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Adaptations, Natural Selection and Selective Breeding

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Mountain lions are large cats and the top predator in their habitat. A population of mountain lions may vary in several characteristics. If a prey becomes scarce, competition between mountain lions for food will increase. Which variation would provide an advantage to the individuals that possessed it?

a)

a spotted coat

b)

short fur

c)

long legs

d)

abundant whiskers

2.

A farmer wants to increase the amount of food produced by corn crops. If the farmer selectively breeds the plants, for which trait should the farmer select?

a)

taller stems

b)

deeper roots

c)

resistance to pesticides

d)

more cobs on plant

3.

The breeding of organisms for desired characteristics.

a)

natural selection

b)

variations

c)

selective breeding

d)

ancestor

4.

Characteristics of an organism that enable it to survive.

a)

variation

b)

adaptation

c)

artificial selection

d)

natural selection

5.

Explains how populations change as their environment changes.

a)

ancestor

b)

selective breeding

c)

artificial selection

d)

natural selection

6.

An adaptation that involves the way an organism behaves.

a)

structural adaptation

b)

functional adaptation

c)

natural selection

d)

behavioral adaptation

7.

An adaptation that involves color, shape, and other physical characteristics.

a)

structural adaptation

b)

functional adaptation

c)

behavioral adaptation

d)

natural selection

8.

Island chain where Darwin observed many varieties of species.

a)

Hawaiian

b)

South American

c)

Galapagos

d)

Philipines

9.

A beneficial __________ in neck length spreads throughout a tortoise population through natural selection.

a)

offspring

b)

species

c)

ancestor

d)

variation

10.

The process by which populations of organisms with variations that help them survive in their environments live longer, compete better, and reproduce more than those that do not have the variation.

a)

Evolution

b)

natural selection

c)

adaptation

d)

extinction

11.

An inherited trait that increases an organisms chance of surviving and reproducing in its environment.

a)

variation

b)

species

c)

natural selection

d)

adaptation

12.

An adaptation that enables a species to blend in with its environment.

a)

behavioral adaptation

b)

natural selection

c)

functional adaptation

d)

camouflage

13.

Which of the following is an example of a structural adaptation in animals?

a)

A) Migration patterns

b)

B) Camouflage

c)

C) Hibernation

d)

D) Nest building

14.

In a population of beetles, some have green shells and some have brown shells. If birds prefer to eat green beetles, what is likely to happen to the beetle population over time?

a)

A) The green beetles will become more common.

b)

B) The brown beetles will become more common.

c)

C) The population will remain the same.

d)

D) Both green and brown beetles will become extinct.

15.

A farmer wants to breed cows that produce more milk. Which method should the farmer use to achieve this goal?

a)

A) Natural selection

b)

B) Genetic engineering

c)

C) Selective breeding

d)

D) Random mating