EVOLUTION MUTATION AND SELECTION- EXAM 2024/2025 WITH ALL CORRECT ANSWERS

EVOLUTION MUTATION AND SELECTION- EXAM 2024/2025 WITH ALL CORRECT ANSWERS The principle of natural selection states that the best adapted organisms are most likely to survive and reproduce. Was this demonstrated in your experiment? Explain. - CORRECT ANSWER This was demonstrated in my experiment because in generation two, there was an insect that had an M allele in its second sequence. This insect was able to survive after the birds ate all of the insects. This insect is light pink, which blends with the pink leaves. This shows how natural selection was demonstrated as it proves how when the insect was pink, it was able to survive better after the phrase of when the predator ate its preys. All of the other insects were white, which made them stand out. This shows how they are not best-adapted organisms. Why do you think it is necessary for there to be variation in a population in order for evolution by natural selection to occur? - CORRECT ANSWER There needs to be a variation in a population in order for evolution by natural selection to occur because natural selection can only decrease or increase the frequency of alleles that already exist in the population. This means that mutation and random mating between the organisms will produce different insects, and if those insects are eaten by the bird, then there will be no longer that type of genotype made in the population. This shows how then, the organisms that survive have high fitness and good adaption to the environment. This means the generations have good natural selection. This is why variation needs to occur in order for evolution by natural selection to occur. Imagine a white lizard and a brown lizard sitting on a brown rock. A hawk is circling overhead hunting for its next meal. Which lizard do you think the hawk would most likely try to catch? Explain your choice. - CORRECT ANSWER The white lizard would be more likely to be caught by the hawk due to how it doesn't blend in with the brown rock causing it to be more visible. It's not camouflaging to the rock which is the white lizard stands out. Now imagine that the same two lizards were sitting on a dune of white sand. Which lizard do you think the hawk would then most likely try to catch? Why? - CORRECT ANSWER The hawk would then be most likely try to catch the brown lizard because of how the color stands out more, in contrast to the white lizard sitting a dune of white stand. The change in the circled offspring's genotype was caused by a mutation. A mutation is a change in a gene. Mutations happen when a mistake is made when a cell's chromosomes are copied. How might mutations introduce variation into a population? - CORRECT ANSWER Mutations might introduce variation into a population because there are new alleles on the genes, which means different characteristics will be produced within the organism. This affects the population's genetic variation and it can be passed down on to the next generation. Can a single offspring inherit both chromosomes from one parent? - CORRECT ANSWER No, they are unable to inherit both chromosomes from one parent because the chromosomes are randomly distributed (aka independent assortment of chromosomes) You have already learned that mutation is one source of variation in a population. Based on what you have just seen, what is a second source of variation? ( - CORRECT ANSWER The bird ate the bugs based on their ability to be seen against the background. This is known as fitness because of the ones that survived reproduced. This causes changes in population-based on what's not dead (natural selection). How do you think this variation might affect the competition between the offspring? - CORRECT ANSWER This variation might affect the competition between the offspring because the differences in colors between the insects may give some a greater advantage of survival especially if they blend into the background better. This will make it harder for the predator to see them. To continue, the offspring’s may be different due to the variation. Compare the fitness percentages to the insect colors. How does fitness relate to the color of the insects? - CORRECT ANSWER Fitness relates to the color of the insects because the insects are able to blend into the background better. This allows them to survive for a longer duration of time, which allows them to reproduce more of their own kind. How do you think an insect's fitness will affect is chances of being eaten by birds? - CORRECT ANSWER If an insect has a greater adaption to the environment it is under, like being able to survive in cold weather, its fitness will be higher and will be less likely to be eaten by birds. To continue, the insects are able to have greater fitness if they blend with the environment they are living in. In contrast, the lower the fitness, the higher chance of them being eaten by the birds. If the insect has a high fitness, then they are able to produce offspring’s that are able to have a great chance of surviving. The population will contain a lot of this type of insect, reducing the chance of a bird to eat them.