoid the pesticide

• Insects with genetic resistance survived, reproduced, and became more common

• The pesticide became weaker over time due to chemical breakdown

• The insects developed immunity by practicing survival techniques

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In a population of bacteria, a random mutation occurs that provides resistance to an antibiotic. This mutation will become more common in the population ONLY if:

• The bacteria are exposed to that specific antibiotic

• The mutation occurs in all bacteria simultaneously

• The bacteria decide they need the resistance

• Scientists study the bacterial population

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Which statement accurately describes the relationship between mutations and natural selection?

• Natural selection causes specific mutations to occur when needed

• Mutations provide variation; natural selection determines which variations survive

• Natural selection prevents mutations from occurring

• Mutations only occur during natural selection events

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A doctor prescribes a 10-day course of antibiotics but a patient stops taking them after 5 days when feeling better. Why might this practice contribute to antibiotic resistance?

• It has no effect on antibiotic resistance

• It causes the bacteria to mutate into resistant forms

• It makes the remaining antibiotics stronger

• It gives partially resistant bacteria a chance to survive and multiply

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