Natural Selection

The table shows the survival rate of two types of beetles in the same environment over a period of three years.

Which statement about the beetles in this environment is best supported by the data?

• Green beetles are more fit for the environment than brown beetles are.

• Brown beetles undergo a greater number of unfavorable mutations than green beetles do.

• Green beetles have a greater gene frequency among their population than brown beetles have.

• Brown beetles have a shorter life cycle than green beetles have.

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The diagram shows light- and dark-colored beetles that live on a tree. Which result is most likely to occur to the beetle population due to predation over time?

• The number of light-colored beetles in the population will increase.

• There will be more dark-colored beetles than light-colored beetles.

• The number of light-colored beetles will decrease.

• The dark-colored beetles will move to a different type of tree.

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Which of these statements best describes natural selection?

• Natural selection changes the traits of individuals.
• Natural selection prevents changes in the members of a species.
• Natural selection prevents changes in the traits of individuals.
• Natural selection changes populations

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What does the fossil record show about the history of species of Earth?

• Species stay the same over time.
• Species evolve from one form to another.
• Modern species have no relationship to ancient species.
• No species have become extinct in the last 2 million years.

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The genetic variation that leads to evolution can occur when genes from one population are introduced into the gene pool of a different population.  This process is known as

• mutation
• crossing over
• natural selection
• gene flow

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The quiver tree grows in desert areas in southern Africa. In recent decades average temperatures have been rising in southern Africa. Scientists predict that this warming trend will continue. Quiver trees in the hottest parts of their range near the equator are dying, but quiver trees at high elevations or in parts of the range that are farther from the equator are growing and reproducing. Which of these best explains what is happening to the quiver tree population in southern Africa?

• Individual quiver trees are unable to adjust to the rising temperatures, and only those in cooler parts of the range will survive.

• The quiver tree species is unable to survive rising temperatures throughout its range. The species is likely to undergo rapid extinction.

• The amount of thymine and guanine in the DNA molecules determines the length of the genes.

• The type of hydrogen bonding between the nitrogenous bases determines which amino acid will be added to the peptide chain.

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The green frog (Lithobates clamitans clamitans) is found in many parts of the United States. The table contains some information about this frog. Why does the ability to lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs increase the fitness of the species

L. clamitans clamitans?

• It increases opportunities for offspring to compete for limited resources.

• It increases the probability that some offspring will survive long enough to reproduce.

• It increases the probability that moving water will promote gene flow from one population

  to another.

• It increases the chance of the recombination of alleles, leading to genetic drift in the

  population.

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Some organisms have genes that improve their ability to survive and reproduce. If the genes also help their offspring survive and reproduce, then which of the following will most likely increase?

• The frequency of the genes in one individual

• The frequency of the genes in the population

• The number of genes in one chromosome

• The number of genes in the species

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A harmless scarlet king snake and a venomous eastern coral snake have similar band patterns, as shown below. For the scarlet king snake, the adaptation of having a banding pattern like the eastern coral snake’s is known as mimicry. The outcome of this adaptation in the scarlet king snake is to —

• make it easier for the scarlet king snake to attract prey

• make it easier for the scarlet king snake to interbreed with the other snake

• allow the scarlet king snake to blend in with its environment

• protect the scarlet king snake from predators

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Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed onto offspring?

• Because they are more likely to survive and reproduce.
• Because they look cooler.
• Because they come from recessive alleles.
• Because the trait is an acquired phenotype.

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