Station #5: Evolution Read over the Theory of Evolution study guide Answer the following questions: 1. Which of the following does not contribute to genetic variation among offspring? a. Division of cells in mitosis b. Fertilization of egg cells c. Mutations in gametes (eggs and sperm) d. Crossing over Pie tin, Ziploc of macaroni, 2 tweezers, 2 spoons, 2 binder clips, 2 toothpicks, timer, picture of skulls, picture of phylogenetic tree organisms 2. How is Natural Selection in the evolution of long necks in giraffe s best explained? a. Giraffe necks grew longer due to the bone structure in the animals changing because they had to reach higher branches. b. Giraffes with longer necks survived and reproduced because they were better suited for the environment. c. Long-necked giraffes mated only with other long-necked giraffes. d. Shorter-necked giraffes mated only with other short-necked giraffes. 3. 1,000 dark gray and 1,000 white ground beetles are placed on dark gray sand in one cage and white sand in another cage (see diagram below). Both cages contain insect-eating birds. Beetles are recaptured after 10 days. What is expected? a. More dark gray beetles in both cages. b. More white beetles in both cages. c. Equal numbers of dark gray and white beetles in both the dark gray and white sand cages. d. More dark gray beetles in the dark gray sand cage and more white beetles in the white sand cage. 4. The Asian shore crab preys on blue mussels. Fifteen (15) years ago the Asian shore crab invaded parts of the eastern coast of the United States. Since that time, the average shell thickness of the blue mussel population has increased. Which of the following is the most likely reason that this increase in shell thickness has occurred? a. Blue mussels with thick shells survive and reproduce more successfully than mussels without thick shells. b. Blue mussels with thick shells grow in larger colonies than mussels without thick shells. c. Blue mussels with thick shells catch more food per day than mussels without thick shells. d. Blue mussels with thick shells attract crabs more successfully than mussels without thick shells. 5. An allele is a: a. What someone looks like b. A type of musical instrument c. Version of a gene, like blue eyes d. A three letter set of DNA
6. A population of rabbits in Canada is mostly made up of rabbits with white coats. Warming temperatures cause less snow in Canada. Over 20 years, what would you expect to happen to the allele frequency of brown hair in the rabbit population? a. It would increase b. It would decrease c. It would stay the same d. It is impossible to tell 7. Mutations can be considered as one of the mechanisms of evolution because they a. are usually related to the environment in which they appear b. are usually beneficial to the organism in which they appear c. cause species of organisms to become extinct d. contribute to new variations in organisms 8. Mutations are: a. Good b. Bad c. Neutral d. Bad, good or neutral Pre-Industrial Revolution During the Industrial Revolution 9. In the case of the peppered moth population in England during the Industrial Revolution, what allowed the moths with the black phenotype (a mutation) to survive and reproduce better than the white moths as the trees in the forests became covered in coal dust (tree bark turned black)? a. Birds that ate the moths moved away from the forest when it became polluted. b. The black moths blended in with the black trees and were able to avoid being eaten by predators. c. The black moths were better at finding food than the white moths. d. The white moths became poisoned by the coal pollution. 10. Skeletal structures are common between two animals of different species. These structures probably exist because both species a. Are related to a common ancestor. b. Have survived until the present time. c. Live in the same environment. d. Have a common food source.
11. Using the diagram above, which two animals are more closely? a. Western clawed frog and lizard b. Dog and zebra fish c. Chicken and Turkey d. Platypus and armadillo 12. The olive ridley sea turtles have a special niche in Costa Rica, because they live mostly in the water, but come to the land in large numbers (sometimes over 500 turtles in one night) to nest. Which one of the following statements explains how these turtles niche leads to them being able to pass on their genes to their offspring: a. The turtles can protect their eggs from predators by burying them in the sand on land b. The eggs can experience a stable temperature when buried on land c. The large number of offspring that hatch overwhelm predators as they babies return to the ocean. d. All of the above 13. Why do frogs and fish in a stream have similar genes? a. Frogs and fish are made of molecules. b. Frogs and fish share a common ancestor. c. Frogs and fish get nutrients from the stream. d. Frogs and fish compete in the stream ecosystem. 14. Which of the following provides the best evidence that organisms of two different species share a common ancestor? a. The reproduce at the same time. b. They live in the same ecosystem. c. They have similar genes or DNA. d. They have similar body movements.
15. The fossil record supports which of the following descriptions of the evolution of life on Earth? a. Complex organisms evolved from more simple organisms. b. Life first appeared with the diversity found today. c. The importance of natural selection diminished over time. d. Large organisms appeared before single-celled organisms. 16. Examine the diagram of homologous structures (above). Which conclusion best explains the similarities of the forelimbs of all of these animals? a. All of these organisms are of the same species based on having the same set of bones with different functions. b. Despite their wide difference in function, they are the same set of bones inherited through a common ancestor. c. Even though there is a similarity in the DNA of these animals, they are not closely related. d. There is a definite difference in the DNA of each of these animals even though they are a similar set of bones; therefore they are not closely related. 17. In humans, the appendix is small and is not needed for digestion. In rabbits, the appendix is well developed and is used in the digestion of plant fibers. Which of the following provides the best scientific explanation for the presence of the appendix in both humans and rabbits? a. The appendix is inherited from a common ancestor of rabbits and humans. b. The appendix is evolving into a new type of organ in rabbits and humans. c. Rabbits and humans are both eukaryotes with similar cell structures. d. Rabbits and humans live in environments with similar conditions. 18. How does the fossil record provide evidence that evolution occurs? a. The fossil record indicates that life forms existed on Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago. b. The fossil record shows how the embryos of many different vertebrate species are very similar. c. The fossil record indicates the exact cause of structural and behavioral adaptations of organisms. d. The fossil record indicates that the structure of organisms have changed over time.
Read over the Classifying Organisms study guide. Answer the following questions: 19. Which scientific evidence would show that two species of birds are closely related? a. The two bird species have similar DNA sequences b. The two bird species eat many of the same insects c. The two bird species are found in the same area d. The two bird species have similar feather colors 20. Which scientific evidence would show that two species of birds are closely related? a. The two bird species have similar DNA sequences b. The two bird species eat many of the same insects c. The two bird species are found in the same area d. The two bird species have similar feather colors 21. Butterfly A and Butterfly B are two species of butterflies. Which of the following statements best explains why scientists classify them as two different species? a. Only one of the butterflies migrates in winter. b. Only one of the butterflies is found in North America. c. The two butterflies are not eaten by the same predators. d. The two butterflies cannot produce fertile offspring with each other. 22. A species is composed of a. Males and females in the same geographical range with the same ecological requirements. b. Populations that have the potential to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. c. A community with a group of reproductive females. d. Organisms located in the same habitat. 23. Looking the fossil record and DNA sequences has led scientists to develop phylogenic trees like the one above. What statement best summarizes how different species like a snake and a fern are related? a. Snakes and ferns do not have any common characteristics. b. Snakes and ferns are both eukaryotes. c. Snakes and ferns are both animals d. Snakes and ferns do not share an ancient ancestor.
24. Using the phylogenetic tree above, which of the following animals are the most closely related? a. Mollusks and bony fish b. Green algae and fungi c. Insects and crustaceans d. Mammals and amphibians Matching 25. A part of an organism that is similar in related species. 26. A part of an organism that looks similar in different species from the outside. 27. An organ or body part that is no longer used at all or as much as it once was. 28. The study of early development in different species. A. Comparative embryology B. Vestigial structure C. Analogous structure D. Homologous structure Short Answer Application Scenario: Research the Problem/Explore Ideas Growing Poinsettias Poinsettias are tropical plants that are sensitive to the conditions in their environment. A local plant nursery wants to grow poinsettias for local businesses to sell in December. Describe how to begin solving this problem. Be sure to describe these stages in your design process: Research the Problem: Describe any scientific information needed to solve the problem and how to collect that information. Explore Ideas: Describe several possible solutions to the problem, including any useful scientific concepts. Problem: How can you best grow tropical poinsettias in the Pacific Northwest? Research the Problem: Explore Ideas:
Do This: 1. Dump the bag of macaroni into the pie tin. 2. Your mouth is represented by the small cup, which cannot leave the counter. 3. Each partner takes his or her first beak (the toothpick), and sees how much food he or she is able to gather in 10 seconds. 4. Record number of macaroni in the table below, and return the macaroni to the tin. 5. Repeat step 3 and 4 except use the other three beaks instead of the toothpicks. Beak Macaroni Gathered (#) Toothpick Spoons Tweezers Binder Clips 1. Which beak was the most effective for eating macaroni? 2. What would happen if all the bird types we have been working with flew to an island where no birds had been before and the only food type was macaroni? Which bird beak type would most likely be successful and what would happen to the other birds? Explain your answer.
Do This: 1. Look at a picture of the three skulls. Fill out the data table below and answer the questions. Make observations or sketches of each skull Skull #1 Skull #2 Skull #3 1. What are some differences between the three skulls? 2. Order the skulls from earliest humans to modern day humans. 3. How can these skulls be used as evidence of evolution? Do This: 1. Observe the pictures of each adult animal. Sort them onto the phylogenetic tree on the right. Each branch point represents the common ancestor of all species that descended from it, moving upward from the most complex to the most primitive species. 8. Record the name of the animals onto the tree line once you and your partner have agreed. 9. The boxes represent characteristics, or homologies, shared by all descendants of this common ancestor. Fill these in with the criteria you used to sort the organisms. (i.e., lungs, legs )