Natural Selection

If their environment changes to have only long flowers, which hummingbirds will survive?

• Guppies with large spots.

• The environment turned yellow.

• Hummingbirds with long beaks.

• Blue jays with thick beaks.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

If their environment changes to have many bighorn sheep, which of the following cactus populations will most likely survive?

• Those with longer spines.

• Ducks with thicker feathers.

• Guppies with large spots.

• The environment turned red.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The current population of guppies lives in an environment that has always had large rocks. Could there ever have been guppies with small spots in this population?

• A guppy could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the small-spot trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

• A squirrel could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the black trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

• Guppies with large spots.

• A squirrel could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the gray trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS3-1

NGSS.HS-LS3-2

In the beginning there were equal amounts of red and yellow tree boas. After 50 generations, there were only red boas. What happened to the environment that caused this?

• Guppies with large spots.

• The environment turned yellow.

• Those with longer spines.

• The environment turned red.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The population of squirrels shown above lives in an environment that has always had black trees. Could there ever have been squirrels with gray fur in this population?

• A guppy could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the small-spot trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

• A squirrel could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the black trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

• A squirrel could have been born with a mutation in its genes for the gray trait and lived for a little while, but it would have been more likely to die before it had any offspring.

• There were more floods. With each generation, more lizards with short legs survived long enough to pass on the gene for short legs to their offspring.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The population of seals once lived in an environment where the water was cold. The environment changed and now the water is very warm. What will the population look like after many generations?

• Most of the seals will have thick blubber.

• Ducks with thinner feathers.

• Most of the seals will have thin blubber.

• Ducks with thicker feathers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

How did the environment change between time 1 and time 2? How did the population change?

• There were more floods. With each generation, more lizards with short legs survived long enough to pass on the gene for short legs to their offspring.

• The environment turned red.

• Those with longer spines.

• The environment turned yellow.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

If their environment changes to have very cold water, which of the following duck populations will most likely survive?

• Guppies with large spots.

• Blue jays with thin beaks.

• Ducks with thicker feathers.

• Those with longer spines.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

If their environment changes to have only seeds in pine cones, which blue jays will survive?

• Blue jays with thin beaks.

• Guppies with large spots.

• Blue jays with thick beaks.

• Hummingbirds with long beaks.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Harbor seals live in northern oceans and have a layer of blubber (fat) that keeps them warm. Seals can have blubber of different thicknesses. Seals with thicker blubber are more likely to stay warm and survive in cold ocean waters. But, in warm ocean waters, thicker blubber can make the seals overheat and die. The population of seals once lived in an environment where the water was warm. The environment changed and now the water is very cold. What will the population look like after many generations?

• Most of the seals will have thick blubber.

• Ducks with thicker feathers.

• Most of the seals will have thin blubber.

• Ducks with thinner feathers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4