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A positive natural selection might occur for a variation which led to a grass dwelling beetle to be coloured green.
Biology - Natural Selection (AQA)
One subject looked at in GCSE Science is evolution. This is the second of two quizzes looking at that topic and it focusses in particular on the process of natural selection.
The usual story behind Darwin's theory of evolution gives the impression that he came up with it when he visited the Galapagos Islands during the voyage of the Beagle. But that is not the case. It was more than 50 years later when it was published. It is true that it was down to the birds that he observed on his trip but it was only many years later that he started to develop his ideas.
Whilst looking through his notes, he came to believe that the Galapagos Islands birds were all types of finch that had somehow 'transmuted' (that's just a long way of saying 'changed') from one form into another. The main difference between the birds was their beaks. He kept his ideas to himself for a long time because he had no idea how or why that could have happened.
1 .
Variation in a population of dark brown beetles in a public park creates a green version. In which of the following situations would a positive natural selection be most likely to occur?
On a park bench
On trees with light coloured bark
The beetles live entirely on the grass
The beetles live on the grass but find their food on the paths
In three of the situations the beetles could be crushed by people sitting or standing on them but that's not what the question is about. They would be camouflaged better on the grass than the black ones so they would be less likely to be spotted by predators. Because of this they would have more offspring and pass on the green gene to the next generation
2 .
Why is there always variation in any population?
Half of the genes come from the mother and half from the father
Genes are all changed during sexual reproduction
Cosmic radiation damages genes in the sperm and egg cells
Because of natural selection
The combination of the genes passed on from each parent is random which means every individual of a species will be different
3 .
What might happen to an individual that is not well suited to its environment?
It could die before it has had the chance to reproduce and its genes will not be passed on
It will be helped by other animals of the same species
It will learn to be successful and pass on its genes to the next generation
A hunter will catch and eat it
A poorly adapted individual will be unable to compete successfully for the resources it needs. Over time, genes that make a plant or animal will be lost from the gene pool of that particular population, leaving only the best adapted plants or animals
4 .
The example of dark peppered moths living in or near to British industrial cities following the Industrial Revolution, whilst light ones live in the countryside, shows what?
A change in an environment can result in the evolution of species living there
Evolution occurs so slowly that it is not possible to determine that it has happened in less than a million years
The environment in or near these cities has always favored dark coloured moths
There is a better supply of food for dark moths in cities
The dark moths are better camouflaged on trees made dirty by the Industrial Revolution, fewer are eaten by predators and so natural selecton here favours the dark version of the moth. The opposite applies to the countryside
5 .
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection failed to explain which of the following options?
There is less variation in a population every generation
New genetic varieties can appear in a population every generation
Populations of similar species could live in the same habitat
None of the above
This question tests if you realise that genetics was unknown at the time of Darwin. His theory could describe evolution but could not explain it in terms of genetics therefore the second option is the correct answer as it includes the word genetics. It also tests if you know that there is more variation in a population as time progresses unless you are dealing with a critically endangered species where fewer and fewer individuals are produced each year
6 .
A variation in a plant creates a variety that has seed pods that 'explode' when touched by an animal. How could this lead to natural selection of this characteristic?
The seeds would be scattered further from the plant
The animals like the feeling and will brush past the plant more, scattering more seeds
The seeds fly through the air which activates more of them
The seeds fly higher and when they hit the ground, they go in further meaning more will grow
This question is testing if you know two things - plants need space to grow and natural selection. Spreading the seeds out further will reduce competition for space to grow. Reduced competition would mean the plants are more successful and the 'exploding seed pod' characteristic is passed on
7 .
The structural similarities between the flippers of whales and the arms of humans are used to show what?
The human species began life in the oceans
Humans and whales have a common ancestry
Whales are older than the human species
Whales evolved from the human species
Comparing structural similarities is scientifically called comparative anatomy. The closer the similarity, the closer the link and the more recently they shared a common ancestor
8 .
Fossils have been used to support Darwin's ideas. Fossils of which of the following animals are often used?
Horse
Dog
Cat
Rabbit
The evolution of the horse from a creature the size of a dog to the animal we know today, is often used to support the theory because there are lots of fossils for each stage of the process
9 .
Darwin's ideas were not well recieved when he published them in 1859. Which of the following is a reason why?
He was not a trained scientist so other scientists would not believe him
He had upset the top scientists of the time so they persuaded everyone that his theory was rubbish to get their revenge
His book was so boring that no-one was able to read it
His ideas contradicted religious ideas about the Creation
As well as religious reasons, there was insufficient scientific evidence at the time and a knowledge of genetics and inheritance did not come until about 50 years later
10 .
Darwin's theory of evolution was based on what?
The disuse of body structures
The transmission of acquired characteristics
Natural selection
Mutagenic agents (things that cause mutations) in the environment
Disuse of body structures and acquired characteristics are key points of Lamarck's theory of evolution, which is generally regarded as being incorrect now. Mutagenic agents increase the rate of variation but there was no knowledge of these at the time of Darwin so he could not have based his theory on this idea
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