Evolution Basics
What is the process of living things changing over many generations?
Evolution
What are characteristics passed from parents to offspring called?
Inherited traits
What is natural selection?
Organisms with helpful inherited traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
What are the two eye colors studied in Trinidadian guppies?
Black and silver
What do fossils help scientists study?
Organisms from the past and evidence of evolution.
What do we call a trait that helps an organism survive?
Adaptation
What is the passing of traits from parent to offspring called?
Inheritance
Why are adaptations important?
They help organisms survive and reproduce in their environments.
Which male guppy trait did some females prefer?
Orange coloration
Where does the assessment map show the highest percentages of light eyes in Europe?
Northern Europe, especially areas around Finland and Sweden.
What is an ancestor?
An organism from an earlier generation that we are related to.
What molecule carries inherited genetic information?
DNA
What is artificial selection?
Humans choose which organisms reproduce to pass on desired traits.
What happened to orange coloration over generations when females preferred orange males?
It increased across generations.
What evidence supports a common ancestor for Kaibab and Abert’s squirrels?
They share similar genetic patterns and physical traits.
What happens during a mass extinction?
Many species die out in a relatively short geological period.
What is genetic drift?
A random change in how common inherited traits or alleles are in a population.
Why might sea stars with strong tube feet survive in tide pools?
Their tube feet help them cling to rocks during strong waves.
Why did Kaibab and Abert’s squirrels become separated?
A canyon and river formed barriers between populations.
Maple leaves attached to a tree stayed near 32.3°C; detached leaves rose from 32.2°C to 38.8°C. What does this suggest?
Attached leaves regulate temperature better than detached leaves.
Explain one cause of evolution and give an example.
Natural selection can increase helpful inherited traits; for example, tube feet help sea stars hold onto rocks.
How can a change in HERC2 lead to lighter eye color?
A HERC2 change can reduce OCA2 gene expression, producing less melanin and lighter eyes.
Name two conditions needed for natural selection.
A HERC2 change can reduce OCA2 gene expression, producing less melanin and lighter eyes.
Predict what happens to shiny guppy spots if dangerous predators are removed.
Shiny or iridescent spots would likely become more common; guppies with these spots face less predation.
Suggest a way to reduce harm to Kaibab squirrels from habitat fragmentation.
Protect habitat and build safe wildlife corridors to connect separated areas.