Adaptations
What is a structural adaptation of a giraffe that helps it survive?
It's long neck, which allows it to reach high leaves.
Who is most often credited with developing the theory of natural selection?
Charles Darwin.
Define biodiversity.
The variety of genes, species, and ecosystems within living things.
What do homologous structures show us about species?
That they share a common ancestor.
Who is the main character of The Summer I Turned Pretty?
Isabel “Belly” Conklin
What is a behavioural adaptation?
Migration, hibernation, hunting in groups
True or False: Natural selection causes changes in individuals during their lifetime.
False – it acts on populations over generations.
What is the difference between variation within a species and between species?
Within = differences among individuals of the same species; between = differences across species.
Give an example of a vestigial structure in humans.
Appendix, tailbone, or ear muscles.
What are the names of the two brothers Belly is close to?
Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher.
What type of adaptation is a snake's venom?
Physiological
What two main factors does natural selection rely on?
Variation and selection pressures.
What process introduces brand-new traits through small DNA changes?
Mutations.
What is the fossil record?
Preserved remains of organisms
Where does Belly spend her summers?
Cousins Beach.
Why do desert plants often have thick, waxy leaves?
To reduce water loss and store moisture
Describe how moths during the Industrial Revolution demonstrated natural selection.
Dark moths blended into soot-covered trees and survived, while light moths stood out and were eaten.
How does gene flow increase genetic diversity?
Migration introduces new alleles into a population.
Did we evolve from apes?
No, we share a common ancestor
Which character struggles with grief after Susannah’s illness?
Conrad.
Penguins huddle together in large groups during winter. What type of adaptation is this and why is it useful?
Behavioural adaptation; it helps them conserve heat and survive extreme cold.
Explain how variation and selection pressures interact in natural selection.
Variation provides different traits, and selection pressures determine which traits help survival and reproduction.
Why is genetic diversity important for the long-term survival of a species?
It allows populations to adapt to changes, resist diseases, and survive environmental shifts.
How did Darwin’s finches provide evidence for natural selection?
Their beak shapes evolved differently on various islands to adapt to available food sources.
What song does Belly say always reminds her of Conrad?
“Wonderwall” by Oasis.