MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

What is the major reason that biodiversity is important in nature?

a. It increases the population.

b. It makes the earth prettier.

c. It makes ecosystems more stable.

d. It gives humans more resources.

e. It narrows the food web.

Correct Answer: c

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

A group of squirrels were living together in the same forest. Because of an earthquake the forest was split into two separate forests divided by a large, rapid river. Squirrels were separated equally between the two different forests. Millennia later these two populations of squirrels were two different species. Which of the following would be the most plausible explanation?

a. Evolution has occurred because the squirrels became more complex over time.

b. Evolution has occurred because squirrel populations diverged over time.

c. Random mating has occurred because there were half as many squirrels to mate with.

d. Ionizing radiation from the sun has caused mutations in one groups of squirrels.

e. Artificial selection has occurred because the environmental pressures for the first group of squirrels was different than those for the second.

Correct Answer: b

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Which of the following is NOT an example of selective breeding?

a. in vitro fertilization

b. hybrid corn

c. Shetland pony

d. Siamese cat

e. seedless orange

Correct Answer: a

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

When a breeder chooses only the best animals or plants for mating, he makes use of the method of

a. crossbreeding

b. sex linkage

c. mutation

d. selection

Correct Answer: d

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

The desirable characteristics of two wheat plants of different varieties may be combined in the offspring by

a. adaptation

b. grafting

c. cross-pollination

d. self-pollination

Correct Answer: c

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Farmers use only tomato plants that will produce the biggest and most abundant crop. This is an example of:

a. adaptation

b. artificial selection

c. mutation

d. natural selection

Correct Answer: b

MC	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Mating two dogs of the same breed to get a certain hair color is an example of

a. crossbreeding

b. natural selection

c. selective breeding

d. selective coloration

Correct Answer: c

I	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Kettlewell raised more than 3000 caterpillars to provide adult moths. He marked the wings of the moths these caterpillars produced so he would recapture only his moths. In a series of trials in the country and the city, he released and later recaptured the moths. The number of moths recaptured in the trial indicates how well the moths survived in the environment. Examine the table below.

Comparison of country and city moths
Location		Numbers of light moths	Numbers of dark moths
Country	Released	496	488
	Recaptured	62	34
City	Released	137	493
	Recaptured	18	136

1. Calculate the percentage of moths recaptured in each experiment.

Country

Light moths ________ Dark moths ________

City

Light moths ________ Dark moths ________

2. The recapture of moths indicates:

a. Dark moths survive better in the city.

b. Dark moths survive better in the country.

c. Light moths survive better in the city.

d. There is no difference in the survival rates of white moths in either environment.

3. Propose an explanation to explain the difference between recapture rates of the two moths in the city.

Correct Answers:

1. Country

Light moths: 12.5 Dark moths: 6.96

City

Light moths: 13.1 Dark moths: 27.6

2. a

3. Possible Answer: Fewer light moths are captured because of environmental conditions which makes them less fit to survive.

I	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Read the following essay about the breeding of an endangered species, the Guam Rail. Answer the questions that follow.

The Guam Rail is a shy, secretive bird native to the rainforests of Guam. They are no longer found on the island, however, because of the introduction of Brown Tree Snakes. These voracious predators have wiped out much of the native bird population due to their appetite for eggs. A few individual rails now survive in captivity, but increasing their numbers has been a problem due to the possibility of inbreeding. A procedure called DNA fingerprinting is being used to select the best individuals for breeding.

In this procedure DNA is taken from the cells of prospective mates. It is cut apart using enzymes, then placed in an electrical field. The DNA fragments carry an electrical charge so they get pulled in the direction of the opposite charge. Large pieces move less distance than smaller pieces. The resulting pattern (which looks something like a bar code) is the DNA print. Those birds with the least similar DNA are generally the best candidates for breeding because they are the most distantly related.

1. What technology is being used to save these birds from extinction?

2. Why must this technology be used?

3. How will this technology lead to greater biodiversity in this tropical ecosystem?

Correct Answers:

1. DNA fingerprinting

2. To ensure breeding of the most distantly related birds.

3. The rails will be more successful because of a stronger gene pool and could improve the habitat for other natural species (predators, other birds, etc.).

E	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Evolution: Write Hypotheses

Teacher Guide:

Materials: Student response sheet

Scoring Guide:

Score each statement as follows:

4 Hypothesis is stated as If__________ then _________ with the variable in the first blank and the result, "the characteristic will disappear from the species" in the second blank. e.g. "If plants which produce deep roots are grown where the water table is high year after year, then the species will eventually develop a shallower root system."

3 The statement written, links the experiment variable to extinction of the species.

2 Only one variable is mentioned. e.g. "Plants with a deep root system could possible develop a shallower root system."

1 Student write hang related to root systems of plants but does not mention either variable.

Hypotheses About Evolution

Student worksheet:

As Charles Darwin considered the species of plants and animals on the Galapagos Islands, he wondered why some species of birds were so different in some of their characteristics. Later, the idea came to him the that some genetic traits in a population would make their possessors better able to survive and reproduce then would others. These ÒfavoriteÓ traits would thus increase in frequency in the population in future generations. He called this process natural selection.

In nature there are many things that seem to influence the characteristics of an organism. For instance, bears that live out their lives in the ice and snow of the far north have white coats. These coats seem to help camouflage the bears. A person could hypothesize that if we changed the surroundings of polar bears, moved them all to a deciduous forest for instance, over many years the species of bear would develop a different colored coat of hair. These changes could help them survive in their new environment.

Directions: Think of a species of organism. On the lines below list several of its outstanding characteristics.

1.__________________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________________________________

Now choose three of the characteristics you listed and predict what would happen to each characteristic if somehow something in the environment of the organism changed. Write each of your three predictions on a line below as an hypothesis.

1.__________________________________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________

E	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

After reading the following paragraph, use the principles of genetics that you have learned to explain the phenomenon of pest resistance.

"The resistance of pest insect species has always been a problem with the use of chemical pesticides. One type of spray may work well for several years, then more and more pests start to survive each application. Eventually a new pesticide must be found."

Sample Answer:

When a pesticide is first used it kills a large percentage of the pest population. A few individuals survive, however. They have a different genetic make-up than the rest of the population; this makes them resistant to the effects of the chemicals. This variation may have arisen due to recombination or mutation in their genes. These individuals that survive are then likely to pass this successful genetic change on to their offspring. The resistant trait thus increases. After several generations the population is largely resistant to the currently used pesticide, and a new method of pest control must be found.

Scoring Guide:

4 - Explanation links the resistance to genetic variation and uses genetic principles (terminology).

3 - Explanation links resistance to genetic change but does not use specific genetic terms.

2 - Explanation focuses on environmental changes as bringing about resistance.

1 - Explanation not relevant to genetic or environmental changes.

E	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Explain the process of natural selection.

Correct Answers:

4 main ideas

Overproduction

Variations among offspring

Some variations will make the organism more likely to survive

Survivors pass those traits to offspring

Scoring Guide:

Student must get all four points to pass essay.

E	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Justify the argument that populations rather than individuals evolve.

Correct Answer:

Evolution is the change of the frequency of alleles within the gene pool. Mutations occur with regularity in individuals but it takes time for those changes to be passed on and affect the allele frequency. As a general rule, the genes of an individual do not change and dies when the individual dies. But the population, made of many individuals sequentially over many generations, will change in genetic makeup (evolves) as some alleles prove more effective in reproduction than others.

Scoring Guide:

Full credit: The answer indicates a strong relationship between evolution and changes in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool.

Partial credit: the answer does not fully indicate that a relationship exists between changes in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool and the process of evolution.

No credit: The answer shows no relationship between evolution and the change in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool.

E	Biology	Standard: 05
Objective: 01. Relate principles of evolution to biological diversity.
ILO:

Through selective breeding, scientists have been able to increase the yield of many crops. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of this type of breeding.

Scoring Guide:

4 - 2 advantages are stated and 2 disadvantages are stated

3 - 2 advantages and 1 advantage or 1 advantage and 2 disadvantages

2 - 1 advantage is state and 1 disadvantage is stated

1 - only 1 advantage or disadvantage is stated