Darwin's Theory 1 copy

Which was Charles Darwin's contribution to the study of biology?

He proposed that natural selection is the primary mechanism of evolution.

In the African savanna, more wildebeests are born than the environment can support. Which is most likely to happen over a period of years as a result?

Individuals that are well suited to the environment reproduce, and those that have lesser adaptations die before they reproduce.

Which statement describes natural selection?

It must act on structural traits.

What is natural selection?

a process that selects variations that help with survival and that spreads the variations to more offspring

Before the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, most peppered moths found in and around Manchester, England, exhibited light-colored wings speckled with black. After the Industrial Revolution, peppered moths with dark wings became predominant in the area. mc019-1.jpgmc019-2.jpg Which term best describes the change from more light-colored moths to more dark-colored moths?

adaptation

According to the concept of "survival of the fittest," if a population of birds eats worms that they find deep under ground by using their beaks, which members of the bird population would be more fit?

birds that have longer beaks

Which would least likely be a cause of natural selection?

evolution

Koalas are marsupials that are found in eastern Australia. Although their ancestors lived mostly on the ground, modern koalas spend most of their time in eucalyptus trees. This is possible because their hands and feet have strong claws and opposable digits. mc018-1.jpg What other adaptation could have helped koalas as they evolved from land dwellers to tree dwellers?

fur color that closely matches the eucalyptus bark color

Which is a requirement for natural selection to occur?

heritable variations for some traits

A frog lays thousands of eggs because many eggs die. This behavior is an example of .

overproduction