Natural Selection and Evolution

Darwin observed many finch species on the Galapagos Islands. To explain these observations, he

proposed that each species evolved from the same common ancestor, which was a finch species

that migrated to the islands from the mainland. What additional evidence did Darwin use to support

his explanation?

• The finch populations were very numerous, and different species often bred with one another.

• The finch species lived in different habitats on different islands, which isolated them from one another.

• The finch species were distributed evenly among all of the islands, but did not interbreed.

• The beaks of the finches were identical, allowing them to eat the same foods on any of the islands.

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Which of the following is a situation that could cause evolutionary change that is NOT due to natural selection?

• A volcano erupts and kills many individuals in a population.

• A mutation produces sea stars that are less visible to predators.

• An insecticide is sprayed in a community to combat mosquitoes.

• Cattle are treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of infections.

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A population that is isolated in a remote environment is still able to experience genetic variation. How could genetic variation that contributes to evolution occur in such a population?

• A mutation in a liver cell produces liver cancer.

• Lateral gene transfer occurs that produces an organism that is less resistant to drought.

• A mutation in an egg cell causes a change in DNA that produces an organism that is more sensitive to sunlight.

• A mistake in DNA replication before meiosis produces an organism that is better able to outrun predators.

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The graphs below show the changes in crab color at one beach.

Which of the following is most likely to have caused the change in the distribution?

• A new predator arrived that preferred dark-tan crabs.

• A new predator arrived that preferred light-tan crabs.

• A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the least visible to predators.

• A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the most visible to predators.

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The figure shows how natural selection of a single-trait gene affects lizard survival.

Which of the following most likely causes the changes in allele distribution?

• The allele for light gray coloration disappears from the population. This may be because light gray lizards are more visible to predators and therefore they might be less likely to survive and reproduce.

• The allele for black coloration decreases fitness and becomes less common. This may be because black coloration keeps the lizards cool during hot summer temperatures.

• Medium gray coloration in lizards appears to be a neutral mutant allele that allows the lizards to hide better from predators. This leads to increases in phenotype and allele frequency of gray coloration.

• Because black and medium gray lizards are less visible to predators, these alleles are neutral to natural selection and therefore will not disappear from the population of lizards.

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Which of the following best illustrates natural selection?

• An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.

• A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.

• A community whose members work together utilizing all existing resources and migratory routes.

• The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.

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Which of the following statements best describes what will most likely occur to the moth populations in the image above?

• The light moths will be captured by predators more easily than the dark moths, and the population of dark moths will rise.

• The light moths will be captured by predators more easily than the dark moths, and the population of light moths will rise.

• The dark moths will be captured by predators more easily than the light moths, and the dark moths will probably go extinct.

• The light moths will change their wing color to match that of the dark moths.

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The pair of population graphs below display the results of two different five-year hunting cycles, one on light trees and one on dark trees. The population of light-colored moths is shown by the light gray dots, and the population of dark moths is shown by the dark gray dots. How do these results demonstrate natural selection?

• The moth populations shown here demonstrate random fluctuations over time that are not explained by tree color.

• On light trees, individual moths tried to become lighter in color to match the tree background. On dark trees, individual moths tried to become darker in color.

• The moths that were the same color as their background were more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, the populations of these well-adapted moths increased.

• Small particles of tree bark became embedded in the moth’s wings, causing the moths to become darker on the dark trees and lighter on the light trees. These acquired traits were then passed down to the next generation of moths, causing the populations to change color over time.

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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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A yellow morph and green morph of an insect lives in the rainforest canopy. You would expect:

• the green population to increase and the yellow to decrease

• both populations should stay the same

• both populations will increase

• the green population to decrease and the yellow to increaseThis is a wrong answer

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