WGU C451/GNC2/1NC1 Integrated Natural Sciences Module 8 Already Passed
Explain the concept of natural selection. ✔✔It is a process where organisms with advantageous traits leave more offspring than organisms with other traits - causing populations to change over time. (key mechanism of evolution)
variation ✔✔traits vary from individual to individual
heritable traits ✔✔A trait that can be passed on genetically from parent to offspring.
fitness ✔✔the number of offspring an organism leaves over its lifetime compared to other individuals in the population
Describe an example of a population that changes over time due to natural selection. How do variation, heritable traits, fitness and natural selection allow change in the population to occur?✔✔peppered moth, rat snake, humans, deer mouse, pesticide resistant insects, Galapagos finches, peacocks, warrior ants, nylon-eating bacteria, and lizards. (They have all adapted & made changes to support the environments they live in) 1 / 2
Explain why adaptations are an important component of a species' survival. ✔✔because they are important for survival. If the specie does not adapt to its environment it lives in, it will not survive
Describe adaptations of animals in extreme environments, such as a polar bear (in a cold, arctic environment) or ✔✔Polar Bear (cold- arctic environment): larger, tend to have a smaller surface area-to-volume ratio, their volume increases rapidly due to growing so quickly (Bergmann's Rule), short appendages (Allen's Rule) & small ears to conserve heat, although polar bears seem white, they are transparent, which allows sun to transmit to skin below, they have insulating layers that conduct heat slowly & slow down heat loss.
Describe adaptations of animals in extreme environments, such a desert rabbit (in a hot, dry, desert environment). ✔✔Desert Rabbit (hot-dry-desert environment): smaller, long legs, large ears that increase the surface area available for heat dissipation, extensive blood vessels that carry heat from core of body to skin where convection cool them off, pale in color.
Describe how variation, heritability, fitness, and natural selection contributed to the evolution of peppered moths ✔✔Variation: There are varying kinds of colors that can be selected by nature between the moths. Heritability: The idea that if you had more dark colored moths, they would give birth to dark colored baby moths which would grow up to be again a dark colored moth. It's
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