Question

If a drought reduces the amount of grass and other plants in the area, which species would have a competitive advantage and why? (1 point)
• Rabbits because they would have more variety of plants to eat and fewer competition.
• Foxes because the field mice would have fewer places to hide.
• Hawks because they would see more field mice and have less cover for themselves.
• Field mice because there would be more room to run from predators.
Which of the following shows that fossils provide evidence of evolution? (1 point)
• Fossils can be used to determine the climate of the past.
• Fossils of all life forms are found evenly distributed throughout rock layers.
• The deeper a fossil is buried, the better preserved it will be.
• Fossils of extinct organisms resemble living organisms, but with some key differences.
A population of lizards lives on a volcanic island. Over several generations, the volcano erupts, covering half of the island in black ash. The lizards that originally had brown skin struggled to camouflage themselves on the black ash and were more likely to be preyed upon. However, some lizards had a rare genetic mutation for grey skin, which allowed them to blend in better with their new environment.
Based on the principles of natural selection, what is the most likely outcome for the lizard population in future generations?
(1 point)
• The volcano will eventually become inactive, making brown skin advantageous again.
• All lizards will eventually develop grey skin.
• The brown lizards will develop the ability to change their skin color.
• The population size will remain stable with both brown and grey lizards.
Which of the following best explains how resource availability can drive natural selection in a population? (1 point)
• If there are plenty of resources, then there is no need for evolutionary change.
• An increase in resources leads to an increase in competition, which reduces genetic diversity.
• Unlimited resources result in stronger natural selection processes.
• A decrease in resources creates situations where individuals with preferred traits can survive and reproduce more than those without preferred traits.

Answer 1

1) Foxes — field mice would have fewer places to hide, making them easier for foxes to catch.

2) Fossils of extinct organisms resemble living organisms, but with some key differences — this shows change over time.

3) All lizards will eventually develop grey skin — (best choice here: natural selection will favor grey individuals, so grey traits will become much more common in future generations).

4) A decrease in resources creates situations where individuals with preferred traits can survive and reproduce more than those without preferred traits.