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Vocabulary - Definitions
Vocabulary - Examples
Natural Selection
Examples of Adaptation
Examples of Natural Selection
100
What is the term for all the individuals of a species living in an area?
Population
100
Some peppered moths are dark, some are white, and some are spotted. This is an example of...
Variation
100
What is natural selection?
Individuals with the most beneficial traits are better able to survive and produce offspring, passing on their traits to the next generation.
100
Give an example of an adaptation in giraffes.
Long neck (to reach for leaves high up in trees)
100
In an arctic (snowy) environment, which do you anticipate would survive better: red foxes or white foxes? Why?
White foxes, because having the trait of white fur is better suited to the snowy environment.
200
What is the term for the differences in traits that exist across individuals in a population?
Variation
200
A mother bird has 6 baby birds in her nest, but she can only find enough food for 3. This is an example of...
Overproduction
200
Does natural selection take a long time or a short time?
Long time (over many, many, many, many, years)
200
Give an example of an adaptation in turtles.
Hard shell (protection from predators)
200
Bees are attracted to bright colors like red and pink. What do you anticipate would happen to a population of roses that had red, pink, and white flowers, and why?
The white flowers will eventually die because they won't be getting pollinated. Eventually, the rose population would be made up only/mostly of red and pink flowers.
300
What is the term for a trait that allows an individual to survive better than other individuals?
Adaptation
300
A snow hare's fur changes from brown to white during the winter when there is a lot of snow. This is an example of...
Adaptation
300
What is "fitness"?
How well an organism is able to survive and repreoduce in its environment
300
Give an example of an adaptation in a cactus.
- Spikes cover the leaves (defense against animals) - Can store water over long periods of time
300
A pumpkin farmer wants to grow the largest pumpkin possible. He mates his largest pumpkin with his second largest pumpkin and plants the seeds. The next year he mates the pumpkins from these seeds with his largest pumpkins. Eventually, he starts getting very large pumpkins. Is this natural selection or artificial selection, and why?
Artificial selection, because a human is selecting the traits for the pumpkins.
400
What is the term for the process by which humans change a species by breeding it for certain traits?
Artificial Selection
400
A black pepper moth gives birth to larvae who also turn out black as adults. This is an example of...
Heritability
400
How does variation lead to natural selection?
Since traits are different across individuals, only the individuals with traits that are well-suited for the environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
400
Give an example of an adaptation in skunks.
They can release a foul-smelling chemical (defense against predators)
400
A population of hummingbirds have long beaks and short beaks. The flowers the hummingbirds usually eat from have died and now the hummingbirds need to eat from smaller, shorter flowers. How do you anticipate will the population of hummingbirds change, and why?
The hummingbirds with long beaks will die off because they lost their source of food. Therefore, short-beaked hummingbirds will survive and reproduce. Eventually, most, if not all, hummingbirds would have short beaks.
500
What is the term for the ability of a trait to be passed down from one generation to the next?
Heritability
500
In a farm field, about half of the mice are black and half are white. Owls hunt for mice at night, so it is easier for them to find and eat the white mice. Over time, most mice found in the farm field are black. This is an example of...
Natural selection
500
Over time, natural selection results in descent with modification. What does this mean?
Natural selection will eventually result in a species with traits that are well adapted for survival and reproduction in an environment.
500
Give an example of an adaptation in humans.
Walking on two legs instead of four.
500
In a group of poison ivy, some plants do not produce the chemical that causes itching and can be eaten by animals. What do you expect will happen to this population, and why?
The poison ivy without the chemical will eventually die off. Only the plants with the chemical will survive and reproduce. Over time, most, if not all, plants in the group of poison ivy will be poisonous.