Variation, Natural Selection, Extinction and Conservation

A distinct characteristic is a visible difference that exists between species.

• True

• False

Some people have pierced ears and some don't. Is this environmental or inherited variation?

• Environmental

• Inherited

Choose the examples of continuous variation.

• Height

• Hair colour

• Eye colour

• Weight

• Intelligence

Why do organisms compete for resources?

A population of frogs are living in a pond where there are no predators. A heron is introduced to the pond. Herons eat frogs.

One quarter of the frogs in the pond are very good at hiding from the heron. Pick which statement you think is most likely.

• After a few years, the number of frogs which are very good at hiding is still a quarter of the total number of frogs.

• After a few years, more than half of the frogs are very good at hiding.

• After a few years, none of the frogs are very good at hiding.

Cheetahs chase antelopes, catch them and eat them. Antelopes run away from cheetahs. Slow antelopes don't pass on their genes to the next generation. Explain why this is.

A species is said to be extinct when there are only two of them left in the wild.

• True

• False

What is the name given to a species that is at risk of becoming extinct?

Scientists are worried that climate change may cause a lot of organisms to become extinct. This is because climate change will cause the ___________ of many organisms to change quickly, so lots of them won't be able to __________ successfully for the resources they need. If species do become extinct it will __________ the biodiversity on Earth.

• Genes / Reproduce / Maintain

• Environment / Live / Maintain

• Genes / Compete / Increase

• Environment / Compete / Decrease

• Temperature / Live / Increase

Tick the different ways we can help maintain and even increase the world's biodiversity.

• Speed up global warming

• Prevent habitat destruction

• Expand our national parks and green spaces

• Create gene banks for the planet's animal and plant species