Evolution, Natural Selection, and Speciation

Master natural selection and evolution! This worksheet covers Darwin's theories, evidence, and adaptation.

Evidence for Evolution Review:Sperm whales have vestigial hip bones, and a small percentage of sperm whales also have vestigial hind limbs. Which of the following statements best explains the presence of these vestigial structures in sperm whales? Sperm whales evolved from ancestors that walked on land. Sperm whales are in the process of evolving into land mammals. These structures are acquired by each individual sperm whale during its lifetime. These structures resulted from sperm whales having a long period of embryonic development. Which of the following is the best scientific evidence that mammals evolved from reptiles? Similarities in the diets of extinct reptiles and modern mammals Similarities in the average lifespans of modern reptiles and modern mammals Fossils of ancient reptiles and mammals that appear together in the same layers of rock Fossils that show gradual changes in skull shape from reptile-like organisms to mammal-like organisms Which of the following statements are true? Layer B has fossils that are younger than layer A because they are found lower layers of sedimentary rock. Layer A has fossils that are younger than layer B because they are found in the upper layers of sedimentary rock. Layer C has fossils that are younger than layer B because they are found in the upper layers of sedimentary rock. The table below shows small portions of the amino acid sequences of a particular protein in four animal species. Based on the data in the table, which two species are most closely related? Species 1 and 2 Species 1 and 3 Species 1 and 4 Species 3 and 4 Charles Darwin Review Darwin obtained a naturalist's position aboard a ship called the HMS Beagle which was captained by Robert FitzRoy. The trip would last 5 years and take him around the world. During this time Darwin collected plant, animal, and fossilized specimens and was able to closely observe the biological principles he learned in school.Darwin's trip on the HMS Beagle lasted from 1831-1836. His favorite location included the Galapagos Archipelago found off of the coast of South America. He spent five weeks there and his findings were instrumental in developing his scientific theories. He discovered that the unique animals of the mainland and many islands were similar to one another. This led him to wonder about their origins - how did they get there and why did they vary just slightly from one another depending on their location?Darwin specifically studied finches, which were a type of bird. He determined that the finches varied from place to place because they all descended from a common ancestor on the mainland; and because the birds were isolated on the different islands with various types of foods and climates, new populations were formed, causing them to evolve into thirteen different finch species.It took Darwin 20 years to explain WHY organisms evolved using his theory of evolution by natural selection. Natural selection is where species that are best adapted to their environment will survive and reproduce, thus passing on their beneficial genes. Over time, the population shifts to having that trait more because those not adapted die off and don't pass on their genes. Natural Selection Review Click to fill in the blanks. Natural selection is the driving force behind evolution. Nature essentially decides who lives and who dies based on several factors: a competitive struggle to survive, reproduction and passing favorable traits on to offspring, overproduction of a population which leaves more offspring born than can survive, survival of the fittest, and speciation which is the creation of new species evolving from a common ancestor over time.Survival of the fittest refers to the process of natural selection. It does NOT mean the fittest in terms of strength or size, instead it refers to an organism's ability to survive and reproduce within a particular environment by ways of finding food, obtaining a mate, securing its habitat, etc. Individuals who are better adapted to their environmental conditions have a greater chance of passing their successful traits on to the the next generation of offspring. Genetic variation and mutations of a species increases their chances of surviving in a changing environment. Those that are not well-adapted to their environment do not reproduce as often because they don't live as long. An organism that survives but cannot reproduce or one that does not survive a long time is deemed unfit. Sort the statements based on whether they describe Artificial Selection (selective breeding) or natural selection. There will be 5 for each group. Natural Selection Organisms best adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully than those that are less adapted Bacteria that develop a mutation that allows them to survive an antibiotic will live long enough to reproduce and so spread the 'survival' gene to subsequent generations Over a period of several thousand years the deer mice that live in the sandy soil of Nebraska developed a pale coat that helped them evade predators The angler fish lives in the deep, dark ocean and produces a light that attracts prey Populations of lizards that have a certain trait become more numerous after a change in climate Artificial Selection The intentional breeding of organisms by humans to produce organisms with desired characteristics The Belgian Blue cattle was created to be extremely muscular, therefore providing lots of beef Alaskan Sled dogs have been bred to be healthy and have endurance to run long distances Many varieties of tomatoes have been created to be different sizes, colors, tastes, and tolerant to different growing conditions Farmers allow only sheep that produce the best wool to breed Adaptations that results from natural selection are expected to increase the fitness of an organism. In terms of natural selection, which of the following best describes fitness? Being able to escape from predators Being among the strongest organisms in a population Being able to survive, find a mate, and produce offspring Being able to survive long enough to reach the adult stage Differences among individual members of the same species are referred to as.... Variation Fitness Natural Selection Adaptation How does natural selection act on a phenotype? by allowing the undesirable traits to be passed on to the offspring by creating new phenotypes that are desirable for the species by selecting those traits that are beneficial to the survival of the species by mutating the current phenotype How does Natural Selection lead to the evolution of new species? The strongest organisms will survive long enough to pass on their genetic traits to future generations. The strongest organisms will survive long enough to pass on the things they have learned to future generations. The organisms that are best adapted to their environment will survive long enough to pass on their genetic traits to future generations. The organisms that are best adapted to their environment will survive long enough to pass on the things they have learned future generations. Some lizards have an adaptation that allows their tails to break off with minimal damage to bones, nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. This type of lizard can then regrow the missing portion of the tail. Which of the following statements best explains why this adaptation is selected for in lizard populations? Lizards with this adaptation are better at climbing trees. Lizards with this adaptation are more likely to escape from predators. Lizards with this adaptation can use their tails as lures to attract more food. Lizards with this adaptation can camouflage themselves more easily in vegetation. The smooth-skinned, leaf-tailed gecko lives on Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa. The gecko hunts at night and sleeps on trees by day. The color and pattern of the gecko’s body resembles leaves. Which of the following statements best explains how the gecko’s unique body color and pattern evolved? All the geckos needed to look like leaves in order to live in trees and therefore acquired the necessary trait. Individuals with bodies that looked the most like leaves interbred only with other green or brown lizard species. Gene sequences of all the geckos mutated to produce the leaf appearance when ancestral geckos moved from mud to trees. Individuals with bodies that looked the most like leaves were better able than other individuals to avoid predators and passed on the trait. SpeciationThis picture shows the biodiversity that exists today on Earth. Over 1.5 million species have been described!However, most (99%) of the species that have ever existed on the planet (the planet is 4.6 billion years old) are no longer here, they are extinct! When has speciation occurred? When populations no longer look the same When populations no longer have the same frequency of alleles When populations can no longer interbreed When populations are living in different environments The disappearance of a species refers to evolution migration extinction mutation