Natural Selection
What types of things can species compete for? Name 3
Food, water, avoidance of predators, shelters, mates, resources
What is adaptation?
A trait that increases an organism's chance of surviving and reproducing
What happens if a species can't adapt to its environment?
Dies off/becomes extinct
Who "discovered" the idea of natural selection by studying plants and animals?
Charles Darwin
Who is on the 1 dollar bill?
George Washington
What is the first step in the process of natural selection?
Variations within a species
Define mutation
a random change in the DNA sequence of a gene
Using a wolf, state two possible adaptations it may have evolved to have
hunt in a pack - behavioral
thicker fur/fur color - structural
body size, speed, migrating
Pick one of the (20) birds we discussed. Name it and state specifically how its beak shape has become an adaptation to its food source (environment)
Eagle - hook beak to tear meat
Hummingbird - thin, long to drink nectar
Woodpecker - sharp and cone shape to drill
Toucan - serrated large beak to reach & open fruits
Sparrow - very small for small seeds
[flamingo, pelican, ibis, oystercatcher, avocet]
What weighs more? One ton (2 pounds) of concrete or 1 ton of feathers?
They weigh the same - 1 ton
Why don't bacteria often have variations (and are therefore unable to adapt & evolve)?
They are asexual
[when ONE parent produces offspring, they are identical to the parent and each other]
What is "fitness"?
The ability of an animal to survive longer and reproduce more offspring
Give 2 examples of a behavioral adaptation.
Hibernate. Burrow. Migrate. Nocturnal. Hunting in packs. Playing dead.
What two animals did Darwin study when learning about the idea of natural selection?
Finches and tortoises
There are nearly 118 elements (the molecules that make up literally everything). Name 4
Oxygen, carbon, gold, helium, sodium, along with 195 more....
What 2 natural things cause genetic variation within a species?
Mutations and sexual reproduction
What is meant by allele frequency?
How often a specific trait occurs in a population (how many individuals have that trait)
Give 3 examples of a structural adaptation.
Fur thickness. Camo. Large wings. Large ears. etc
In the case of the peppered moths, where did this occur and what was the cause of the environmental change that led to the shift in moth coloration?
England
The Industrial Revolution (pollution)
There are 7 continents. Name 5.
Asia, North America, South America, Antartica, Africa, Australia, Europe
Give an example of one random and one non-random factor that could change the frequency of variations in a species.
Random: severe weather event, mutations, disease, change in environment or needs
Non-random: the process of natural selection, changing of seasons, human-made environmental change
What is artificial selection? Give an example of an organism artificially selected
When humans select the best (desired) traits and change the population or species
Dogs, plants, crops, farm animals
What are the 3 types of adaptations?
Structural, behavioral, functional
Where did Darwin make his observations?
Galapagos Islands
How many countries are there?
(must be within a close range)
195