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WorksheetsEvolutionary Theory
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 13mins
Which of these BEST describes our current understanding about how species evolve over time?
As organisms use certain traits more frequently, each organism evolves over time.
Populations of organisms evolve rapidly due to genetic changes brought about by random mating patterns.
Traits that result in a greater number of mutations occur more frequently, causing the population to evolve.
Populations evolve as natural selection results in a change in the frequency of alleles within the population over time.
The process of ____________ increases genetic variability as it produces gametes for sexual reproduction.
conjugation
meiosis
mitosis
replication
A mountain separates a population of mice into two distinct eastern and western populations. The eastern area is inhabited by owls, which hunt at night. No owls live in the western area. Over time, the eastern population of mice will MOST LIKELY
become more active at night.
remain identical with the western population.
change over time and become less active at night.
grow stronger claws and teeth to better fight the owls.
In a freshwater lake, a population of bony fish called the stickleback were studied over several decades. The presence of armor plating over the bodies of the males was noted. The data is shown below. What explains the trend shown in the data for the freshwater sticklebacks?
Armor-plating offered a protection from predation, therefore the presence of armor-plating increased in frequency.
Partially plated males were the preferred mating partner with female sticklebacks, causing an increase in partial armor frequency.
Armor-plated males were more efficient at migrating to salt water areas for reproduction, resulting in armor-plating increasing in frequency.
Armor-plated males were slower at acquiring food compared to the non-armored phenotypes, resulting in non-armored males to increase in frequency.
Maria has a sore throat. Her father takes her to the doctor and she is given an antibiotic. After ten days, Maria is still sick. Use the model seen here and describe what has happened to Maria in terms of natural selection.
The medicine causes some bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics. They survive and reproduce.
Some of the bacteria are resistant to the antibiotic. They survive and reproduce, keeping Maria sick.
After being subjected to the antibiotics, some bacteria change and they can survive the medicine. Maria remains sick.
In a population of bacteria, variation exists. The bacteria that have increased resistance to medicine outcompete the non-resistant bacteria for food.
Darwin hypothesized that there are definite steps to natural selection. One is populations are large and in the population variation exists. Consider this population of disease-causing bacteria. What is the MOST LIKELY cause for variation in this population?
over-population
drug resistance
genetic mutation
sexual reproduction
According to Darwin, organisms that are best adapted to their environment are more likely to produce offspring than organisms that are less well adapted to their environment. Which phrase is used to summarize this idea?
species variability
survival of the fittest
use and disuse of organs
evolution through mutation
Darwin hypothesized that there are definite steps to natural selection. Consider the model here. Use the Roman numerals (I - III) to guide you through the steps. Which is an accurate description of Darwin's hypothesized theory of natural selection?
Sexual reproduction of bacteria cause variation. Some bacteria survive and some do not. Over time all of the bacteria should become extinct.
In any population, variation exists. Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. Most bacteria die, but the bacteria that are resistant survive and reproduce.
In a population of bacteria that are exposed to antibiotics, some bacteria change their genetic make-up and survive. The new genetic make-up is passed on to offspring.
There is a change in the environment: an antibiotic is added. Some of the bacteria are capable of changing to the new environment. They survive and reproduce, passing along their favorable traits.
There are many different types of dog breeds, despite the fact that they are all one species, Canis familiaris and all have a common ancestor, the wolf, Canis lupus. Many breeds, such as the Alaskan malamute and the Siberian husky look remarkably like wolves and even retain some of their habits. Other breeds like the daschund above, do not strongly resemble wolves.
What part of the theory of evolution by natural selection would explain why there are no wild wolves that resemble daschunds?
Natural selection leads to evolution.
There is very little genetic variation in all living species.
There is over-reproduction in all living species to ensure their survival.
Competition favors the most fit organism
The dots represent a bacterial infection. Sal was very sick with this bacterial infection. The infection was treated with antibiotics. Sal seemed to get well, but in a few weeks, she was sick again. How can this be explained using natural selection?
The antibiotics were ineffective to this strain of bacteria.
The stronger, more resistant bacteria survived the antibiotics and reproduced.
The antibiotics did not kill the bacteria; it only forced them to be dormant
Antibiotics will only kill a portion of the bacteria, no matter how much medicine Sal takes.
For finches on the Galapagos, a significant change in beak size can be observed across years with plentiful rainfall or intense drought. How can the changes in finch beak size be attributed to evolution?
Finches on the island with better-adapted beak sizes have increased survival.
Finches on the island are domesticated and are artificially selected for beak size.
Finches on the island without well suited beak sizes change their diet to induce and enhance growth of their beaks.
Finches on the island reproduce with finches from nearby islands that have larger beaks, resulting in changing beak sizes over time.
In order for a population to survive, sexual reproduction must produce
more females than males.
more males than females.
more offspring that can survive and reproduce.
a large number of self-fertilized individuals.
Consider the model for natural selection. Describe a scenario that represents this model of natural selection.
In a population of rabbits, some are brown all year long. When it snows these rabbits cannot hide from predators and they become extinct.
In a population of sunflowers, mutations cause some flower heads to produce more seeds. More seeds means that there are more sunflower plants over time.
In a populations of birds, mutations result in different beak sizes so the birds do not compete for food in the area. The bird population is made up of birds with many different types of beaks.
In a population of herbivores, a change in the habitat provides leaves that are high up in the trees. The herbivores with longer necks can reach the leaves. They survive and reproduce. The herbivores, over time, have longer necks.
Staph infections, caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, are increasing in frequency and are more difficult to treat with antibiotics. Many staph infections are now caused by MRSA, and methicillin-resistant strain of S. aureus. What explains the more widespread phenomenon of MRSA prevalence in staph infections?
Vaccines for MRSA have become not effective because of changes to human immune systems.
The presence of antibiotics induced the bacterial genomes to mutate and develop resistance to the drug.
Decreased hospital sanitation practices to save money have resulted in increased presence of resistant staph infections.
Selective pressures by excessive antibiotic use have increased the frequency of resistant strains of S. aureus over the last few decades.
Natural selection involves changes in the genetic makeup of a population over a period of time. The random change of DNA from parent to offspring, called mutations, can help produce variations in offspring. Some mutations can be helpful, while others can be harmful. In this experiment, students modeled random mutations. Data was collected to determine if the mutations were helpful or harmful when trying to collect and eat food.
Imagine climate change causes an increase in global temperature, polar ice melts, and sea levels on Earth rise. The organisms in this study live in a coastal marsh. Global warming has caused flooding and the once marshy habitat is underwater. Compare and contrast the traits of each group. Which group would most likely survive and reproduce in this new habitat?
Group A
Group B
Group E
Group H
Darwin hypothesized that there are definite steps to natural selection. One is populations are large and in the population variation exists. Consider this population of disease-causing bacteria. What is the MOST LIKELY cause for variation in this population?
over-population
drug resistance
genetic mutation
sexual reproduction
Researchers studied genetic variation in the marine mussel Mytilus edulis around Long Island, New York. They measured the frequency of a particular allele (lap94) for an enzyme involved in regulating the mussel’s internal saltwater balance. The researchers presented their data of sampled sites within Long Island Sound, where the salinity is highly variable, and along the coast of the open ocean, where salinity is constant.
Considering natural selection, describe the expected allelic frequencies of the mussel populations found at the sites labeled A - D on the map.
Allelic frequency will only vary at sites C and D, closest to the end of the island.
All the mussel populations, sites A - D, are expected to have the same frequency of the lap94 allele.
Allelic frequency will vary proportionately; highest incidence of the allele should be found at site D.
The mussel population at site A will not have the allele; the mussel population at site D will have the allele.
In an experiment, 1000 rodents were released into a light brown sandy area where no rodents previously existed. The rodents’ fur color was either brown, black, or tan. There was a known predator of the rodents in the same area.
After several generations, what fur color frequency would a researcher expect to see?
Rodents of all three fur colors will maintain the same frequency, as they are at equilibrium for all genes in the gene pool.
Rodents with brown fur color will decrease in frequency since they will be outcompeted by both lighter and darker furred rodents.
Rodents with black fur color will decrease in frequency as they are more visible to the predator against the light sand background.
Rodents with tan fur color will decrease in frequency as they are unable to absorb as much solar radiation as darker mice and will have access to less free energy.
The light colored rock pocket mice in New Mexico blend in with the sandy soil of the area, but on darker lava flow, the light color makes them stand out, making them easy prey for owls, hawks, and other visual predators. Some mice have a darker fur color that makes them better able to survive predators in the lava environment. Over time, the darker colored mice became more common in the area of the lava flow.
Why did dark colored rock pocket mice first appear in the population?
Their environment changed.
They have a random gene mutation that affects their fur color.
Individuals within the population had to change color to blend in with the environment
Predators eat light-colored rock pocket mice, making dark-colored rock pocket mice more likely to survive.
One of the major elements of natural selection is that all species have genetic
digression
melanism
stability
variation
Which characteristics BEST describe a K- selected species?
I. fast maturity rate
II. grow slowly
III. live close to the carrying capacity of their habitat
IV. very few offspring produced
I, II
III only
I, II, IV
II, III, IV
Where should elephants be placed at on the graph provided and what is the reasoning for placing elephants in that exact given location?
Elephants should be placed near Type III because they are r-selected species. They have very few offspring along with a high mortality rate for their offspring.
Elephants should be placed near Type I because they are r-selected species. They have many offspring at a given time along with a high mortality for their offspring.
Elephants should be placed near Type III because they are K-selected species. They have many offspring at a given time along with a low mortality rate for their offspring.
Elephants should be placed near Type I because they are K-selected species. They have very few offspring at a given time along with a low mortality rate for their offspring.
______________ was demonstrated in the darkening of the population of the peppered moth in Europe over a relatively short period of time.
Natural selection
Natural integration
Kettlewell adaptation
Industrial modification
Suppose that the four species of finches shown at the top of the picture above, are all released onto an island in the middle of the ocean. The only species of plant is the betel palm, shown below. The betel palm produces large nuts with a tough outer husk.
According to the law of natural selection, which species of finch probably has the greatest chance to survive over the long term?
finch species 2
finch species 3
finch species 4
finch species 1
Evolution and natural selection are necessary for
the preservation of natural habitats.
the short-term survival of individual organisms.
the long-term survival of an entire species of organisms.
successful reproduction of a species with other members of that species.
