10 Questions
What is the main difference between evolution and species?
Evolution involves cumulative changes in heritable characteristics of a population, while a species refers to a group of individuals that can mate and produce fertile offspring.
How does the fossil record contribute to the evidence for evolution?
The fossil record shows ancient forms of life that are extinct, illustrating specific evolutionary changes.
What is selective breeding and how does it relate to evolution?
Selective breeding refers to the deliberate breeding of plants and animals for specific traits, contributing to artificial selection.
How do individuals with advantageous traits contribute to evolution according to natural selection?
Individuals with favorable traits pass them on to their offspring, increasing the frequency of those traits in the population over time.
What happens when individuals of two different species mate?
They may produce offspring, such as a mule from a horse and donkey, which are fertile.
In selective breeding, why are individuals with specific traits chosen for reproduction?
Individuals with specific desirable traits are selected for reproduction to pass on those traits.
Why is it important that traits passed on through selective breeding are heritable?
Traits must be heritable to ensure they are passed down reliably to future generations.
How does the concept of fitness relate to natural selection?
'Fitness' represents an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment, influencing its evolutionary success.
What is the primary mechanism by which evolution occurs?
'Survival of the fittest' favors individuals with beneficial traits for survival and reproduction, leading to evolutionary change.
Why do individuals with advantageous traits have higher fitness according to natural selection?
'Fitness' measures an organism's success at surviving and reproducing based on its inherited characteristics.
Test your knowledge on the definitions of evolution and species, as well as the evidence for evolution provided by the fossil record and selective breeding. Learn about the cumulative change in heritable characteristics and the criteria for defining a species.
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