Natural Selection vs. Artificial Selection

When humans select for desirable traits in agricultural products or animals, rather than leaving the species to evolve and change gradually without human interference, like in natural selection.

• Natural Selection

• Artificial Selection

• Agricultural Bredation

• Human Selected Traits

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When you have an infection, the multiplying pathogenic bacteria inside of you are not all identical. Most of them are the same, but every now and again one of of them will be slightly different genetically. Because of these slight genetic differences, harmful conditions, like the presence of an antibiotic, might kill most of the pathogenic bacteria but some may be better able to survive and then thrive. These characteristics are favored in this environment so these bacteria can continue to thrive, and make you ill. Does this scenario represent natural or artificial selection?

• Natural Selection

• Artificial Selection

• Selective Breeding

• Pathogenic Breeding Pattern

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Domestication is the act of separating a small group of organisms (wolves, in this case) from the main population, and select for their desired traits through breeding. Over thousands of years, the domestication of wolves resulted in the loss of some of the more aggressive traits, like the instinctual, defensive behavior in the presence of humans (barking or howling, bearing their teeth, poising to attack, or running away), and the size and shape of their teeth. Now humans select for a variety of traits in dogs based on personal preference and companionship, instead of as a way to increase human survival. What type of selection does this scenario represent; Natural or Artificial?

• Natural Selection

• Artificial Selection

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Natural or Artificial Selection? A scientist identifies the genetic information that coded for drought resistance from another plant, then inserts that into the blueprints of a corn species to make it more resistant to drought!

• Natural Selection

• Artificial Selection: Genetic Modification

• Artificial Selection: Hybridization

• Artificial Selection: Inbreeding

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Finch species living on the islands exhibit a variety of beak types that favor different foods.Finches that eat seeds and plant parts have beaks of the shorter, thicker variety while finches that eat insects and other small organisms have thin, pointed beaks. Drought has hit the Galapagos Islands. Plant species are dying out; seeds and nuts have all but vanished. Of these four finch species, which is MOST LIKELY to survive under these conditions?

• Finch 1

• Finch 2

• Finch 3

• Finch 4

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All of the scenarios are examples of evolution with the EXCEPTION of the

• loss of hind limbs by whales.

• gradual loss of toes on the feet of horses.

• change of a caterpillar into an adult butterfly.

• change of bones in ostriches, from hollow to solid.

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In the warm southwest United States rabbits are brown and have long ears. In polar regions rabbits are white and have shorter ears. Why do rabbits from polar regions have white fur?

• The white fur is more attractive.

• The white fur camouflages them in the snow.

• The white fur reflects more light warming the rabbit.

• The white fur makes the rabbits stand out in the snow.

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One of the major elements of natural selection is that all species have genetic

• digression.

• melanism.

• stability.

• variation.

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What word describes a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment?

• natural selection

• mutation

• camouflage

• adaptation

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What word describes the process of having the advantageous traits that helps an organism survive  and reproduce?

• natural selection
• adaptation
• mutation
• genetic engineering

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