What I need to know about Natural Selection & Classification
1. Describe how adaptations can influence an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce.
Read the following scenarios and identify the adaptations:
Highlight the adaptation(s):
Scenario A: A population of land snails colonized a field of light-colored grasses. At first, the
population contained two types of snails, one with brown bands on their shells and another with
yellow bands on their shells. After 10 years, most of the snails had shells with yellow bands.
Highlight the adaptation(s):
Scenario B: Rabbits that live in warm climates have larger ears than rabbits that live in cold climates.
Larger ears allow rabbits to cool themselves by releasing body heat.
Highlight the adaptation(s):
Scenario C: Penguins are designed for life in the sea. Some species spend as much as 75% of their
lives in the water. (They lay their eggs and to raise their chicks on land.) Heavy, solid bones act like a
diver's weight belt, allowing them to stay underwater. Their wings, shaped like flippers, help them "fly"
underwater at speeds up to 15 mph. A streamlined body, paddle-like feet, insulating blubber, and
watertight feathers all add to their efficiency and comfort underwater. They also have a remarkable
deep-diving ability.
In addition to blubber for insulating warmth, penguins have stiff, tightly packed feathers (up to 70 per
sq. in.) that overlap to provide waterproofing. They coat their feathers with oil from a gland near the
tail to increase impermeability. Black and white counter shading makes them nearly invisible to
predators from above and below.
Like most birds, penguins have little or no sense of smell (a boon for those in a crowded penguin
rookery!) Like other birds, their sense of taste is also limited. Their vision appears to be better when
they are underwater. Scientists suspect they may be nearsighted on land.
Read the following description of a tropical environment. List some adaptations that an
animal would need in this particular environment to survive and reproduce.
This planet is tropical: wet and hot. Most of the planet is covered by rainforest. The planet is very flat.
Water collects in large pools and lakes, which have water in them all year 'round. A species of
poisonous plant grows thickly on the ground. The spines of this plant are poisonous, and any animal
that steps on one is sure to die. The vegetation is plentiful, and includes leaves, fruits and nuts.
Animals include carnivorous snakes, varieties of insects, monkeys, fish and birds.
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Use the following word bank to complete the paragraph:
size, observable, behaviors, genes, adaptive, structure, finding, mutations, color, diet, traits,
attracting
Variations in a population provide favorable __________ that give an organism its _______________
advantage. In turn, this may cause changes in the population. Sometimes these changes are very
dramatic other times they are quite subtle. Variations are not always _______________, meaning
they are not always seen; sometimes the changes occur inside of an organism. Variations are the
result of ________________ – you remember this, deletion, insertion, translocation, and addition also
through the recombination of ________. There are different types of variations and they can include
differences in the bone _____________ of an organism as well as the ___________________of an
organism. Some examples are ___________food, providing protection, ______________ a mate,
communicating, _________ of fur, _________of teeth, size of ears, and _________ just to name a
few.
What effect does variation have on individuals within a population?
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Read the sentences below and circle the correct word choice.
The difference in the fur color of the individual rabbits shown above is variation/evolution. (Circle
one)
Mutations/Competition (Circle one) will result in variation within a species.
2. Explain the theory of natural selection and the effect of the environment on natural
selection of a species.
Organisms that are _______ suited for a particular ___________________ are able to
_____________ and ______________.
What type of environmental factors effect natural selection?
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How does the environment control natural selection?
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3. Evaluate the evidence for evolution
Identify the type of evidence for evolution that is pictured and describe how this type of evidence
supports evolution. The types of evidence of evolution are embryonic development, anatomical
structures, DNA fingerprinting, fossil record
Picture
Type of Evidence
Description of how evidence supports
evolution
4. Determine the degree of kinship between organisms by comparing similarities among
amino acid sequences.
How many differences are there between:
a.
b.
c.
a pig and a kangaroo ______
a turkey and a turtle ______
a human and a duck _______
Is the rabbit more closely related to the rattlesnake or the tuna? Explain why?
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DNA was extracted from four organisms to determine there
relatedness.
Identify which two organisms are most closely related and
explain why.
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5. Classify organisms and explain the benefits of classification
Why on Earth would you want to classify organisms?
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6. Recognize relationships between organisms using a diagram (Phylogenic tree)
Which group of organisms is most closely related to
the mollusks?
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Are fish more closely related to arthropods (lobster,
spider, etc.) or amphibians (frog) and why?
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Which organisms would be least closely related to the
crocodiles? Explain why.
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